HOW THE DYING READING CULTURE IN NIGERIA CAN BE RESURRECTED

This is a follow up to the previous post titled "THE DYING READING CULTURE IN NIGERIA".

The fact that the culture of reading in Nigeria is dying shows that there is a glimse of hope, because it can be resurrected or revived. For revival to take place, certain actions must be taken, while all hands must be desk. The critical issue which requires utmost attention is the unawareness of so many citizens, or inability to be knowledgeable about the negative impact the absence of the subject is creating in the Nigerian state. Importantly, to establish a strong nexus or relationship between the existence of the culture of reading and literate society/country, and how it can help Nigeria achieve sustainable development 

In view of the above, the following points will be x-rayed in details, as panacea for resurrecting reading culture in Nigeria:

I. Provision of adequate censorship by government 

ii. Capitalizing on/exploring of advancement in technology 

iii. Putting a stop to examination fraud

iv. Organizing books fair 

v. Organizing reading challenge programmes

vi. Improvement in standard of living 

(I) PROVISION OF ADEQUATE CENSORSHIP BY GOVERNMENT 

Did you know that the method or system of publishing literally contents has greatly changed over time? Authors no longer pay attention to regulatory or censoring guidelines, sadly many do not know such are in existence. Nigeria has many regulatory and censorship bodiies including the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) esponsible for censoring digital contents, websites and social media, in conjunction with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and others which approve all kinds of reading contents produced in Nigeria. The concern here is specifically on literally or readable contents, not video or audio contents. Writing has now become all comers affairs, little wonder those without the basic and necessary skills, who are strongly motivated by monetary gains, resort to publishing half-baked ideas or knowledge. The resultant effect is that the many junks published lack high taste, quality and standard. They only become prolific producing unworthy or low quality contents, unlike what was obtainable in the past, where writing of books and other materials was time consuming, to avoid feeding the public with half-baked ideas. 

This subject treated here is a great national concern to Nigeria, borne out of keen interest and observation, promoting so many questions why people no longer have interest in reading, why government is not up and doing or living up to expectations, and why the ethics of writing are no longer maintained. Do not forget, great ideas in this world are hidden in books, not radio or TV, not the modern communication gadgets. It is aimed at stirring or stimulating thoughts for a possible shift that will result into attitudinal change or cultural renaissance in reading. Has it ever occurred to people how many years and decades it took to write or author great and important books with tremendous global relevance? Did you get to know how long it took for books such as Things Fall Apart, Long Walk To Freedom, There Was A Country, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, etc? 

Writing of books and other reading materials is a serious calling which in recent time, due to so many social ills and decadence, has been hijacked by business men and fraudsters, whose primary interest is monetization and commercialization, to the detriment of quality and standard. Since books and other reading materials are meant to build or mould characters, the producers of such should be people of high integrity, who can defend or maintain the truth at all cost, which also should be a true reflection of the contents they are producing, in order to affect the readers positively. Government can interven, I mean the concerned regulatory body, to ensure regulatory guidelines for publishing are strictly followed, while also making necessary reforms, in line with existing realities, to address the impact of the changing time. It can enable or contribute to people becoming enthusiastic and captivating about reading

(ii) CAPITALIZING ON/EXPLORING OF ADVANCEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY 

The same manner advancement in technology has made many people lost interest in reading, same way it can be used positively to stir up or stimulate reading interest. Advancement in technology has considerably made contents publishing all comers affair. Reading contents publishing on the internet platforms lacks proper and adequate censorship. Which agency of government is responsible for regulating reading or text contents publishing, and specifically on the internet, which is the leading manifestation of the advancement in technology? The monetizing and commercializing attitude of publishers is a leading cause of publishing half-baked and low quality ideas/contents. They do not take out adequate time to produce something qualitative and sustainable.

Moreover, the preference of listening and viewing over reading, is being redefined by advancement in technology. Audio, picture and video contents are now more marketable or in hot demand on the internet than text contents. The application of innovations that will redefine the reading or text contents publishing on the internet with same advanced technology, is a remedy and recommendation that can resurrect the dying reading culture in Nigeria. How can this be achieved? First and foremost, it should be established that there lots of activities sustaining people's interest, especially on the internet. Technological advancement can be used to sustain readers' interest and evoke enjoyment and entertainment. Authors and publishers need to think out of the box by designing innovations that are in tune with existing realities, in order to revive the dying reading culture in the country.

(iii) PUTTING A STOP TO EXAMINATION FRAUD

Examination fraud reduces self confidence and causes students inability to build the needed capacity to defend the knowledge acquired or transferred. It kills ingenuity and self initiatives and causes inability to be independent, both in thoughts and actions - many citizens of Nigeria who have passed through school or obtain education, lack capacity to start up something on their own, because the knowledge obtained is not personalized in them, and capacity to instigate such is absent. Addressing this issue squarely can drastically reduce unemployment in the country, because citizens will take up self initiatives or entrepreneurship to make ends meet (Means of Livelihood -MOL).

(iv) ORGANIZING BOOKS FAIR

For availability and affordability of books - since so many people who could have had interest in reading are discouraged as a result of inaccessibility to books. Remember, one has to read book on the area of interest, to sustain momentum, not any kind book he or she stumbles on.

Books fair affords people opportunity to have books at affordable rate, because the alarming rate of low standard of living by citizens, who are living below poverty line, as well as having access to books which could not have been easily accessible. This kind of programme should target the rural localities mostly because they constitute a larger portion or percentage of illiteracy rate in the country.

(v) ORGANIZING READING CHALLENGE PROGRAMMES

Basically for the purpose of creating awareness and laying emphasis on the need for cultivating reading culture. Such programmes can spur People's interest in reading, while they should be non-discretionary in terms of social status, academic attainment, age grade, religion, etc. Government, private organizations, public spirited individuals, can invest in making ideas of this nature a reality, impactful and sustainable. Part of how it should be conducted is by making books available and accessible, to avoid the excuse of not being able to afford books.

(vi) IMPROVEMENT IN STANDARD OF LIVING (SOL)

Many people in Nigeria lack interest in reading as a result of being unable to afford books. The low standard of living in the country is alarming, it is a contributing factor to the dying reading culture in Nigeria. So many Nigerian citizens, about 139 million are living below the poverty line of $2.15 per day, according to the April 2025 World Bank Reports. How on earth will citizens within the said bracelet think of buying books, with the current hardship resulting from inflationary rate and devaluation of naira, when it is a difficult task meeting the human's basic needs, especially feeding? This is why books fair and reading challenge programmes should be regularly organized, for affordability, availability and accessibility of books.