The executive officer of the National Library of Nigeria, Professor Chinwe Veronica Anunobi, says reading is the springboard for change and growth in Nigeria.
She added that the state of democracy, economy, education and quality of life of a country requires critical reading.
Professor Anunobi stated this during the annual readership promotion campaign held at the National Library, Osogbo branch, Osun State.
According to her, “the 2021 readership promotion campaign with the theme, ‘Building a Nation of Readers: Share Your Story,’ was meant to encourage and revive the moribund reading culture and promote the availability of good reading materials in Nigeria.”
Professor Anunobi, who was represented by Mrs W.O. Ogunyemi at the event, said that “to achieve this over the years, the National Library has continually embarked on the reading promotion campaigns with the focus on the children and youths in primary and secondary schools by way of sensitising, informing, and educating them on the reading culture.”
She disclosed that the campaign for this year also took place in Gombe, Edo, Imo, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Kebbi, Kano, Oyo, Bauchi, Plateau, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Delta, Ondo, Abia, Borno, Benue and Kogi states as well as in the Federal Capital Territory.
In her remarks, the head of Osogbo branch of the National Library, Mrs O.O Ayanyemi, said the aim of the programme was to encourage students to read books constantly and not for examination purposes alone.
She also advised pupils and students not to be carried away by misleading write-ups on the social media, but to participate actively in reading, adding that “reading is the only exercise that is of most benefit without any disadvantage.”
Ayanyemi enjoined the students to participate in subsequent reading promotional campaigns of the National Library.
Schools that were in attendance during the reading of novels at the event were Adeleke University Secondary School, Georgas Model School, NYSC Foundation School, Baptist Girls High School and Osogbo Grammar School.
One of the students at the event, Oluwagbemi Treasure, said he gained a lot from the programme and learnt that his capability for self-development could be enhanced through reading.
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