The Head of National Library of Nigeria (NLN) in Lagos State, Mrs Obianuju Onuorah, has called on students and other Nigerians to read more to know more.
Onuorah made the call on the sideline of a one-day readership promotion campaign organised by NLN on Thursday at Adekunle Anglican Primary School, Makoko, Lagos State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the campaign is an annual programme organised by NLN as part of its obligations to ensure that Nigerians cultivate reading habit.
The 2024 edition had the theme: ‘Reading without Boundaries: A Renewed Hope’.
Onuorah said: “The benefits of reading cannot be over-emphasised, reading goes a long way to improve physical and mental health.
“It has been observed that people are no longer mindful of the advantages attached to reading which include improved educational outcomes, overall wellness and understanding.
“This campaign fosters inclusiveness and encourages reading in diverse formats such as print, audio, visual, braille, etc., irrespective of geographical location and language.”
Onuorah said that the campaign aimed at renewing the hope of the hard-to-reach, the marginalised and the vulnerable through establishment of literacy centres and provision of literary materials.
She said that the campaign featured a road walk around Makoko community where market women, artisans, traders, mechanics, and out-of-school children were sensitised to the importance of reading and the need to be literate.
NAN reports that literary materials such as whiteboard, exercise books, pencils, markers and storybooks were presented to the traditional ruler of the community for the establishment of a literacy centre in the community.
Onuorah applauded partners and publishers for support for NLN.
