Adeola, 11 is a promising young child who from a tender young age has shown an insatiable desire to learn. His quest for knowledge started with him sneaking into his father's room not to steal, but to read some of the books his father had carelessly left around his bedroom.

His father was a reputable journalist and advocate who immersed himself in books about Leadership, Politics, Public Speaking, African Culture and History, and it was these books that young Adeola would often sneak in to read. And in no time, he became familiar with names like Dale Carnegie, John C. Williams, C.Adichie, Chinua Achebe, Buchi Emecheta, Ayi Kwei Armagh among many others.

Adeola's father being very observant noticed his son's behaviour, but he didn't scold him. Instead, he bought more books and this time around intentionally left them lying around not just his bedroom but the sitting room as well, probably pretending to forget them. Adeola unaware, continued to read these books, and with time his father began to notice those books taking form in his life.

From his activities in school, to the religious house, Adeola showed capability not only to lead but also serve. A young boy possessing wisdom far beyond his age. It was at this time, Adeola's father stepped in, and tutored him to be what he is today.

Many years later, Adeola became a renowned public speaker and leader travelling across African countries and beyond giving TED talks and changing lives through various humanitarian projects, he was a son every parent would be proud of.

But something was missing, Adeola now had children, and quite sadly couldn't replicate the kind of training he got from his late father. His children grew up having tablets on one hand and a feeding bottle on the other. They grew up watching Netflix rather than reading as he did. Their foundational years spent being just simple.

HOW A GENERATION LOST ITS LOVE FOR BOOKS

Adeola's story though fictional, mirrors a growing reality — the quiet death of reading culture in our society. A society that once found joy in flipping through the pages of books, now scrolls endlessly through flashy screens. The reading culture that shaped thinkers, visionaries now buried under the weight of entertainment and instant gratification.

Once upon a time, Africa stood tall and proud as a nation that produced one of the best authors. Reading, then wasn't just an academic exercise, it was a culture — a badge of honour that distinguished us that we wore it with so much pride.

But today, it isn't the same. A deadly phenomenon has risen to name how our generation relates to the written word, we call it "aliteracy" — the state of being able to read but being uninterested to do so. Books no longer hold the magic they used to, what used to be done for pleasure now seems to be a chore.

This tragedy sponsored the popular saying which holds water till today "If you want to hide something from a black man, put it in a book".

Credible Sources have proved this as well. In 2020, Prof. Lenrie Aina, former National Librarian/Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria (NLN), affirmed Nigeria’s ranking as one of the lowest reading culture countries of the world, according to World Culture Statistics.

The causes, however, aren’t far-fetched. When asked, hands quickly point towards one primary cause — the advent of social media. What began has a tool for communication has become one of the greatest distractions of our time. Reputable outlets have time without numbers established this and warned against the consequences of sinking too deep.

Platforms like Tiktok, WhatsApp, Instagram, and X formerly Twitter are designed to pull us into an endless loop of scrolling and swiping. As a result, many young people now find it difficult to read 5 pages of a book without being restless. The idea of reading a 100 paged book as opposed to scrolling through social media for hours seems impossible.

However, Social Media isn't the only culprit. The educational system is just as faulty, a system that was designed to push students to read in other to pass exams rather than to learn and grow. As a result of the pressure from this perverted educated system, young people have also being forced to adapt, by cutting through corners through things like "Cramming", cheating — any method that involves anything but reading to learn.

The death of our reading culture further widens the gap between ignorance and knowledge in the society, and this is confirmed by a publication from flickers of hope that said "the difference between the rich and the poor is knowledge and its rightful application".

Parents, too according to numerous online publications have for long contributed to this decline, intentionally or ignorantly. Many no longer tell stories to their children or buy and read them books. Instead, these children are quickly introduced to flashy screens — digital pacifiers that keep them quiet and distracted but dulls their ability to imagine.

Other factors like poor educational foundations, economic pressures, lack of reading infrastructure, and the growing culture of instant gratification are also major causes of the decline in reading culture.

REKINDLING THE FLAME

Reviving the reading culture begins with intentional effort — both individually and collectively. Parents must encourage reading at home by replacing screen time with book time and setting examples through their own habits.

Schools need to reintroduce programmes that will promote reading amongst students rather than the regular read for exam that has long proven to be ineffective. Government and private organizations can support this cause by investing in libraries, reducing book costs, and promoting nationwide literacy campaigns.

Conclusively, the world may be going digital but the knowledge of books can never be replaced. This is why we must collectively work together to bring back that reading culture that once defined us.