Lack of Reading Habit

LACK OF READING HABIT IN AFRICA


Few days ago, penultimate Wednesday to be precised, I was extremely forlorn. A mood I had never for once imagined to be since I became an adult. Some hours before the day in question, I was celebrating, or joyous, exalted and free. Little did I know that, I would subsequently found myself in a state of poignancy. If I may ask, what really prompted the sudden moment of dismay? A dispiriting moment. A moment that introduced the spiteful and disobliging part of me. A cruel and cursed moment. Brethren, honestly in that moment or period of time, I almost quit my interest in writing. I was about throwing my beloved pen in a rejected waste bin located very close to my lodge. I nearly vacated my duty in society transformation which I have been doing through pen deposition. The vigorous spirit I was known for virtually disappeared. My vivacious nature totally introduced a vitriolic scene. A coarse scene indeed!

Let’s talk about what prompted the sad mood. One of my friends who resides in Calabar, Cross-River State embarked on a brief trip to Owerri. According to him, the trip was meant to last for four days. On the third day being Wednesday, he paid me a visit in my lodge at Owerri as planned. As he walks into the sitting room after a brief knock at the entrance, in his left hand lies a copy of White-paper newspaper, Monday edition to be precised. As soon as he sat down after exchanging a warm pleasantry with me, being a regular columnist in the Monday edition, I asked him how he felt about my work. I concluded that he must had come across the work since the paper had stayed more than fourty-eight (48) hours in his hand. But he responded; which work? I reacted; my column in the paper you’re holding of course. Your column? He asked surprisely. I smiled. At this point, I realized he was yet to embrace my column. I wouldn’t blame the poor man because he was yet to know that I’m a columnist or a social analyst. He only knew me as a contractor; a practising engineer. So, it was far from his imagination. But to be honest, I was bittered because he had all the opportunity to digest all the columns contained in a paper which he had personalized for almost three (3) days. Even if digesting the content of all the columns was an enormous task to him, he should had realized that his bosom friend was one of the columnists. After all, my name didn’t change in the paper, and my humble portrait was still representing Fred Nwaozor. Brethren, I quickly collected the paper from him, went straight to my column and disclosed it to him. He was marveled, shocked, dumbfounded and astonished. His countenance suddenly became irritating to me. Though, that never lasted for more than three seconds. After all, it’s a common phenomenon in our continent, Africa; Nigeria precisely. Honestly, lack of reading habit has betrayed our gifted treasure. I asked my friend if he was yet to go through all the pages in the paper. On the contrary, he said that he has gone through all the pages extensively. And, has even read my column but didn’t take note of the author. I knew he was referring to perusal, not ‘reading’ as he claimed.

Later in the day after my friend’s departure, in my lonely mood, I recollected what transpired during our meeting in respect to reading habit, and was about making up my mind to quit my writing profession since my target audience (the public) are far from it. But what restored my good mood was the issue of the reactions I’ve been receiving since I embarked on this journey. So, I told myself that though few is lackadaisical over reading but many remains a bookworm. I knew I was not telling myself the gospel truth because the reverse is the case. I did that to console myself. But honestly speaking, my last edition on ‘Fear of the Unknown’ which I drew a curtain for reaction(s) signified that many still read. It’s a fact. Yes, a fancy fact. Many are close to the media. On the other hand, many are still far from it. It’s not a paradox. Still a fact!

I could vividly remember one of my previous editions on ‘Scentic Scenarios’, education to be precised. In that edition, I made mention of a fellow who was privileged to have a meeting notice pasted at his door-step, but he never cared to glance at it. Not even a perusal. And he was severely deformed and sidelined. In fact, he loss his long-lasted dignity in the community due to that.

Brethren, all hands must be on deck to put to stop this ongoing devastating phenomenon in Africa. The parents, teachers/lecturers, governments, NGOs and churches have a very vital role to play in their respective obligations. The media is not left out in this desirable and enormous task ahead. Our reading culture must be revived in earnest. ‘To be forewarned is to be forearmed’. The Lord is good, so He shall definitely see us through.



COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com

Idleness

IDLENESS: JUDAS OF OUR TIME!


Brethren, Nwafor Orizu and Jaja Nwachukwu remain the first Senate President and first indigenous Speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria respectively. On the other hand, the history still has it that, Kenneth Dike and Chike Obi were the first Nigerian Vice-Chancellor and the first Nigerian to gain PhD in Mathematics respectively. These and more distinguished histories are attributable to the business of the mind. A history must be made as a result of how busy a certain mind is. Thus, unequivocally, an idle mind can never make a history.

Mind you, that a certain mind is tagged as the busiest amongst others does not imply that the legs belonging to the mind is in motion for every eighty six thousand, four hundred seconds (86400 sec.) that make a day. On the other hand, a busy mind, even at stationary position does not have time for chatting, gossiping, playing or dancing, as the case may be. In other words, at a given time or period of time, a certain mindset could be indoor but remains the most busiest among others provided that it’s paramount interest is business and not leisure. Don’t forget, some persons’ profession is dancing. And, if any member of such group indulges in the activity (dancing) while indoor, he/she should not be seen as an idle person. No profession is a waste or at the least, or should be tagged as a subordinate. After all, if properly traced, the Late Michael Jackson developed his singing talent from dancing. And till his death, he remained the world most notable pop musician. Let’s ride on!

In any angle you stand to digest the context of this topic “idleness”, the fact that accompanies the popular citation “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop” still holds. I repeat, idleness has nothing to do with the position or state of the mind in question. You might be lying in a bed but the mind is extremely busy. You may be standing in the midst of a worthless crowd but your mind is working tirelessly and up to something useful which shall be of great economic importance. In a different angle, your legs might be walking without a brake throughout the whole day but you are idle. Idleness is not an action of the leg or hand. It is an action of the mind. It’s an action of the brain. It’s a product of the cerebrum. Brethren, cerebrum is that part of the brain that deals with reasoning. It determines the rate at which we think. And, thinking or reasoning remains the basis, foundation or rudiments of any invention. Thus, any invention is a product of the cerebral efficacy. Though, any invention must be accompanied or implemented with the hand, eye and/or leg. And these are what we can see. We can’t see the real manufacturer of the invention which is the “brain”.

In a different dimension, some busy brains are into something dubious, evil or devilish. And, this is not what I’m advocating for. You must learn to utilize your brain for something useful. Something that can make a notable history in a society you belong. Something that can attract the entire public to your person. Something that should speak for you in every blessed moment, even after your eternal departure. Those are what your brain is meant for. Try to be on the crest of a wave in any useful career you find yourself. Try to make a good and reasonable wave in your worthwhile career. Create a distant and immeasurable wavelength. In physics, a wave is used to refer to the way in which things such as sound or light travel. And, the wavelength is the overall distance covered by a certain wave. The light wave travels faster than any other existing wave, therefore, covers a very long wavelength within a short time. Brethren, I advise you make a “light wave” in your respective worthwhile endeavours.

In my previous edition, I spoke on time management. This is also a consequential edition in respect to that. If your time is not properly managed, you would create more room for idleness. And that is an avenue the devil would capitalize on. He (the devil) would be chanced to make all sorts of instruments in your mind at such period of time. Don’t ever create room for idleness. If you are already addicted to it, please kindly desist from it because it kills. It maims. It betrays. It’s detrimental to your social and psychological status. Even the leisure time should be occupied with a nap, siesta, pleasure reading, games, exercise, and what have you. Mind you, idleness would betray you. And, such betrayal would definitely lead you to a point of doom. Be warned!

Even if you’re a lady/woman, you shouldn’t see yourself as a passive element, or an element that has a certain limit. After all, the likes of Fumilayo Anikulakpokuti and Chinyere Onyemaucheya still live. Also, the likes of Margaret Ekpo are still in our number. We all were created for a purpose and we must live and stride towards actualizing that purpose. Think about it!



COMR. FRED NWAOZOR

+2348099250401

High level of Poverty

HIGH LEVEL OF POVERTY IN AFRICA


Taking out the gun out of the glove compartment of your car may not be enough weapon to wipe out the monster standing right before the car in question. Most times, such predicament initiates a hallucination showcasing a moment at which the car windscreen is being shrouded in mist thereby resulting to a false accusation against the innocent climate. Even the holy beings that constantly and consistently embrace the holy writ had also fell victim of such circumstance. What a vulnerability!

Brethren, the continual skilful exploitation of the above weakness (vulnerability) by the elements in disguise remains a sole constituent of the ongoing grievous socio-political nightmares, such as prostitution, election rigging, rape, child abuse, just to mention a few.

The state at which people of a particular country or race has very little money or few possessions is occurring with a high increase rate in Nigeria. Other African countries are not left out in this deadly disease. This issue of poverty is really digging deep on our socio-economic platform, therefore, should not be taken for granted.

According to the poverty line drawn by the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) as one US dollar ($1) per day. That is, every average individual in the world is expected to spend at least one dollar in a day. This implies that, anyone who spends less than one dollar in a day is considered to be poor. Thus, if a proper measure is taken, we will find out that over seventy nine percent (79%) of the Nigerian populace are poor. Most of them don’t just live below the poverty line which is one USD per day, but spend less than half of it (#75) in two days. This set of people are known to be vulnerable.

A vulnerable person is weak and without protection, therefore, could be easily hurt physically, emotionally, or mentally. Vulnerability state of a person is a situation that can lead to so many intimidations or hazards in all aspects of his/her life. Such person can easily be used by the so-called high class members to achieve their selfish interest or personal desires in many areas of life. That is, they can be influenced by any wealthy or influential person. They maybe cajoled into any dirty occupation or assignment, after which they would be paid a token sum of money. Sometimes, the female ones among them end-up being raped by some nasty citizens. In other words, a vulnerable person is exposed to many kinds of illnesses or diseases due to lack of gastronomic incentives, and the practice of settling in an unsanitized environment. And, anyone of them attacked by any disease might end-up in the grave due to lack of sufficient money to take care of him/herself. Most times, some of the medical doctors/personnel in various hospitals would choose to remain adamant of such situation and will never care to render a humanitarian service to these less-privileged individuals.

Above all, most of these vulnerable persons end-up indulging in various social vices such as begging in disguise and prostitution to earn for their living. The children amongst them may also not be sent to the school by their respective parents because of lack of sufficient money to cater for their tuition fees and/or other academic requirements. This circumstance is one of the major causes of the high increase rate of illiteracy in Africa. Furthermore, some of these persons may suddenly become insane when being infected by any disease(s) that is not properly treated, especially the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). In a nutshell, poverty has silenced most of the available manpower in Africa, Nigeria in particular. Thus, could be referred to as a grievous developmental hindrance.

I humbly solicit that, hospitals/clinics should be established in all nooks and crannies of the country, coupled with adequate health facilities. Also, free education ought to be granted to the poor or less-privileged by the state and federal governments. The philanthropists should also help in actualizing this goal. I must confess, so far from my humble observation, the Rochas Okorocha’s administration in Imo State is really trying in regard to this. But, more effort need to be put to ascertain enormous success.

Please, let something drastic be done by the respective governments to alleviate these hostile and deadly situations. The previous editions on “Scentic Scenarios” should be re-visited/considered in regard to the alleviation mentioned above. ‘A stitch in time saves nine”.



FDN NWAOZOR

frednwaozor@gmail.com