University lecture with Summit University, Offa, Dr Babalola Yusuf, has charged parents to inculcate reading habits in their children for their mental development.
Yusuf gave the charge on Thursday at the 2019 Readership Campaign organised by the Kwara Branch of the National Library of Nigeria (NLN) , in Amoyo, Ilorin.
ROYAL NEWS reports that the programme had the theme, “Reading: A tool for empowering the vulnerable”.
The don said parents needed to start living by example for their children to grow into it.
”Parents these days do not read, so how do they make their children read? We have to catch them young and the bulk of the job is on the parents to do,” Yusuf said.
He however advised children to also imbibe the habit of reading wide and not limiting themselves to classroom books.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs Mariam Garba also warned parents not to expose their children to the use of phones at a young age.
Garba who was represented by Mrs Afusat Ibrahim, Deputy Director, School Services urged children to read in their leisure time to broaden their knowledge.
President , Association of Nigerian Authors, Mr Denja Abdullahi said it was prerogative of parents to ensure that their children develop the habit of reading for intellectual development.
Alamoyo of Amoyo, Oba Jamiu Oyewole also charged parents to be good examples to their children as they tend to emulate what they see.
