The Executive Officer, National Library of Nigeria, Prof. Lenrie Aina has lamented very low reading culture in Nigeria, saying, “Our people are not reading. In Nigeria we shout.”
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday ahead of this year’s National Readership Programme, Aina, who is also the National Librarian said past governments had made efforts to improve the literary rate in Nigeria, but reading culture remained very low because no plans were made to consolidate the newly acquired skills of reading and numeracy and develop up to the point where they can read on their own for pleasure or for profit.
“We don’t consider reading as a habit that is why we are coming up with this programme. We want to sensitize the people to read,” he said
He also said the Federal Government was interested promoting reading culture among Nigerians which was “why they allocate funds to the national library every.
“It is an established fact that the reading culture in Nigeria is very poor and of course the benefits of improved reading culture in any country cannot be over emphasized.
“Since literacy is a precursor to reading, past governments in Nigeria have made tremendous efforts to improve the literacy rate in Nigeria.”
