Former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Commissioner for Education in Lagos, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo and others have stressed the need to revitalize reading culture in Nigeria.
They made this known at the Investiture ceremony of the President of Reading Awareness Society for Development in Africa (RASDA), Mrs Bukola Ladoja as Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Ambassador, held at the University of Lagos, Lagos on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, Former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja said there is a need for all and sundry in the country to go back to reading.
He recalled that people usually go a reading while travelling back in those days before the development of the internet.
The former governor noted that children these days prefer to be on the phone rather than reading; hence, the need to prioritize reading more.
“We must go back to reading that we have jettisoned for a long time.
“In those days when you are travelling, you would take a book to read. But, now our children are always on the phone.
“The challenge today is so many particularly, the last few years. When did we start the Internet that has taken over everywhere? Look at it now, you can not only speak to another person but also see the person.” Ladoja said.
Also speaking, The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by the Special Adviser on primary and secondary education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo said Nigeria lost its reading culture due to the fact that less or no attention is given to the children between the ages of 0 and 6 years.
The Governor added that there is no clear roadmap for the said years, unlike those years where Phoenix was being taught and consequently caught the children young.
Abiodun, who attributed the failure of students to the fact that they are decoding rather than comprehending, stated the need to make a recourse back to the foundation.
He noted that there is a need for the generation Z, Y and alpha to be taken into consideration; hence, advocated for the digitalization of reading as technology is the language of the current generation.
“We have lost reading culture in Nigeria. People now joke with 0-6 years. We don’t have a clear roadmap for the said years.
“That is why we don’t catch them young. Remember, we did a lot of Phoenix in Nigeria back then.
“We have realised that our students are failing because they are decoding rather than comprehending.
“If we don’t go back to the foundation, we will miss it. There was a lot of competition in school those days but they are no more.
“Let us think of the generation Z, Y and alpha because the millennials have missed it already. Let us bring technology into everything we are writing.
“I challenge everyone to bring digitalization into reading because that is the language they understand.” He said.
The Lagos state commissioner for education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, who was represented by Mr Sunday Jokotola said reading is inevitable for success in all ramifications.
Adefisayo said reading as an integral part of education changes individuals’ orientation towards becoming better and responsible members of society.
She, therefore, encouraged students to embrace the reading culture in order to be able to contribute effectively to the development of society.
The Chairman of the Occasion, Agbaoye of Ibadanland, Chief Kola Karim noted that education should not be taken for granted as it helps with the development of the community and defence of people’s rights.
Agbaoye, who described the honoree as someone very passionate about the revival of reading culture, identified a positive correlation between a reader and an author; hence, he advised that reading to learn is key to the development of Nigerian youths.
He added that quality educational development is very important to achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
“Education should not be taken for granted because it helps people to develop the community and defend their rights.
“The Reader and Author live a symbiotic life. Reading to learn is a key to the development of our youths.
“Quality educational development is very important to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” Agbaoye said.
President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Mr Camilus Ukah described Mrs Bukola Ladoja’s acumen, capability, capacity and dexterity to mobilize and arouse the interest of the young teeming population towards imbibing reading culture as unparalleled.
Mr Camilus said Mrs Bukola Ladoja, who is an eminent member of the ANA-Oyo, is now an Ambassador ‘Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary’ of the Association of Nigerian Authors which is the largest umbrella of writers on the African continent.
The President explained that the bearer shall promote the interest of ANA in so many dimensions, adding that the honoree has distinguished herself as a highly remarkable woman of substance imbued with a superb intellect.
While responding to the honour bestowed upon her, Mrs Bukola Ladoja said everyone is a contributor to the country’s national woes and alluded that to individuals’ mindsets.
Mrs Bukola explained that parents are no longer responsible for their children, adding that they leave them to the school.
“We are all contributing to our national woes. We are all the cause of the problems in our country. It is not a problem of the President. It is a problem of our mindset.
“Parents are no more responsible for their children but leaving that to the school. No more parental care.” Mrs Ladoja stated.
Meanwhile, The Former First Lady assured the Association to do her best in ensuring that reading culture is revitalized in the country.
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