By Uzo Ugwunze
The former Common Wealth
Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Igwe Chidubem Iweka (Eze Iweka III of
Obosi) and others have called on parents and Guardians to give adequate
attention to their children's reading, writing and speaking culture saying that
the advent of handsets, social media and home movies have become a major
distraction militating against sound education of young minds.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku who spoke
through the Director, Emeka and Bunmi Anyaoku Foundation (EBAF), Mrs Oluchi
Nguzoro Nnoli during a Free Christmas party for over 300 school children which
held at the Foundation's Library/Museum, Obosi, Idemili North LGA, Anambra
State emphasized the importance of education as the basic foundation for a
child who would become responsible and not a liability in the future.
"Chief Emeka Anyaoku is
promoting reading and learning. He encourages children to read and speak
correctly both our lingua franca and vernacular unlike what you see today, most
Igbo children and adults can neither read or speak English language nor speak
Igbo language without the combination of both.
"Parents should encourage
their children to read books. They can read for their children to emulate them. Now, instead of leaving their phones for their children to watch cartoons
and play games, there are apps in our phones which can read out stories for
kids until they can come to the age to read on their own.
"By the help of our
esteemed Sponsors like Eze Iweka III, Chief Hyman Udemba Akamposi Obosi, Hon.
Chidoka, Anambra Commissioner for Works Engr Ifeanyi Okoma and many others, we celebrated
Christmas with nothing lesser than 310 children for free. We are not just
having fun, we are using this opportunity to teach, educate them in a friendly
atmosphere. Spelling Bee, Reading aloud and Singing competition were part of today's
Christmas party program".
EBAF Obosi is a library and
Museum with over 20,000 books for both students and researchers. Emeka Anyaoku
gave out this platform today because of his passion to touch lives especially
youths and he wants to leave a lasting impression of beautiful memories on these
young minds," said Mrs Nnoli.
According to Igwe'Chidubem
Iweka, I advise parents to limit the time their children spend with phones. The
handset and social media have been a major distraction to reading. Families
should return to the old culture of reading books which has been relegated.
"The words given to these
children according to their class levels were not difficult to read or spell
but some of them could not express themselves which shows that reading standard
is falling," said the monarch.
Eze Iweka further advised the
children to be of good behavior, make friends with good peers and brilliant
school mates if they want to amount to anything meaningful in life." The
early you make the right choices with determination, the more successful you
become. No one is a skilled science student or an Arts student, whatever career you
chose, focus, hardwork and discipline will make you gain mastery of any subject
or course".
Moreover, the President Obosi
Urban, Chief Emeka Asimone Dikedioramma advised children to always listen to
their parents and school teachers if they want to become great leaders of
tomorrow urging them to avoid bad friends which leads to cultism, violence and
other forms of crime.
Highlights of the maiden EBAF Christmas party was the arrival of Father Christmas (Santa Claus from Russia) and mickey mouse to gift and entertain the kids.
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