3 Reasons Reading Culture Is Poor In Africa – Therapist Hub
By Dailytab24.
Before now, there is a popular saying that if you want to hide a treasure from an African man, hide it away in a book – simply flip a book and keep it in the middle, an African will never bother to read.
That belief is gradually fading away, and reading culture rearing its beautiful head, but has not yet taken shape. Reading culture is still remarkably low in Africa, and as long as Africa still see reading as a call for cause, the poor culture won’t change soon.
Most Africans read because they have a cause to read, and not necessarily because reading is a hobby or necessity. The concept of making reading a hobby/necessity promotes a healthy reading culture, while read for a cause can only address answers to questions raised.
There are three factors that contribute to poor reading culture. We will narrow it to three to have a pinpoint.
The main factor is government. Government can largely influence reading culture, not necessarily for not providing books or building libraries, but when a government is below per, it switches priorities of citizens.
Citing Nigeria, the most populous African country. A Nigerian cannot inculcate the culture of reading when he is focused on closing the lapses of her government. A poor or failed government consigns citizens to daily struggles to survive. Preoccupying the minds of citizens with survive battle.
When survival battle is made a daily quest, a citizen loses leisure time, and the free time to engage in other things. Nobody can think about reading when stress, frustration and survival engagement point at him.
A survey carried out by Dailytab24 Therapy Corner shows that most Africans that left for civilised countries suddenly turn on positive reading culture. A clear reason is the difference in government.
In Africa, one finds water, light, and all basic social amenities for himself and still pay tax for finding them. There is nothing the government gives, no social welfare package, no credit loan and everything is done by citizens for citizens.
While in civilised countries, people can take a time off to think and make out leisure time, because they know social welfare package is there for them. They can rely on government for one thing or the other and that gives room for leisure and relaxation that promote healthy reading culture.
Another cause is stress. Most Africans feel stressed each day as a result of survival battles. One cannot be thinking about food and other things he has to carter for himself and still think about reading which puts nothing in his pocket.
After the day struggles, stress kicks in and knowing that tomorrow is another struggle. African child prefers to sleep with the little time left of his time than read. Stress is anti-reading.
Frustration: state of the country which directly affects a citizen can cause frustration and under frustration, reading is not an option. Instead, rehabilitation comes into mind if ever there is time to think like a normal human being.
Africans suffer immensely as a result of bad government. And government controls the output and character of a people. Africans love reading but there is no opportunity to read due to struggles to close the lapses of failed government.
