A Non-governmental organisation which focuses on promoting reading culture amongst children has added two more books to its collections in Nigeria.
Founder of the Aunty Talatu Read Foundation, Teresa Ameh launched the two books, The rise of the Phoenix and Mariano and the bowl of cashews, in Abuja Nigeria.
She said; “the launch of the books which came at a time the world is celebrating the 16 days of activism, also address gender based violence and the effect of war on the girl-child especially in the Northeast of Nigeria which has been devastated by war.
“The size is just the right size for children. Because the attention span is very short. And we need to give them what they need.”
According to her, instilling the culture of early reading in children will breed reading adults and eventually produce and informed and educated society.
Ameh said; “When we talk of adults who don’t read, it’s because we brought up children who don’t read. Children who read, who will grow up to become adults who read and will not be struggling with the reading culture.
“So we are not just trying to bring up children who, because they know mathematics, can go into the world. We send children who are well grounded, who can discourse into the world because we treat different topics. Most of my focus is on our tradition. Bringing it up. We derive pride and joy in seeing our children.”
She, however noted that the Media has a role to play in ensuring that reading culture is revived in early learning stages for children.
She said; “I think the media houses should also help encourage children to read. Maybe come up with jingles or something. Reading is the best because of how it forms the mind. We are trying to bring up children that can interact with children anywhere in the world on any topic.”
The Director, Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, Affairs of the National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Fatima Mamman Daura said the author who’s also a Humanitarian worker with the Commission stands as a role model to the children of the displaced population especially the girl-child.
“Certainly, we’ll definitely support one of our own for the benefit of the children. This is very important because it’s homegrown, written by a Nigerian author that also works with the Refugees Commission. We’re really supporting this initiative and we’re so proud of Teresa Ameh,” Daura said.
She also disclosed that the Commission had in the last five years, set up Transitional Learning Centres across States with high Displaced population, designed to provide accelerated learning for displaced children in all IDPs camps.
“It’s Part of our interventions to improve literacy and numeracy and provide education, bridge the gap for the IDPs children and transition them into conventional schools,” Daura said.
Speaking on the depth of moral decadence in the society and the role of books in addressing the menace, she stressed that there’s need for reorientation, noting that “books are only contributory and complimentary.
“It starts from the home. So I think our family unit, our family systems need to improve, we need to start from the homes, our religious and traditional leaders.
One the children at the launch, Rukayya Abdullahi who read the books said the lesson learnt in the story is about being resilient.
Abdullahi, therefore urged children to cultivate the habit of reading physical books as they connect the reader to the story.
He said; “So, I would suggest they go and listen to audio books or read e-books. Or they could read the physical books as well. Because they make people more happy when you hold a physical book to read.”
Teresa Oyibo Ameh is also the Director, Strategic Communication, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons. These would make the list of her published books, ten.
Lateefah Ibrahim