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What is the future of a nation that abandons the culture of reading? What happened to the Nigerian Child of old and his love for reading? Why the lack of interest in knowledge for the sake of it? What has happened to our public libraries?
To stop reading is to start decaying. Parents should buy more books rather than unnecessary toys, Christmas clothes and films.
Government should give medals for reading to demonstrate its concern for it. We can also promote book reading by forming book clubs. Government should as a matter of policy reduce or remove import duties on foreign books so that they be more affordable.
Community libraries should be developed in all Local Government Areas while existing ones are updated to meet current challenges. This will go a long way in boosting the reading culture among the youth especially
ThisDay, January 5
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The federal government last week announced the suspension of the resumption of academic session in both public and private primary and secondary schools throughout the federation to January 30. The measure is to make room for the voter registration exercise, which takes place 15th to 29th of January. The voter registration drive is crucial to the forthcoming general elections, but extending school holidays because of it is ill-advised. Many primary and secondary schools in the country were scheduled to resume after the Christmas and New Year break. But with the decision, only senior secondary 3 students who need to prepare for their final exams are to return to school while the rest in the secondary and primary school system have to wait till new date of January 30th.
This country must learn to grow out of the mentality that election or the electoral process is so important that just about anything can be sacrificed so that politicians can be part of it. If voter registration is made the collective responsibility of all rather than that of government there would not be so much worry on the part government to compel it to think of suspending school activity for any length of lime.
Daily Trust January 11.
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THE ethnic colouration introduced into the unceasing crises in Jos with the recent heartless murder of no less than 40 Igbo traders, allegedly by Hausa-Fulani youths is totally unacceptable, in a multi-ethnic country whose leaders go on daily about the need for national unity. As a responsible media organization we would never whip up tribal sentiment for its sake. But we condemn in its entirety the recent orgy of blood-letting and violence that took place at Dilimi and Bauchi Road, Jos. In the same vein, we decry government's complete abdication of its primary purpose; which is to protect lives and ensure the welfare of its citizenry as enshrined in section 14,2 (b)of the constitution… perhaps, this may be the right time for the convocation of the long delayed national conference. We need to have a round table meeting of minds representing the different ethnic religious and professional bodies to renegotiate our terms of coexistence.
Daily independent, January 18
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