NCDMB Tasks Nigerians on Reading Culture, Critical Thinking at 5th Book Reading Programme
By Onwe Wisdom | Pan Afric Reporters
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has challenged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of reading widely, thinking critically and continuously exchanging ideas as part of efforts to strengthen human capital development and promote national development.
The development was contained in a statement issued by the board on the 5th edition of the NCDMB Book Reading Programme held at the Conference Centre of the Nigerian Content Tower, Swali, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Tuesday, with the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the General Manager, Corporate Communications Division, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi.
Ogbe, who spoke through Ezeobi, said the Board’s quarterly Book Reading Programme was designed to promote a culture of reading, learning and intellectual engagement by creating platforms where Nigerians could interact with authors and thought leaders.
“Books give us the opportunity to learn from the experiences and knowledge of others, and to engage issues from different perspectives,” he said.
According to him, the programme was conceived to encourage meaningful conversations around books and ideas, adding, “We bring people together to share ideas.”
The fifth edition brought together leading members of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Bayelsa State Chapter, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), academics and university students.
The programme featured veteran journalist and strategic communication professional, Mr. Paul C. Nwabuikwu, who presented his 2025 book, The Pain and the Promise: Insights and Fragments on Nigeria and People, Public and Personal (1990-2025).
Excerpts from selected chapters of the book were read and subjected to lively question-and-answer sessions, providing participants an opportunity to examine Nigeria’s political, social and historical experiences through the author’s perspective.
Speaking on the broader mandate of the Board, Ogbe said NCDMB’s responsibility extends beyond the oil and gas industry to developing the capacities required to enable Nigerians to contribute meaningfully to national development.
“We support businesses, we develop institutions; we also create opportunities for Nigerians to participate meaningfully in the energy sector; we enable thought processes, and we enable people to enhance their intellectual capacities,” he declared.
He stressed that the Board’s commitment to human capital development goes beyond technical and professional competencies, insisting that intellectual development and continuous learning must remain central to national progress.
“Our commitment to human capital development extends beyond technical and professional skills,” Ogbe said, adding that the Board “must continue to encourage a culture of learning.”
“We must read widely, think critically,” he emphasised.
Nwabuikwu: Journalism Is First Draft of History
The guest author, Nwabuikwu, explained that his experience as a newspaper columnist had influenced his approach to documenting and analysing contemporary Nigerian affairs.
“Journalism is the first draft of history,” he noted, explaining that he deliberately gives depth to his analysis to enable readers better understand the events and issues being discussed.
He said much of the material in the book represented his reactions to events that occurred between 1990 and 2025, including Nigeria’s costly military intervention in Liberia and Sierra Leone through the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG).
Nwabuikwu described Nigeria’s expenditure on the intervention as particularly disturbing, noting that the country did not derive what he considered strategic gains of commensurate importance from the engagement.
Reflecting on the book’s title, The Pain and the Promise, he said the title captured the realities confronting Nigerians while also acknowledging the country’s enduring potential.
According to him, Nigerians experience pain in several aspects of their daily lives, but Nigeria “still holds a lot of promise.”
‘Humour Is Like an Escape Valve’
Responding to a question from Dr. Ezeobi on the use of humour in his writings, Nwabuikwu described humour as a tool that could help writers communicate difficult ideas without unnecessarily escalating tension.
“Humour is like an escape valve,” he said, adding that, “when you are writing under a military ruler who was not famous for letting his enemies escape, you have to find a way of making your point that readers are sure of what you are saying but Oga is not annoyed enough to deal with you.”
On creative writing, he advised aspiring writers against imitating established authors, urging them instead to develop their individual voices and write about subjects they genuinely care about.
“Be yourself; don’t try to write like other people,” he advised.
He added, “Whatever you are passionate about,” should provide a writer with a basis for developing compelling creative work.
NCDMB Sustains Literary Engagement
The NCDMB Book Reading Programme was inaugurated in August 2024, with the Senior Vice Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Leadership Newspapers, Mr. Azu Ishiekwene, as the guest author.
The second edition, held on August 25, 2025, featured former Editor of The PUNCH, Mr. Dayo Oketola, while the third edition on November 13, 2025, featured King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV.
The fourth edition, held on April 8, 2026, featured former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside.
The Board said the programme is designed to promote reading culture and literacy, critical thinking and intellectual engagement among published authors, academics, students, media practitioners and members of the general public.
Through the initiative, NCDMB continues to provide a platform for the exchange of ideas and engagement with literature as an instrument for intellectual development and national advancement.
