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.
Special Guest and Royal Father of the day, Igwe’Chidubem Iweka advised 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 aqlllll science student or 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.
