The Chief Executive of the National Library of Nigeria, Prof. Chinwe Anunobi, has urged Nigerian parents to consistently speak indigenous languages to their children.
Anunobi made this statement during a media parley organised by the National Library of Nigeria, Lagos, in collaboration with Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries and Book Aid International, to commemorate this year’s International Literacy Day.
She explained that literacy development, particularly in indigenous languages, begins within the family.
Anunobi counselled that parents should nurture this by gifting their children books.
“The promotion and development of literacy, especially in indigenous languages, starts within the family. Parents should speak their native languages to their children from a young age. And when it comes to special occasions like birthdays, instead of just buying a child cake or sweets, why not gift them books? A few simple books can have a lifelong impact.”
Anunobi said although the National Library is primarily a research library for higher institutions, it also has a special mandate to promote reading, which is fundamental to enhancing literacy.
“Literacy is not just about speaking—it involves coding and decoding symbols. Increasing literacy rates requires more than words; it requires tangible actions.
“For example, Ireland increased its literacy rate to 95 per cent through a dedicated effort to promote reading. I don’t see the same level of commitment here in Nigeria. The best way to encourage reading is to provide children with the materials they need in their classrooms. It’s not enough to just tell them to read or assign homework; we must give them opportunities, like library hours where children can read and discuss what they’ve learned.”
She revealed that the library would implement such programs where children would be given books to read and then return weekly to discuss them.
“This ensures they are actively engaging with the material, and the books provided are tailored to their reading level. We can’t improve literacy by just talking about it—it has to be taught and nurtured through structured programs,” she said.
Co-founder and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries, Mrs Ifeoma Esiri, said in line with the theme, ‘Multilingual Education,’ emphasised that Nigerian children must be able to read and write in local languages.
“If you’re Igbo, your child should be able to read a book and write in Igbo; the same goes for Yoruba, Hausa, and other languages. Literacy isn’t just about mastering English; it’s about understanding and preserving our written languages.
“The earliest books in our local languages were religious texts. For example, in my village, many people still read the Bible in Igbo. We need government programs to expand this to other kinds of books in our native languages so that people, not just children, can access literature and knowledge in their tongue. This is how we foster true literacy by allowing communities to read and learn in their languages.”
While speaking on how to address issues of children who initially learned in their local language struggle when they transition to English in higher education, Esiri explained, “That’s an excellent point, and it highlights the complexity of our educational system. In the North, much schooling is conducted in local languages, and it has worked effectively. For instance, the late Sir Tafawa Balewa wrote a book in Hausa, which was a bestseller because everyone in his community could read it. I’ve read a translated version, and it was a beautiful story.”
She also canvassed that there was a need for Nigerian writers to produce works of literature in Nigerian languages.
Esiri added, “We need more Nigerian writers to produce literature in our local languages. While there are a few, most are based in the North. It’s a tragedy when a child who has been educated in a local language struggles when forced to transition to English for higher education. It’s a systemic failure that we need to address.”