Five recommended readings for “Back To School”

Her insistence and gentle goading had made me a very good cook, even if I say so myself. Her guidance and management of my book time had also ensured that I did not abandon my hunger for the written word, which has become a part of me. My Dad on the other hand did not […]

Her insistence and gentle goading had made me a very good cook, even if I say so myself. Her guidance and management of my book time had also ensured that I did not abandon my hunger for the written word, which has become a part of me.

My Dad on the other hand did not understand what my mother’s fuss was about. “If she likes to read, leave her,” he would say.

But mum always answered back, “Who will cook for her family, will she feed them books?”  In the end it was always a compromise. While Dad allowed me foray into his library, reading thick books like the Encyclopaedias and bought me as many Hadley Chase novels and many literature classics as I wanted, mum ensured I got into the kitchen, did my homework and read my textbooks. Nostalgia and beautiful memories of all the books I read in times past is why I have chosen to share today’s column with returning students and their parents to help them become better and broader students. I am a writer today because of my readings. My grades were constantly a thing of pride also because of what I read. I present you with five readings that would add value to your child’s education. You can read it and make a cutting for your young adults and even undergraduates. It is timeless. Enjoy.

1) Seventeen Secrets of High Flying Students, by Fela Durotoye. Great book about how to manage your study life by a very proactive Nigerian. Motivational speaker and life coach, Fela’s passion for Nigerian youths comes shining through in this exciting book.

2) Newspapers, magazines and journals. For a long time before I became a full-fledged journalist, I was really casual about reading newspapers. When I caught the bug, it became an obsession. I hear some people say there is nothing in the papers. I read them anyway and it’s really untrue that there is nothing. Every paper has its own speciality. These days I read at least three newspapers a day. It gives different views on everything and prepares me for the day. I read magazines as well, lifestyle, The Economist, The New Yorker, Newsweek and Times. The last two, I started reading as a teenager. These magazines give me international flavours. The journals, especially professional ones deepen the discourse on any one topic .I also spent a long time reading cartoons, Charley Brown, Tin Tin and Obelix and Snoopy. This improved my vocabulary. Encourage your children to read newspapers. It would help them grasp current affairs and not be stranded at an interview when they are asked who the minister of Information is. The journals and magazines for their age would give them analytical skills.

3) A man of the People, by Chinua Achebe, because every Nigerian student needs to understand how our political class ran in the past and whether anything has changed. The hilarity of the writing makes it so subtle and yet so poignant and it is so easy to read.

4) A textbook of a leading subject on their curriculum. Get them to read it until they can breathe the concepts and the issues therein. Make them work at it as if it is role play. Let them explain the issues to a parent, a sibling or a friend in simple language until they master it. Studying a difficult subject as if it were play always helps.

5) An English classic like any Shakespearean or Charles Dickens’. Get an abridged version for a younger child and get a simple one for those who do not understand colloquia English. Take time to explain the lessons embedded in the text. Ensure they read it whether they are arts or science students. All English classics are awesome and we still study in the English language.

Bonus Books:

a) Make sure they read religious books and inspirational books so they remember what home they are coming from and no matter the peer pressure they stay resolute.

b) Give them a book on leadership and another, a biography of a great man or woman. This should open their eyes and galvanize them to study hard.

c) Give them a book on conflict resolution and alternative dispute resolution. This should keep the next generation focused on peace.

d) A book on how to write essays should help them write better. This is a challenge to young people.

e) The Expert’s Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do, created by Samantha Ettus