REINVIGORATING READING CULTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was on how to reinvigorate reading culture for sustainable development in Nigeria. The study discussed reading, reading culture, sustainable development, reading culture and sustainable development and the impact of reading culture on sustainable development. The paper however, took its bearing from goal 4 of the sustainable development goals, which stresses on "ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all", which when achieved in any nation, has great impact on all other goals of the sustainable development agenda. Challenges of reading culture like inadequate funding of public schools and libraries, illiteracy of most parents, poverty, inadequate reading materials and high cost of the available ones, corruption, fallen standard of education, fallen standard of living, which affect many other things like buying books and sending children to schools and unfriendly government policies that affest writing and publishing in Nigeria were enunciated. Strategies for reinvigorating reading culture for sustainable development in Nigeria were equally highlighted,which include upward review of funding for establishment and equipping libraries at all levels of education by government, provision of access to reading materials including print and electronic information resources, making reading pleasurable to children and young adults, encouraging user-friendly policies and reader-friendly environment in our schools and libraries, encouraging authors and publishers to make more books available at affordable rates through adoption of good educational policies by government, and that government of Nigeria should encourage the growth and development of public schools and libraries for improved literacy and engendering effective sustainabie development, among others. The study concluded that as the gap between developed and developing countries continues to deepen,reinvigorating reading culture will promote literacy and education and thereby engender sustaunable development that is earnestly needed by nations especially Nigeria.