Prenatal, postnatal reading can lay foundation for good values in children, adults —Don

Founder of the Bookworms Empowerment Foundation (BEF) and author of four books on early childhood education, Professor Andrew Okwilagwe, in this interview with IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI, spoke on how prenatal reading can lay foundation for values that are important towards nation-building.

WHAT is the rationale behind organising this particular programme?

This is something that is being done elsewhere in the world but not here. So, we have the opportunity to do that. In the US, Canada, Germany, UK, etc., governments take interests in facilitating these kinds of programmes, because they have institutions and agencies that help with prenatal reading and in developing mother and foetus connection in the sense that they believe that life begins in the womb.

The concept that a baby is born without knowledge is not true. Science has proven that children who are born have some memories. And we can now see that children born abroad are becoming increasingly creative. Some are geniuses at the age of two or three, while many are prodigies. They are exceptionally talented children. That’s why is why children of some African families in Britain are the best because they do this: the mothers read, play music and interact with them from the womb. The babies listen to all these and internalise them.

 

In what ways do you think prenatal and postnatal reading helps form better values for the child growing up?

As you are here with me, what you are today is based on some of the values you got from your parents and immediate environment. The seed was planted, nurtured it grew well. That’s exactly that’s what the prenatal is all about. Prenatal has to do with preparation of the child right from the womb by reading aloud to the child. Remember the connection between the child and the mother is very intimate and has to do with the natural biology, chemistry, psychology and emotions. All this happens to a baby in the womb. The role the placenta plays is so wonderful and so mystical. So when a woman is pregnant and she reads based on the fact that the child in the womb hears external voices and sounds. We are not just saying it here. The Bible, Quran and research acknowledge it.

From age zero, you have laid the foundation for the values the baby must learn till around ages 6, 7 or 8. This helps to cultivate their mind.

 

Let’s imagine that this is a starting point for this particular initiative. What more do you intend to do regarding this particular concept?

I think this is the first time medical professionals will be trained on this in this country. But we cannot stop with them. It has to grow state-wide and country-wide. And we cannot make it grow on our own and that is why we will depend on the governments, other stakeholders and other people that know the value of what you are doing already. Beyond this level, there something called bibliotherapy involving teaching young ones, using books to disabuse their minds of the bad values they may have taken up already.

 

What kind of qualitative impact do you think this project would have on health workers and pregnant and nursing mothers?

The first thing is the development of awareness. If awareness is done properly, inquisitiveness, excitement, and interest will be there. People need certain things they don’t know that they need or don’t know how to go about it. That is why we are also using the media to pass this message across. What we are doing here is for the benefit of every person and it is limitless. Through it, care workers can expand their knowledge while they teach pregnant women. Reading is not the only way, they can sing their native songs or talk to them intentionally and babies listen; this has been proven as fact and mystery. Do you know that pregnant women talk to their babies, praise them and call them names right from the womb?

 

You started with 20 care providers. How many more are you looking to reach?

We should be able to train as many nurses and care professionals possible to carry forth the message and we won’t rest until we do that.

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