NAN-ELS-3
Reading
By Martha Agas
Jos, July 12,2017(NAN) National Librarian, Prof. Lenrie Aina on Wednesday called on pregnant mothers to read books to their un born babies as part of efforts to promote and improve reading culture in the country.
Aina, also the Chief Executive Officer of National Library of Nigeria, stated this at the readership promotion campaign in Jos, entitled: “ Working together to build a virile reading Nation: Challenges and Strategies’’.
He said that when pregnant women read to their unborn children, they would be more aware of the importance of reading books to their children when they are born.
He also explained that when the babies are born, reading of these books to them should not stop as this would enable them have the background and culture right from childhood.
“By the time the babies get to kindergarten and nursery school age, they will have imbibed the culture of reading,” he said.
Aina said that the annual readership campaign would take place in 23 state branches of the National library adding that 13 states had carried out the campaign.
He said the objective of the campaign was to encourage reading among Nigerians, promote the increase in reading materials and identify obstacles which inhibit reading.
In his speech, the state Gov., Simon Lalong, said that more qualified English teachers would be employed in the state to bridge the existing gap in public schools.
Represented by Mr Peter Maigari, the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Lalong said the gesture would enhance the skill of learning English language which was most popularly used in reading and writing.
“We implore those authors to simplify their vocabulary in accordance to readers comprehension.
“The reading materials should be integral to their environment, culture and traditions, ‘’he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that various papers were presented on the theme as well as poems recitation, drama and cultural display on the importance of reading.(NAN).
MAA/BOLA/EAL
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Edited by Bola Akingbehin/Ekemini Ladejobi