The Traditional Ruler of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, has called on parents, teachers and caregivers to assist in reviving reading culture among Nigerian students.
Achebe made the plea when Ms Nkechi Udeze, the Director, Anambra State Library Board, paid courtesy call on traditional rulers at the Government House, Awka, on Monday.
Achebe, the Chairman of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council, advised students make good use of libraries, saying it would go a long way in making them secure their future.
He noted that it was regrettable that the use of internet might have led to abandoning the use of libraries.
The traditional ruler urged them to retrace their steps and shun use of internet for pornography and other social vices.
The royal father, then, appealed to government to re-equip libraries with books and make them accessible for studies.
He said the suggestion would help address issues of poor reading culture and non-usage of libraries.
Also speaking, the Traditional Ruler of Enugwu Ukwu, Igwe Ralph Ekpe, harped on the need for students to improve their reading culture by reading at least three local novels in a year.
Ekpe also expressed misgivings at parents and guardians who bully their children for speaking their local dialects.
Earlier, the director praised efforts of the royal fathers in championing the promotion of reading culture and reviving Igbo language and culture.
She appealed for documentation of their culture and ways of life of their various communities in the state and make them available to students.