The Vice Chancellor of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), Professor Shamsudeen Amali, has said that for Nigeria to rule the world, the nation’s book and reading culture must be developed.
Prof. Amali, who stated this in his goodwill message in a one-day National Media Workshop organized by National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), said he respects President Goodluck Jonathan because of his qualifications and interest in the promotion of book and reading culture in Nigeria through the Bring Back the Book (BBB) Campaign.
The VC stated that it is a great opportunity for Nigeria to have a doctorate degree holder as its president, because: “Reading is a commandment of Allah. In the Koran, it is Iqra. If you disobey it, you regret it. You can see it from the drama presented by NICO Cultural Troupe we watched that the man who refused to read regretted it. Bill Clinton sent a letter to people’s emails. I got it and in it, the former President of the US said that the nations that read and carry out research will have the best educational system. So, a country that is endowed with these will continue to rule the world. That is why the US is ruling the world. So, Nigeria should know that if we want to rule the world, we must develop our reading culture. When President Jonathan introduced Bring Back the Book (BBB) Campaign, I was happy. I urge all of us to adhere to it.”
Professor Amali said he respects President Jonathan, because he had read well as a PhD holder ruling Nigeria, and that not many countries today in the world have PhD holders ruling them, adding that what NICO is doing by way of re-invigorating the reading and book culture is very important.
Earlier in his address, the Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, said promoting reading culture is NICO’s latest in its series of programmes to promote value orientation and underscore the importance of culture in national development.
The ES paid glowing tribute to 
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for the BBB initiative, adding that: “Just as reading is said to be the process of building up positive reading attitude among a people over a period of time, it is also widely acknowledged to be one of the most effective tools for the acquisition of knowledge.”
The event which took place in Merit House, Aguiyi Ironsi Road, Maitama, Abuja with the theme, “Media Strategies for Propagating the Book Culture in Nigeria,” had three resource persons: Maj-Gen Mathias Efeovbokhan (rtd), Mrs. Dupe Ajayi Gbadebo, and Malam Ali Mohammed Ali.
More than fifty arts and culture journalists in Nigeria including the arts editors from both print and electronic media were in attendance, The Sun Newspaper, The Nation, Vanguard, The Punch, The Guardian, Champion, ThisDay, Nigerian Compass, NTA, Plateau Radio, Daily Independent, Daily Trust, Leadership, National Mirror, People’s Daily, to mention a few.
Nwagbo Nnenyelike
Corporate Affairs