'Internet is the cause of poor reading culture amongst Nigerian youths'

According to Wednesday Punch, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan has attributed the poor reading culture among youths to the development of technology, which made them prefer the use of abbreviations while communicating.

The President, who is also a PhD holder, believes the existence of internet facilities and other technologies, serve as an hindrance to the reading culture of the Nigerian youths.

“In this age of Internet and text messages, people don’t like writing long sentences again. Our young people are used to reading very short things. They don’t have interest in reading the novels we read in our days,” Jonathan said.

He was granting audience to a delegation of Pan African Writers’ Association, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

To this end, the President promised to work out modalities to inculcate his Bring Back the Book concept, which he launched in 2010 into a national policy.

“We have also been thinking of how to bring that Bring Back the Book concept to make it a national programme so that young boys and girls in primary and secondary schools can develop a reading and writing attitude,” the President added.

Perhaps, it is believed that this concept will make the youths of the West African country develop more likeness for the Book.