Enhancing your personality through reading

Reading is a chore to some; to others, a joy. Most people do not understand why there are those who spend a fortune on purchasing books and reading wide. The whole concept of reading seems absurd to them. As a particular friend of mine says, “people go just dey read as if dem get exam”!

I am sure that ever since you became old enough to comprehend, you have come across several books, quotes, articles, poems and the like. These may be academic and otherwise. However, for those who do not understand the importance of reading good content in any written form, the notion is defeated.

Although we all have varying literary preferences, it is a known fact that everyone enjoys a good write-up. Regardless of this, it is irrelevant if we do not learn anything from what we read, it is just the same as not reading at all.

We ought to read with every intention to put the lessons we learn to good use. It is just like Gustave Flaubert, a 19th century French Playwright said; Do not read as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.

Reading culture in Nigeria is non-existent, very few people read books, journals, newspapers and any other form of written words. Majority of people in the country only read academic books, while in school, just to pass examinations. This is disappointing to say the least, as the lack of interest in books is one of the main causes of our poor educational system.

All we do is blame the government and the “dull” students for the current state of the system, but we all have a duty to develop good reading habits as well as reaching out to those under and around us and encouraging them to read.

There are nations where people read in order to achieve intelligence and young people tend to read books in/out of the class rooms and lecture halls for personal and societal development. They perform very well in various aspects of their lives. But in our own country where movies and games are prioritized over reading culture, where do we hope to be in the nearest future?

We live in a digital age, where information is easily accessible for little or no fee. Do we take advantage of this by exposing ourselves to all the information we can get? Or do we stand idly by and watch time and opportunity slip away, while other countries devote their time and resources to build their society on certain ideals?

The following are a few advantages to good reading habits:

*Vocabulary expansion-

Ever met someone who knew how to hold people spellbound by their speech? This ability is not possible for those who do not make it a habit to read. Reading a wide range of books, is the best way to expose yourself to an array of words you may never come across while reading only academic books. It avails you the opportunity to play with words that may seem strange to others.

*Self-motivation-

So many people have issues with a negative outlook on life and low self- esteem as well as other personal problems. Meanwhile, there are self-help books on steps to tackle these problems and ways to act as a motivator for oneself.

Nigeria is currently a third-world country and there are few or no infrastructures set in place for the citizens. Reading about happenings in first world countries,

*Exposure-

operating the same system of Government, helps the citizens to be better informed and know what to demand from their leaders.

*Awareness-

It does not pay to be ignorant at a time like this when people in some parts of the world are suffering from information overload. Providing yourself the oppor- tunity to read, not just a singular genre of written material, but varied genre, keeps you abreast of what has happened or is happening around the world. This is important because no matter where you go or who you meet, you can contribute to interactive sessions or give brilliant answers to questions, instead of burying your head in shame as someone who knows nothing.

Developing and maintaining good reading habits gives people the chance to work on themselves personally. The values gotten from reading are infectious, hence the popular saying; Readers are leaders. Readers have the ability to make their society a better place to live in by influencing others to do same, thereby bridging the wide gap between the Leaders and the governed.

Eremionkhale, a youth corp member writes from Minna.