THE Reading Awareness Society for Development in Africa (RASDA), being championed by wife of a former governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Bukola Ladoja, has again stressed the importance of reading to schoolchildren in celebration of this year’s World Book Day, which holds every April 23.
Recently, RASDA brought together schoolchildren and literary stakeholders at the Wole Soyinka Arts Theatre, University of Ibadan, where the need to embrace reading was the major assignment.
In his opening remarks, chairman on the occasion, Mr Ayodele Aliyu, walked down memory lane on the history of the World Book Day, revealing that the day, April 23, was sanctioned to celebrate many great writers who died on that day, including William Shakespeare.
Mr Aliyu, a retired broadcaster, said the essence of selecting a day as the World Book Day is to highlight the importance of reading and promote the reading culture and literacy.
“This is also what RASDA is trying to do, by promoting the reading culture among African children.
“To achieve this, RASDA has taken the campaign of the reading culture to schools, donated books to schools and reading clubs, among others and it goes a long way to show that by embracing the reading culture, we can liberate the African culture.
“So the theme for this year’s World Book Day is ‘Read Your Way,’ and the idea is to encourage people to read anyhow they want.
“These days, people can read on their mobile phones, tablets, and other technologies, bypassing the traditional hardcopy book, so what the theme is saying is that people should just read in any way they love,” Mr Aliyu said.
President of RASDA,Chief (Mrs) Ladoja, said “we need to revive the reading culture, especially among the children, as this will prepare them for the future.
“It is so unfortunate that our children only read to pass examinations; they no longer read for leisure. It is more painful that the authorities seem not to be concerned about this.
“I was at an event organised by a government agency in Abuja, where they were deliberating on the need to use the mother tongue to teach in schools. I spoke against it, because it seems for every step forward, we take more backwards.
“The use of the mother tongue should be left for parents at home; parents should teach their children their local languages, while more should be done to encourage children to read for leisure.
“It is through this that their horizons will be broadened and they will have better perspective of the world.
“One good thing about reading is that it helps the brain function optimally, unlike when watching a movie on television. When one reads a story about a distant place, the brain will be at its best, helping the reader create the image of that story in his/her mind.
“Therefore, without ever physically visiting a place, one can create the mental image in one’s mind and this will help the brain continue to function properly as one keeps reading.”
On her book club, Mrs Ladoja said she has children who visit the RASDA Book Clinic every weekend, where they have access to borrow a book for a week.
“This club has really assisted these children and most of them are now doing well academically and socially, as testified to by their parents.
“Once we are able to inculcate the reading culture in the children, it will be easier for them to study and understand their schoolwork.”
The event also featured dancing, book reviews, interviews, among others.
The schools that attended the event include Emmanuel College High School Junior and Senior, Samonda; Peoples Girls Grammar School, Molete; Community High School, Agbowo and Abadina College, University of Ibadan.
Members of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Oyo State chapter, led by its chairman, Mr Biola Layonu, were also in attendance.
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