Social media, home video major distractions to sound education – Anyaoku, others lament

Chinedum Treasure

Former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Eze Iweka III of Obosi, Igwe Chidubem Iweka and others have called on parents and guardians to give adequate attention to their children’s reading, writing and speaking culture.

They regretted that the advent of handsets, social media and home movies had become major distractions to sound education of young minds.

Speaking through the Director, Emeka and Bunmi Anyaoku Foundation (EBAF), Mrs Oluchi Nnoli during a Free Christmas party for over 300 school children held at the Foundation’s Library/Museum, Obosi, Idemili North LGA, Anambra State, Anyaoku described education as the basic foundation for any child who would become responsible and not a liability in the future.

He said, “Chief Emeka Anyaoku is promoting reading and learning. He encourages children to read and speak correctly both our lingua franca and vernacular unlike what you see today, most Igbo children and adults can neither read or speak English language nor speak Igbo language without the combination of both.

“Parents should encourage their children to read books. They can read for their children to emulate them instead of leaving their phones for their children to watch cartoons and play games. There are apps in our phones which can read out stories for kids until they can come to the age to read on their own.

“By the help of our esteemed Sponsors like Eze Iweka III, Chief Hyman Udemba Akamposi Obosi, Hon. Chidoka, Anambra Commissioner for Works Engr Ifeanyi Okoma and many others, we celebrated Christmas with nothing lesser than 310 children for free.

“We are not just having fun, we are using this opportunity to teach, educate them in a friendly atmosphere. Spelling Bee, Reading aloud and Singing competition were part of today’s Christmas party program”.

“EBAF Obosi is a library and Museum with over 20,000 books for both students and researchers. Emeka Anyaoku gave out this platform today because of his passion to touch lives especially youths and he wants to leave a lasting impression of beautiful memories on these young minds.”

Special Guest and Royal Father of the day, Igwe’Chidubem Iweka advised parents to limit the time their children spend with phones.

He advised the children to be of good behavior, make friends with good peers and brilliant school mates if they want to amount to anything meaningful in life.

He said, “The handset and social media have been a major distraction to reading. Families should return to the old culture of reading books which has been relegated.

“The words given to these children according to their class levels were not difficult to read or spell but some of them could not express themselves which shows that reading standard is falling.

“The early you make the right choices with determination, the more successful you become. No one is born science or arts student, whatever career you chose, focus, hardwork and discipline will make you gain mastery of any subject or course”.

President Obosi Urban, Chief Emeka Asimone Dikedioramma advised children to always listen to their parents and school teachers if they want to become great leaders of tomorrow, warning them to avoid bad friends which leads to cultism, violence and other forms of crime.

Highlights of the maiden EBAF Christmas party were distribution of gift items and entertainment of the kids by Father Christmas (Santa Claus from Russia) and mickey mouse.

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