From.TCNEWS
The President General of Igbo Vanguard Group, IVG Engr. Dr. James Nnadozie Uchegbuo has decried the dwindling reading culture in Nigeria, and passionately call on the government at all levels to make reading a very important part of the nation’s culture.
Interacting with our correspondent in Umuahia, Abia State during the August 14, Love Your Bookshop Day, Engr. Uchegbuo also called on the government and the private sectors to promote local languages in early grade and provide reading materials on native language for the Nigerian schools.
August 14 Love Your Bookshop day helps to create publicity for the bookshops while encouraging more people to read.
“The critical stakeholders in the education sector should come today and improve on programmes that will encourage our pupils and students to appreciate reading culture as a way of life and reading for pleasure in order to enhance their capacity to be creative in life. We must also encourage the nurturing of children at their early stage with creative books especially in their indigenous languages”, Uchegbuo, who is also the President General of Ahuwa-Oboro autonomous community Oboro clan in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State recommended.
Uchegbuo, also tasked parents to endeavour to take their children to local bookshops and to constantly promote and reinforce the main difference between the bookshop and the social media where most children are most likely to choose, and at most times deviate from gaining the required/desired knowledge.
The IVG PG who described bookshops as an ultimate source for affordable books, stationery, and bestselling and beloved classic educational materials, pointed out that bookshops also serve as Community hubs where people can gather, share ideas, and engage in discussions.
Love Your Bookshop Day is an Australian holiday that is celebrated every year on August 14. It is an appreciation of the local brick-and-mortar bookshops in the country.