Justice Diri harps on discipline, reading culture among youths

Justice Patient Diri, wife of Bayelsa governor, on Monday encouraged youths to discipline themselves through reading quality literature.

Diri gave the advice in Yenagoa on Monday, during the fundraiser for Spelling Bee Bayelsa and the unveiling of the book “When Tomorrow Beckons” authored by Dr Ebidenyefa Tarila-Nikade.

She commended the author for the courage and discipline she showed in writing the book and her encouragement to young people to be disciplined through reading books.

According to her, my father who was a journalist always encouraged us to read newspapers and good literature books during our days growing up as teenagers.

“Books are unique and it shapes memories that live forever than life itself.”

Also speaking, Amb. Godknows Igali, Chairman of the occasion, commended the author for her literary works which had been brought to limelight.

Igali said that the book touched on the Ijaw identity and who they are in the Niger Delta region, adding that young people should turn to writing about their origin as a people.

On her part, Tarila-Nikade, said that the unveiling of the book was a platform to raise funds for spelling Bee Bayelsa, which was a spelling competition for public and private primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa.

According to her, we want to encourage children to develop interest in mentally rewarding activities, and for us to do that, we have to create motivation and reward them adequately financially too.

“This book is written to tell the narrative that the Ijaw people have a deep cosmology that guides their interactions and regulates their behaviors.

“It is to tell the world that we are beyond the struggle for oil resources, we are beyond the multidimensional poverty that they usually describe in this region.

“We are professionals; we have our norms, taboos and rich cultural heritage. Our food dressing among others is embedded in this work.”

She urged upcoming writers to think deeper and carve out a way for themselves to expand their horizon as well as also take time to engage in deep research on the area of interest.

”I appeal to young people to go into extensive reading of works that are available to them, social media is a good platform, I do a lot of but it, but it can stray you till the point that you do not have the time to engage in quality reading.

“So I will encourage them to manage their time in such a way that they can do social media, read and research,” she added.

She commended the wife of the governor and the chairman of the occasion, as well as King Bubaraye Dakolo, Chairman Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council for their support.