The InfoStride Forum

"Suggestive measures to push forward the frontiers of reading culture among the Nigerian youths" is an written by Oladejo Mayowa Williams, the cordinator of SADACC & YMC.

PART I

Education in it's simplest sense is understood to be a means of overcoming handicaps, achieving greater equality and acquiring wealth and status; While in it's broadest sense  can be described as any act or experience that has a formative effect on both the mind,  and the physical ability of a person. It's purpose therefore is believed to be a rigid developer to the mind of an individual to it's full potential.

There is no doubt that the level of Breakthrough in a country is directly proportional to the Educational level. It is a known fact that no Nation can be fully developed without massive investment in the Educational system. Why? Because Education is the supreme light-giver, the breezy down after a night of suffocating darkness. The path clearer through the most dangerous jungle. It adds quality to life, provides access to culture and cultural heritage, empowers and emancipates citizens as well as bringing people together.

Higher Education is therefore very important to National Economies, both as a significant industry in its own right, and as a source of trained and educated personnel for the rest of the Economy.

A Nation whose citizens exhibit a lukewarm attitude to Education, showing little quality interest to useful information is obviously heading astray.

This write up is designed to push forward the frontiers of reading culture among the Nigerian youth.

Reading is one of the most fundamental building blocks of learning. Reading is the corner stone of learning. Reading in all its variety is vital to being better informed, having a  better understanding of ourselves as well as others. It makes man to be a thoughtful and constructive contributor to a democratic and cohesive society. Reading sharpens the mind, makes one reason rationally and objectively as well as projects one for greatness in life. Becoming a skilled and adaptable reader enhances the chances of success at school and beyond. Reading is not just for school, it is for life.

Reading culture on the other hand, is the process of building up positive reading attitude. When youth habitually and regularly engaged in reading books and other information bearing materials that are not necessarily required for their advancement in their disciplines or careers, they can be said to have inculcated a meaningful reading culture.

Honestly speaking, the gap in Reading Culture between the Nigerian youth and youth nationals of other Countries, especially those of Western orientation in the developed world is extremely glaring. A typical Nigerian youth may not pick up just a single book to read for weeks.

Contemporary Nigerian youth are waxing stronger with less attraction to books and serious Reading. They rather prefers to surf the internet, watch TV, party, cohabitate, visiting pubs etc.  Some seldom read national dailies only if there is nothing else to occupy themselves with.

It is a physical possibility to ascertain that a person in his youthfulness can be said to be dreadfully old both in the physical and the internal. Whereas, a person in his oldies can be said to be extremely young in all realm of existence. On a more clearer terms, an old man can be so young in his mind, while a very young man can be extremely old in his mind.

These possibility can well be attributed to the constant failures recorded across the Educational sector in the country today. why? The former (youth) fails to cultivate a reading culture and intentionally denies himself access to worthy information capable of making him to soar like an eagle among his peers. The later (old) did not only cultivates a meaningful reading culture, but also subject a great deal of time in meditating on the information constantly acquired through Reading. Promotion of Reading Culture among the youth is extremely capable of pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge in a country. Youth occupies a very delicate and highly sensitive position within the population structure.

In the early Sixties, Education in Nigeria was absolutely standard to the extent whereby no basic facilities suitable to aid meaningful learning was sparred. The learners of the
Sixties and Eighties were far more better than the learners of these days in the country.
Then, the fire behind the enthusiasm to acquire knowledge never got doused. Why? Because basic facilities were on ground to help learners to easily achieve their various goals; There is possibility of securing a lucrative employment after graduation; Corruption is not rampant; Violence and crimes are not the order of the day; Governments were willing to push forward the educational sector; Learners themselves don not fall flat to miserable influences; Competitions are often featured to constantly test learners capability. These reasons explains why the learners of both the Sixties and Eighties who are presently the elders in the Country still looks forward and continuously desire to run the affairs of this nation. Most of them are still found controlling the mantle of authority across the key sectors of the nation's economy. Why? simply because the youth of today are no longer found worthy; They do not emulate Reading Culture with great alacrity; They are heading astray as a result of many distractions they open themselves to; Today's youth are not optimistic and tend to feel insecured about the future; Peer pressure has remain a thorn in their flesh. As a result, the elders anchors with passion to the affairs of the Nation's Economy. Why? Because they can't just afford to commit the sensitivity of Government into the wrong hands.

Nigerian youth are intelligent, diligent and also industrious. But the ingenuity of entrepreneurship and massive development remain incomplete until the youth embrace a
thorough Reading Culture. There is no doubt that Nigeria as a Nation is behind in imbibing a Reading Culture with which no Nation in the 21st century could make a profound headway to socio-economic, political and techno-scientific advancement.

To be continued...

PART III

The situation in Nigerian schools will not abate unless students abandon over -concentration on musical television and governments should remunerate teachers/lecturers properly.

In Nigeria today, many political office holders are extremely ill-informed about what is going on around them. Yet they are decision-makers. Many of them have the confidence to pontificate on ill-digested concepts they want to impose on the society. This explains why our economy is crawling like a snail.

We must make conscious efforts to return our youths to Reading. We must re-ignite interest in the search for knowledge over the rat race for material acquisitions. Those who cannot read cannot lead.

The attitude surrounding the Nigerian formal Education revolves around just paper qualification which is quite detriment to the Nation's Economy. This is a very sub-standard way of looking at the entirety of what Education stands for.

The sole reason for Education is to develop the mind; Not to obtain papers. When the mind is well developed the society stand the chance of being developed too.
How can one who spent years in the University reading handouts from Professors have the required discipline to involve in strenuous research especially after graduation? How? Some Nigerian youth are seriously looking forward to emigrating just to become "yahoo yahoo boys and 419," cut corners and get the fat bucks asap! They failed to realize the absurdity attached to obtaining money under false pretenses. Reality never dawn on them that yahoo is not a secured way to earn a living. These youth keeps running fast on the lane that leads straight to jail.

Youth who are blindly chasing after money today will one day wake up to discover that knowledge is power and not money. But at that point, it might be too late.

The following are the key factors responsible for retarding Reading Culture in Nigeria.
1. Weak Educational Funding.
2. Absence Of Libraries.
3. Lack Of Competitions In Schools.
4. Poor Teaching Methods.
5. Poor Attitude To Learning.
6. Inadequate Teaching Facilities.
7. Too Much Work Load.
8. Inadequate Infrastructural Provision.
9. Absenteeism And Dropouts.
10. Poor Research Funding.
11. Corruption Among Teachers/Lecturers.
12. The Internet.
13. The Entertainment Body.
14. Lack Of Motivation.
15. Low Living Standard.
16. Lack Of Parental Care And Encouragement.
17. Quest For Material Acquisition.
18. Home And Socio-Economic Background.
19. Peer Pressure.
20. Laziness.

Provided the governments could maintain a proper check on the above retarding factors, the economy of our nation would definitely be a thing to be extremely proud of.

Governments could revive reading culture through the following means:

1. Proper educational funding
2. Establishment of motivational body
3. Implementation of standard infrastructural set up
4. Reinforcement of educational standard
5. Discouraging internet addiction
6. Encouraging educational initiatives
7. Establishment of standard libraries
8. Re-awakening philanthropist gesture
9. Encouraging religious bodies to promote Reading Culture
10. Consistent kick against corruption among teachers/lecturers
11. Strengthening Examination guidelines
12. Subjection of teachers/lecturers to consistent training

Massive investment in improving access to books through public institutions such as schools and libraries is a matter of absolute urgency. Books and libraries are essential especially in this information age where knowledge and information have acquired the materiality of capital and commodity, whose uneven accumulation will dictate the wealth of countries or otherwise.

Parents should learn to expose their children to reading. In so doing they are shaping their little mind towards greatness. Professors and teachers should expose their students to disciplined Culture of Reading and research. The profit of such action is enormous not only for the individuals involve but for the entire Nation.

Governments can not do all these things all alone. We need to combine efforts to revive
Reading Culture in our dear Country Nigeria. It's the responsibility of every citizen in this nation to work towards reviving Reading Culture in the Nation, and it's a responsibility which is not suppose to be ignored.

The media, teachers at all levels, librarians, civil societies, the corporate sector, religious bodies, community based organizations, non-governmental organizations, governments at all levels etc must support and participate actively in this clarion call.

Arise o youths of these Country, wake up from your slumbers and let's collectively push forward the frontiers of the Nation's Economy through the inculcation of Reading Culture.

Let's offer our quota to the development of our dear country Nigeria. People like "Dummy" are miserable influence on the Economy on this Country. Let's wake up and make unbroken positive choices.

If Nigeria as a Nation therefore looks forward to an enviable future of massive techno-scientific and industrial revolution, socio-political and Economic renovation, there is a need to thoroughly subjects the youth to embracing a meaningful Reading culture like the rest of the emerging world.

Dear youths, one of the greatest determinants of success in life is how you see your self. If you have a wrong or inaccurate valuation of your self worth, you are not likely to reach your maximum potential. Your self esteem must be great if you really desire success in life. Whatever image you have of your self will be reflected in your speech, behaviour and carriage. The perception you have of your self will determine your approach and confidence in life.

Therefore, success in life in not a matter of chance, it's a matter of choice! the choice you make definitely determines the chance you have. Your chances will absolutely be the reflection of your choices.

In conclusion, dear youth, please do desist from keeping bad companies. Bad companies corrupt good character. Your company will shape your conduct, your conduct will shape your character, and your character will in turn shape your destiny. Now you can see why things constantly go wrong for people who refused to be useful to them. People who refused to cultivate Reading Culture.

I thank God Almighty for making this work a Success. I also use this medium to place on record my very sincere appreciation to my Parents Chief Major and Mrs C.I Oladejo (Rtd)  for subjecting me to a very sound Education.

I owe much thanks and a deep sense of gratitude to the TheInfoStride.com for continuously publishing my Articles. Very big thanks also goes to my very best friend Bukola Ogunbela thanks a lot ma'am.

Article sent from:
Oladejo Mayowa Williams
(Cordinator SADACC & YMC)
E-mail: mayorrlad@yahoo.com

reading should be made fun