A lecturer in the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Mr. Charles Tambou, has said that unless Nigerian children are trained in the art of writing, book culture and reading will not be effective.

Tambou stated this in a one-day national media workshop organized by National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), just as another university scholar, Professor Segun Ojewuyi of the Southern Illinois University, Carbondale (SIUC), USA, said corporate bodies should be incorporated in the campaign for book and its reading culture.

Tambou, a former Chief Press Secretary to Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, commended NICO for the initiative in championing a cause that will bring honour to Nigeria, adding that, Nigerians should take NICO’s initiative seriously by investing on the writing career of their children: “The idea of parents helping their children today to write exams through malpractices is bad. It affects the reading of the children. There are no children authors any longer in Nigeria. Children are no longer encouraged to write. I urge that they should be encouraged the way PMAN encourage children to play music. Parents should cultivate the habit of buying books for the children.”

On his part, Professor Ojewuyi, who is on sabbatical in Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), opined that there was need for corporate bodies to be involved in the book campaign to increase its vibrancy.

He said: “I am impressed that NICO is doing this programme on the promotion of book and reading culture. It is really appropriate for them as a body harnessing Nigerian culture. The ES came to the US and was my guest in SIUC. He is a man of vision. I am proud of people like him who are in the vanguard of managing Nigerian culture. I am in NSUK for my sabbatical. The facility in the University is growing. So, lets all of join hands and build Nigerian reading culture.”

The theme of the workshop, which took place at 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, Mrs. Dupe Ajayi Gbadebo, and Alhaji Ali Mohammed Ali, who all did articulate presentations.

Dignitaries that graced the event, which attracted more than one hundred and twenty arts and culture journalists in Nigeria, including the arts editors  from  both print and  electronic media, are the Honourable Minister for Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, represented by the Director, Research, Planning and Documentation in the Ministry, Mr. Chudi Uwandu, the Vice Chancellor of  Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), Professor Shamsudeen Amali, the Executive Secretary, NICO, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, former ES of NICO, Elder J.B. Yusuff, Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Munzali Dantata, Professor Segun Ojewuyi of South Illinois University, Carbondale, USA, Veteran Arts Journalist, Mr. Ben Tomoloju, former Chief Press Secretary to Deputy Governor Bayelsa State and now Lecturer in Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Mr. Charles Tambou, Chairman NUJ, Bayelsa Council, Mr. Tarinyo Akono.

Nwagbo Nnenyelike
Corporate Affairs