Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Facebook. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

ONE NATION, ONE LAW: NIGERIA MUST END SHARIA IN THE CONSTITUTION AND EMBRACE A MODERN SECURITY DOCTRINE


ONE NATION, ONE LAW: NIGERIA MUST END SHARIA IN THE CONSTITUTION AND EMBRACE A MODERN SECURITY DOCTRINE

By BENSON SNUDAY, Human Rights Activist & Nigerian Nationalist


Nigeria Needs Truth, Not Hypocrisy

Nigeria’s greatest threat is not only terrorism itself — but the contradictions, mixed messages, and religious politics that weaken our ability to confront it.
For years, Nigerians have watched influential voices speak in ways that blur moral clarity and confuse the national conversation on security.


Sheikh Ahmad Gumi Cannot Rewrite History with a Facebook Post
This week, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi released a Facebook message condemning “insecurity sponsors.”
Yet Nigerians cannot forget the long record of public comments in which he:

  • Described armed bandits as “misunderstood”

  • Criticized military operations more than the crimes of violent groups

  • Advocated for amnesty at times when the nation was burying victims

  • Shifted blame to vague “foreign powers” rather than confronting local realities

These positions were widely reported across mainstream Nigerian media.
So today, when he speaks as though he is leading the moral charge, Nigerians are right to demand consistency.

“A single Facebook prayer cannot erase years of damaging rhetoric.”

Accountability Applies to All — Including the Sultan of Sokoto
With great authority comes great responsibility.
Public expectations of clarity and moral leadership from the Sultan of Sokoto are legitimate.
When insecurity rages, religious and traditional leaders cannot remain ambiguous.

The nation is watching every voice that shapes the moral landscape.

 End Dual Legal Systems — One Nigeria, One Law
Nigeria cannot thrive under a constitutional structure that preserves parallel legal systems.
Sharia courts in the constitution — no matter their intention — undermine national unity and equality under the law.

Religion belongs in the soul.
Law belongs to the nation.

We demand:

  • END SHARIA IN THE NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION

  • ONE NATION, ONE LAW

  • A SECULAR LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR ALL NIGERIANS

“A united country cannot have divided laws.”

The Israel Security Debate — A Missed Opportunity
Before the intervention of former U.S. President Donald Trump in Nigeria’s security dialogue,
the Nigerian government — through Deputy Foreign Minister Bianca Ojukwu — made a bold and forward-looking diplomatic move:

Opening strategic security cooperation with the State of Israel
A nation globally respected for its experience in intelligence, counter-terror operations,
hostage rescue, and advanced security technology.
This proposal represented a chance for Nigeria to modernize its security architecture.
But instead of national unity around the idea, the country witnessed public pushback from some clerics and Islamic groups like Shk Gumi, Muric, Islamic Supreme Council Among Others, who opposed the partnership.
This opposition delayed momentum, weakened political courage, and ultimately slowed reforms that could have saved lives.

Nigerians remember that moment.
They remember who stood with progress — and who resisted it.

“You cannot resist meaningful security reforms yesterday, and pretend to lead the fight against insecurity today.”

Mr. President — Nigeria Needs Transparency and Action
President Tinubu, the nation respects your commitment to unity and stability.
But Nigerians demand decisive steps:

1. Publish the full list of terror financiers and enablers.
Transparency is overdue. Accountability cannot be selective.
2. Revive and fast-track Nigeria’s security cooperation with Israel
in partnership with the United States and other capable allies.
This includes intelligence sharing, advanced training, defensive technology, and border security support.
3. Empower Nigeria’s security leadership
We welcome the return of General Christopher Musa to the top command structure.
Nigeria would benefit from full collaboration between Gen. Musa, Deputy Minister Bianca Ojukwu, and our international partners to build the strongest anti-terror network in West Africa.

“No President is endangered by telling the truth. The nation will defend any leader who chooses transparency over silence.”

To All Who Undermine Nigeria’s Security — Directly or Indirectly
Those who use influence, ambiguity, or silence to weaken national unity
must understand that Nigeria is changing.

Titles will not shield bad decisions.
Institutions will not shield complacency.
History will not shield hypocrisy.

Justice is rising.
The people are awake.
The era of sacred cows is ending.

Nigeria Will Rise — But Only Through Truth and Unity
From Zamfara to Benue, Borno to Kaduna, the blood of innocent Nigerians cries not for charity —
but for justice, reform, and courage.
A nation divided by law cannot unite against terror.

One Nation. One Law.
End Sharia in the Constitution.
End hypocrisy.
End secrecy.
Embrace truth.
Embrace reform.

Nigeria deserves nothing less.
And Nigerians will demand nothing less.


Monday, February 20, 2023

Content Creators Earn More on Blogger Than TikTok

Content Creators Earn More on Blogger Than TikTok

Monetizing a blog with Google AdSense or another advertising platform may provide earnings of about $2 to $5 per 1,000 page views.

 A blog that receives 10,000 views per day may generate about $20 to $50 in income.- 16 December, 2022.

TikTok pays around $0.02 and $0.04 for every 1,000 views. These are reports based on payments received through the TikTok Creator Fund. 

This is a program that TikTok introduced in 2021 in a bid to compensate content creators.

There are content creators making thousands of dollars monthly on Blogger from sponsored posts and adverts on their blogs.

As a publisher, you will get 68 percent of the click amount (and 51 percent when it comes to Google AdSense for search). The commission you will receive depends mainly on the competition as well as CPC in a niche. In most cases, the commission per click will range between $0.20 and $15.30 

- August, 2022.

Meta should pay content creators on Facebook and Instagram.

My premier blog on Blogger, Nigerians Report Online has over 200, 000 pageviews monthly and should be making from $5, 000 - $10, 000 monthly. But I have not really monetized it. 70 percent of the viewers are located in the United States of America. 

#Bogger
#TikTok
#YouTube
#Google
#AdSense
#Meta
#Facebook
#CPC
#views
#adverts
#monetization

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Nollywood is Not Hollywood

#movietheaters

#cinema

#movies

#moviegoers

#Hollywood

@theacademy

@amctheatres

Having a cinema is one thing; attracting moviegoers to the cinema is another thing.

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

Nigerian film distributors and exhibitors banking on the followers of the A-List actors on Instagram and Facebook has not attracted majority of them.to the movies they featured in. Because, many the actors buy followers, views and likes and majority of the  followers are not going to the cinemas to spend N4000 to watch a movie that they can watch later on #Netflix with a subscription that is not up to N3000 monthly, including hundreds of other movies and series.

70% of the #Nollywood movies playing in the cinemas in Nigeria are actually teleplays without cinematic quality. 

Dramatic scenes are often mistaken for cinematic scenes in Nollywood. And actors having a  shouting match in a scene is not an #Oscar performance, but may be good enough for an #emmy . Nollywood is not Hollywood.🤩

Frankly speaking, Nollywood movies are best viewed on @netflix, @showmaxonline and cable TV channels.

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Social Media Adoption Powers SMBBs in Africa

 


PRESS RELEASE 
Social media adoption helps small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to power Africa’s economic growth 

SMBs are the vehicle to achieve youth employment, gender parity and intra-regional trade in Africa 

 JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 29, 2021/ -- A study conducted by Genesis Analytics in eight African countries - Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, the DRC, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Mauritius, and Kenya - reveals that social media platforms help accelerate economic growth and opportunity across the continent. 

The African continent is heavily reliant on its small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of the economy. As many countries across the continent have embarked on their digital transformation, the research shows that digital platforms can play a key role in the continent's development. 

According to the results of the study conducted by Genesis Analysis, SMBs are the vehicle to achieve youth employment, gender parity and intra-regional trade in Africa. The report shows that surveyed SMBs that use the Facebook apps have younger employees with an average share of 45% of employees under 30. Additionally, SMBs using Facebook apps reported a higher frequency of being owned by women, while SMBs in the manufacturing sector ranked the ability to access new foreign markets as the most beneficial advantage of the apps.

Commenting on the report, Kojo Boakye, Director of Africa Public Policy at Facebook said: “84% of surveyed SMBs reported that Facebook apps have been important for their business growth. This reinforces our commitment to providing the access and skills that help people use Facebook apps to increase employment opportunities, incomes, gender equity, and trade.” 

Ryan Short, Partner at Genesis Analytics added: “The Genesis Analytics study shines a much-needed light on how small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) on the continent are embracing digital tools and platforms. It shows empirically that the use of digdigita tools can drive economic growth by bringing more women into the formal economy; creating economic opportunity for young people; and boosting intra-African trade. We urge policymakers and digital platforms alike to understand these opportunities and to create an optimal environment for SMBs to thrive using digital tools and social media.” 

The report also identified the barriers that policymakers may need to further focus on to increase the adoption and drive significant growth, with expensive internet and data costs and low levels of trust in data privacy being barriers to greater uptake. Resolving these challenges will take close cooperation between governments and private companies to foster a digital environment that can power small businesses to unlock Africa’s rich opportunities. 

Access the full report here (https://bit.ly/2Ucaxy1). 
Download the media kit here (https://bit.ly/361NcBz) [Infographic report and Country one-pagers]. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Facebook. 

Media Contact: 
Idea Engineers 
PR agency for Facebook Africa facebookfr@ideaengineers.co.za 
or pressfrancophoneafrica@fb.com

SOURCE 
Facebook 

Distributed by : APO Group Voie du Chariot 3 1003 Lausanne – Switzerland Tel : +41 21 547 44 44 E-mail: info (at) apo-opa.com www.APO-opa.com

Sunday, December 27, 2020

When Mark Zuckerberg Met Me and Later Met President Muhammadu Buhari

#mondayvibes💋✌🏼️ 

#Facebook  just posted these two photos this morning to remind me from four years ago when the celebrated Cofounder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg met with me at the Afrinolly Space in Oregun, Lagos, courtesy of Mr. Chike Maduegbuna and Mrs. Jane Maduegbuna during his first visit to sub Saharan Africa. And afterwards, he went to Abuja to meet with His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. 

My meeting with Mark was not a coincidence and he walked straight to me and we had a handshake before he turned to the other two men in the office of Mr. Chike Maduegbuna, the CEO of Afrinolly Space; the one in suit was a branch manager of Wema Bank and the other one beside him came from Air France office in Lagos. Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is an American media magnate, internet entrepreneur, and philanthropist and according to @Forbes has a Net worth of 98.3 billion USD (2020) And I can be described as a Nigerian media magnate, internet entrepreneur and Christian philanthropist. My net worth?

Only Almighty God knows what I am worth. And in Silicon Valley, I am known as a startup evangelist,  developing iPost mobile video app and iNolly OTT multimedia video chatting, sharing and eCommerce app.

https://angel.co/u/mmichael-chima-ekenyerengozi

###

ART IS A FIGURE OF SPEECH

Original NFT by EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima

Price US$100, 000





Thursday, July 7, 2011

Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook is on Google Plus?



Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook signed up for Google Plus? And he is now the most followed person on Google+. But is he feeling threatened since Facebook is presently losing members worldwide, with a sharp drop in United States membership. Is he afraid that Facebook may slide like MySpace?


The Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has just met with Skype CEO Tony Bates in a partnership for a new video chat feature. But will that help?

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time

7 Jul 2011


6 Jul 2011







5 Jul 2011



Statement by William W. Taylor III and Benjamin Brafman on Behalf of Dominique Strauss-Kahn

U.S. Office Sector Records Strongest Demand Since 2007, According to Cassidy Turley Quarterly U.S. Office Report

Update: Drowning is the Leading Cause of Death to Children Ages 1- 4

Ukrainian Government Adopts European Integration Plan

The Dow Jones Credit Suisse Core Hedge Fund Index Down 1.95% in June

In Wake of Market Uncertainty, Employee Confidence in Job Security, Pay Raises and Job Market Falls to 2008/2009 Levels, Yet More Employees Say Job Satisfaction Up




Thursday, June 23, 2011

Social notworking in different countries




Social notworking
Where do workers get the most days off?
Different countries have very different standards. Which is the most (and least) slothful?

Click here for more.



Friday, May 13, 2011

Teens and the Media: Television is Dead and Facebook is Irresistible


YORK, Pa., May 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The "media" is an undeniably powerful entity in our daily lives. It's even more invasive for teens and college students, a generation growing up with more forms of media choices than any other generation before them.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100929/DC73342LOGO)

StageofLife.com, a blogging resource for high school students, Baby Boomers, and every life stage in between, wanted to know how teens felt about the media, so they asked its teen and college visitors, "What form of media impacts your life the most, and why?" as part of its national monthly writing contest series for students.

Over 5,190 students from all 50 U.S. states and 69 countries visited the teen writing contest page. From the scores of submitted blogs to StageofLife.com, four trends/ themes emerged about teens' attitudes towards the media:

1. Internet: Nearly a quarter of the student writers said that Internet was the media that affected them the most, citing that it's the perfect place to research, and to keep in touch with friends and family.

One contest finalist, Jenny Zhang, of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School from Middle Village, NY, wrote, in her essay entitled, Media: Are we really using the internet, or is it vice versa, "Our fast-paced society demands technology to be always moving at its fastest speed and to the best of it's ability with little to no errors. But has anyone considered the toll the internet has taken on our lives? Technology is frightening. The utmost terrifying development ever created by man. I won't deny that I am a victim of the internet because I find myself drawn to these technologies in ways I never thought I would be."

2. Television: While some students get their information from television, many wrote about the "mind numbing" effects of this medium. It received the most negative responses; students feel television is "distracting."

Essay finalist, Justina Tran of Garden Grove High School, Garden Grove, CA, wrote, "In essence, the news media presents us with what it thinks we should know, but it's ultimately our responsibility to use that knowledge to make a difference and thus spread hope to those who need it most. As a wise mentor advised me, two types of people dwell in this world: talkers and do-ers. The news media are fundamentally the talkers and it's up to us to be the do-ers," in her essay Media: The Difference Between Newscasters and Whom They Inform .

3. Facebook: It's no surprise that a large percentage of teenagers cited Facebook as their most influential form of media in their lives, since it connects the students to friends, family, and gossip. Several students raised privacy concerns about using Facebook in their essays, as well as larger issues like cyber-bullying.

Finalist Riley Brewer, of Rhea County High School from Cookeville, TN, wrote, "The power of Facebook isn't easily defined...I am aware of the most intimate details of my high school classmates' lives; I know who is getting divorced at 22, who is preparing to graduate summa cum laude, who has moved to Vegas to pole dance, and who has traded in football practice for burger flipping. True, I could choose not to read friends' status updates, but I must admit the temptation is too much for a mere mortal to resist," in the essay Media: The Facebook Juggernaut.

4. Overall, Media is Positive: Although there were some dissenters, the majority of student writers felt that media—in all forms and varieties—is an important, powerful, and positive influence on a person's life.

In the essay, Media: Children of the Techno-Revolution, teen blogger Katie Garner, of Vista High school from Oceanside, CA, wrote, "Nearly every aspect of my life, in some way or another, is consumed by the functions of modern technology. But I revel in it, for I am a child of the techno-revolution, an age that has spawned millions of other faithful offspring and captivated our thoughts and imagination. Friends may speak to each other from California to Tokyo without delay. Blogs may swap philosophical concepts or short stories, and people around the planet can share their experiences in a chat room. So, how could only one form of media possibly affect me when so many intertwine to shape the way I live? These innovations are all strands of the same web. They constantly surround us, my fellow children and I, so that we remain entangled together. Some might find this instant gratification distasteful; but quite frankly, I think it is wonderful."

Aside from the themes listed above, the student writing contest took in a wide variety of entries addressing various forms of media / communication that included blogs about social networking, cell phones, the internet, television, blogs, books/print, Facebook, celebrities, music, gossip, YouTube, texting, computers, video games, photo editing, prayer, verbal communication, the news, Skype, and the media in general.

StageofLife.com CEO, Eric Thiegs, stated, "If you get a chance to read these essays, you'll find they are truly amazing when you look at how the students break down and analyze the media. Our winner, Keilah Sullivan, a home schooled student from St. Louis, MO used a tongue and cheek approach to champion her love for print media in her essay, Media: I Like it Black, White, and Read All Over. "

Interested readers can read the summary report and find links to over 140 featured essays about Teens and the Media at http://www.stageoflife.com/TeensandMedia.aspx.

Teens & Media Writing Contest Finalists

  • Kaleigh Somers, James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA., from Royersford, PA
  • Yipeng Xie, Carlisle School, from Martinsville, VA
  • Riley Brewer, Rhea County High School, from Cookeville, TN
  • Jenny Zhang, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, from Middle Village, NY
  • Justina Tran, Garden Grove High School, from Garden Grove, CA
  • D.J. Schaefer, Waukesha South High School, from Waukesha, Wisconsin
  • Keilah Sullivan, Home schooled, from St. Louis, MO
  • Kimmy Tejasindhu, Cajon High School, from San Bernardino, CA
  • Felicia Czochanski, Metuchen High School, from Metuchen, NJ
  • Jennifer Pasatieri, Wellington C. Mepham High School, from North Merrick, NY
  • Andrew Rauh, Divine Child High School, from Dearborn, MI
  • Kammy Liu, John T. Hoggard High School, from Wilmington, NC
  • Katie Garner, Vista High School, from Oceanside, CA
  • Angela N., John F. Kennedy High School and California State University Northridge, from of Los Angeles, CA

May 2011 Writing Contest for High School Students

This month's writing contest for high school students on StageofLife.com asks high school students the question, "What was the most difficult thing you overcame this school year?" From friends to family to graduation to grades to self-esteem, teens go through a lot in the course of nine months. With graduation just around the corner (and already have happened for many college students), this contest writing prompt has already begun to elicit some unique responses. Entries will be accepted up till May 30th at Midnight PDT and the essay winner will receive a gift card/cash prize from sponsors like KodakGallery.com, StageofLife.com SWAG, and featured writing status on the site.

About Stage of Life®: StageofLife.com is a free, non-partisan, grassroots online community that hosts blogs, information, and resources for teens, Millennials/Gen Y, Gen X, and Baby Boomer generations. Its specialized content allows users to share and archive their life stories. StageofLife.com includes free lesson plans and writing prompts for Language Arts teachers, monthly writing contests for high school students and college students, blogging resources, a platform that helps people promote their blogs, teen trends, custom news feeds for each stage of life, and My Life Rewards, an area dedicated to providing relevant coupons and discounts exclusively geared towards each stage of life.

If you'd like more information about StageofLife.com or an interview with CEO/Founder Eric Thiegs, please call (717) 244-0006, or use the Contact Us form on the website. You may also contact PR/Marketing Coordinator Megan Colyer at (717) 654-9554 or megan.colyer(at)stageoflife.com.

SOURCE StageofLife.com

Web Site: http://www.stageoflife.com



Friday, April 15, 2011

Mark Zuckerberg Tops Steve Jobs, Oprah, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet



Apr 15, 2011 08:10 ET



Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Tops Steve Jobs, Oprah, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet as SUCCESS Magazine's Achiever of the Year

LAKE DALLAS, Texas, April 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Facebook has changed the way people connect worldwide, morphing from college fad to global communication force. And co-founder Mark Zuckerberg has guided the addictive social networking site to incredible heights, more than 600 million subscribers.

With those credentials, Zuckerberg was voted 2010 Achiever of the Year by readers of SUCCESS Magazine. He beat out other titans of business, media, technology and philanthropy, including Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates.

A cover feature on Zuckerberg appears in the May 2011 issue of SUCCESS, dedicated to connecting with effect - reaching the people who matter. The issue delves into how to effectively integrate new media methods with old-school relationship-building skills.

May's issue also includes a feature on love language with marriage communication tips from relationship expert Gary Chapman, profiles of entrepreneur and philanthropist Sheila Johnson and superstar NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, plus columns on health by Drs. Oz and Roizen, leadership by John C. Maxwell, making it happen by Mel Robbins and much more!

Also, read about how journalist Bob Woodruff gained new insights and a renewed sense of purpose after surviving a bomb attack in Iraq.

The SUCCESS CD inserted in each magazine features publisher Darren Hardy's interviews with entertainment business mogul Peter Gruber, who gives you the four most crucial pieces to the tell-to-win puzzle, arming you with the storytelling skills you need to move others to action, and with Networking with New Media author Mari Smith, who reveals the rest of the rules of the road for driving down the social media highway. Also, in an ongoing chat, leadership expert John C. Maxwell discusses the five levels of influence integral to being the leader you were meant to be. The issue hit newsstands Tuesday, April 5, 2011.

About SUCCESS Magazine

SUCCESS Magazine is designed specifically to serve the growing entrepreneurial and small-business markets. Each month, it features personal-development thought leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs and other achievers who offer practical advice, ideas, tips and training on leadership, goal attainment, time management, selling, motivation and more. Bound into every issue is also a free CD featuring exclusive audio compilations of success training from leading personal-achievement experts. SUCCESS is distributed on newsstands nationally. Visit http://www.SUCCESS.com for more information.

Contact

Ashley Glenn
SUCCESS Magazine
Marketing Manager
940-497-9901
aglenn@success.com
This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE SUCCESS Magazine


Web Site: http://www.successmagazine.com



Thursday, December 30, 2010

Best & Worst of 2010: Facebook is Top Search Term in 2010



Social network site http://www.facebook.com/Facebook top-visited Website in 2010.


Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
30 Dec 2010
18:06 American Lung Association Selects Eleven Biggest 'Clean Air' Events of 2010
19:00 Top 10 Automotive Stories of 2010: Toyota's Nightmare Year Selected As #1
29 Dec 2010
23:33 Facebook was the Top Search Term in 2010 for Second Straight Year
15:00 The Baby Names A-List: BabyCenter® Announces Favorite (And Least Favorite) Celebrity Baby Names of 2010
28 Dec 2010
17:01 Top Movies of 2010: Redbox Counts Down the Year's Top Rentals
21 Dec 2010
15:44 AARP The Magazine Announces the Top 10 Movies For Grownups® of 2010
20 Dec 2010
21:08 Crisis Expert and Author David Margulies Picks Best and Worst Crisis Management in 2010
15:04 The Ten Worst Media Disasters of 2010
13 Dec 2010
16:01 British Petroleum, Toyota and National Public Radio Top 2010 PR Blunders
15 Dec 2010
21:01 eBossWatch Publishes 2010 List of America's Worst Bosses
14 Dec 2010
14:00 Phil Lempert Names the Best and Worst Food Products of 2010
8 Dec 2010
06:01 Motor Press Guild Announces 2010 Dean Batchelor Award Winners
6 Dec 2010
17:00 McGraw-Hill Construction Announces 2010 Best of the Best Awards
15:00 Wine.com Releases Top 100 List; Reports Record Holiday Sales
16 Nov 2010
18:56 Hudson Booksellers Announces the Best Books of 2010





Photo Credits:

http://www.irishhealth.com/

http://www.mmorpg.com/newsroom.cfm/read/19116



Monday, December 20, 2010

President Goodluck Jonathan is going to Bring Back the Book


Photo Credit: Puku

President Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR, today launches the transformational "Bring Back the Book" literary campaign to revive a reading culture among Nigerian youths and he is also presenting his own book "My Friends and I: Conversations on Policy and Governance via Facebook". The venue is the Expo Hall of the Eko Hotel, Lagos.




"The time has come when educational opportunities must be for all; when knowledge must be promoted over the mad rush for materialism. Book culture, if properly put in place, will help promote a new Nigeria," said Mr. Oronto Douglas, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy. "Four months after, the interactions with Nigerians on Facebook were turned into a book containing reactions and suggestions on issues of governance. The President joined Facebook not to belong but for the desire to engage, communicate and learn from Nigerians. In fact, the idea of government and governance being impenetrable and sacred should be smashed as government belongs to the people," he added.



Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Nigeria: Where they do not read books

Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa with over 150 million people of different ethnic groups of which the majorities are Hausas, Igbos and Yorubas.


Nigeria: Where they do not read books

Do you know that more Nigerians in Nigeria are no longer excited about reading and even writing?

Do you know that majority of the members of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) do not buy or read the books written by fellow members?

Do you know that majority of the Nigerian publishers of magazines do not buy or read the magazines published by other Nigerian publishers?

Do you know that none of the authors who won the much coveted Nigeria LNG Prize or other local prizes has become bestselling authors in Nigeria?

Do you know that Nigerians spend millions of dollars monthly on sms and most of the SMS/TXT messages are unprofitable gossip?

Do you know that poverty is not the cause of poor reading culture in Nigeria but intellectual illiteracy and intellectual hypocrisy?

Do you know that majority of youths in Nigeria do not know who is Ben Okri, the youngest winner of the Booker Prize in in 1991 at 32?


Ben Okri


I have seen the book gathering dust abandoned in-between files and other items on the table. The book has not been read for months. I have read my own copy immediately the author gave it to me and I reviewed it on Bookalleria, a literary blog. Bookalleria is one of the few Nigerian literary websites owned by writers who love books, but most of the Nigerian writers hardly visit them. They would rather visit the social gossip blogs or frequent their Facebook that does not have any feature for their writings. Majority of Nigerian writers should be blogging and not wasting quality time posting tissues of the issues of their minutiae on Facebook.

Nigerians now prefer to browse more on the Internet.


Blogging is another form of writing and sharpening the craft of writing as the blog offers more space to express your feeling, thoughts and share them with the rest of the world. Molara Wood, Myne White and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are Nigerian writers with active blogs and a visit to any of these blogs is worth it, because they are filled with refreshing prose, poetry and drama written and posted by the authors and with interactive conversations with their readers. Unfortunately millions of Nigerians on Facebook and Twitter are ignorant of these blogs and have been missing the most original writings of these writers.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie


Over 800, 000 copies of the books of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie have been sold so far and translated into many languages, but less than 50, 000 copies of the bestselling books have been sold in her native Nigeria the most populous country in Africa with a population of over 150 million and over 20 million are graduates of tertiary institutions. Why have these millions failed to read the books of one of the most bestselling Nigerian writers? Intellectual laziness is common in Nigeria.



Majority of Nigerians do more talking than reading books.


Majority of the literate population only read the compulsory textbooks required to pass their compulsory examinations to acquire the paper qualifications they need to get their dream jobs. After getting these qualifications, they abandon their textbooks and rush into the rat race to catch up with the Joneses of their society.

The next publications they read are the daily newspapers, social gossip magazines and porn magazines. Then they go on Facebook to post the tidbits of their daily routines of their perishable pursuits. They spend hours chatting on the phone, gossiping and spreading rumours on the street, at home and in the workplace.

Many Nigerians love reading newspapers and society magazines and they are often seen crowding news vendors on the street.


Nigerians spend billions of naira on phone calls and text messages, so they cannot claim that they cannot afford to buy the few books written and published by Nigerian authors.

The increasing population of illiterates in Nigeria is caused the intellectual laziness of the majority who do not read books. Because how can people become literate when they hate to read and if they do not read, how can they write? So, the population of those who cannot read and write keeps on increasing daily. And how can they learn when they do not read? How much will they learn from sharing the badly written updates on their walls on Facebook or viewing TV comedies, reality shows or music videos that do not teach them how to read or write, but programmed to entertain more than to educate.


Nigerian pupils and students read for their studies and to pass examinations for the qualifications they need to get their dream jobs and to catch up with the Joneses in their rat race.


We are now embarrassed by appalling reports of mass failures recorded in the secondary school examinations and cases of graduates of tertiary schools who cannot write essays and are not better than graduates of high schools. One scholar said most of the universities are glorified secondary schools.


How can we revive the reading culture in Nigeria?

I remember the late 1970s and 1980s when hundreds of thousands of young and old people discussed and shared thrilling stories from the novels in the popular Macmillan’s Pacesetter series, Longman Drumbeat and Heinemann African Writers series.

“There were no GSM phones then,” said a friend.
“Mobile phones have not stopped American and Europeans from buying and reading over 600, 000 copies of the Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun written by our own Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,” I said.

I also mentioned that millions of copies of the phenomenal Harry Potter novels of J. K. Rowling have been sold in developed countries where mobile phones and social network sites are not excuses for not reading books!

“Millions of Nigerians copy Western haute couture, music and surfing social network sites, but fail to copy their reading culture,” I said.
My friend was speechless.

Using computers should not stop Nigerians from reading books.


The intellectual disorientation of our youths can be corrected by using the same media of mobile phones and social network sites to make them change their negative attitude to reading. We can use hype to motivate and stimulate their intellectual traits and gradually they will appreciate reading as they see the awesome benefits of a vibrant reading culture.


If over 13, 000 copies of the novels of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie can be sold in Nigeria, and then more thousands can be sold when others are motivated and stimulated to join those who are enjoying the passion of reading her books and they will soon be adding more books on their reading list.


Now, 75 years later in an abundant society where people have laptops, cell phones, iPods and minds like empty rooms, I still plod along with books.
~ Harper Lee, author of "To Kill A Mockingbird" on May 7, 2006
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~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

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