UN ambassador wants early exposure of girl-child to reading, writing

To ensure that girls are properly equipped to contribute meaningfully to societal development, parents and teachers should encourage the girl child to imbibe reading and writing habits at an early age.

United Nations Peace Ambassador, Unyime-Ivy King, while speaking at the Girls Revolution Annual Conference, which took place at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), with the theme, “Girls Education: A Viable Tool for Nation Building,” stressed the all-important role girls play in societal advancement if they are exposed to education early in life.

King, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Heritage Treasure Trove Communication, who spoke on the topic: “Reading Girls are Leading Girls,” said reading is an important building block for learning and a situation where one cannot read because they lack the skills to do so or interest, leads to serious problems in the future. This is because reading plays a very vital role in one’s development as well as the development of the society.

“If you want to participate in modern society in ways that are meaningful, you must be able to read as well as write well. When you develop good reading skills, it enhances the chances of you becoming successful at school and beyond school. Reading is not just for school, but it is also a lifelong process,” King stated.

She told the girls that, “Reading empowers you with knowledge that can equip you to rise above poverty. It expands your mind beyond what you know and it enlarges your horizon to see possibilities. Through books, we get to know stories of unknown places, descriptions of places we have not been to, and vivid imagination about other countries that we have not visited

“In order for you to be become a leading girl, you must seek knowledge that will help you to develop yourself. Harry Truman (33rd United States President) said that, ‘not every reader is a leader, but every leader is a reader.’ If you want to lead, you simply must read. It will help you stand out and also equip you with the qualities you need for leadership,” the peace ambassador stated.

King urged the students to develop the habit of reading good books, including biographies of great people that they admire in life to see what they did to attain the heights they have in life.

On her part, the Youth Ambassador and Project Assistant at Red Cross, Aziza Dangote, who spoke on self-development, encouraged the students to always work their passion and not read books alone.