By Yemi Adebisi, Acting Head, Literary/Arts
Maduka
Passion for reading, experts say, is inborn. It has been severally argued that the introduction of social media, Global System for Mobile Communications, originally called Groupe Spécial Mobile (GSM), among others contributed immensely in the parallel destruction of reading culture in Nigeria society.
It was observed that more youth spend time doing something else other than reading.
However, it has been established that despite their tight schedule, a number of top managers of industries create time to read.
One of those few individuals who read and also utilise his rare talents to chun out books is the Senior Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Maduka, Sonny Oby.
Though he claimed that the first literature he read was Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, he believes that to become a good leader, one must be a good reader.
Asked how this author of an all encompassing book, The Whispering Voice, Maduka, who has spent most of his years as auditor, developed his love for books, he said, “My first degree was Accounting in UNILAG (University of Lagos). I had MBA and also another Master’s Degree in Transportation.
I love nature. So, when I went for my Ph.D in Calabar, I started to look at Geography, industry and all that. So I ended up having a combined honour in transport and industry.
I love writing when I was a kid. Anytime I’m writing, I feel fulfilled. Writing to me is inborn.”
Did he ever enjoy reading too while he was young? His words: “Yes, I read a lot. That is why when I see young children that are not reading, I feel so bad. I learnt that ‘readers are leaders;’ it is not home movie. When you are reading, you grab a lot of knowledge and learn more of English.
“I read a lot of Hardley Chase. Those things I read made me to have deeper knowledge about other world. Reading makes one to expand several scopes of our life. I don’t think I sleep more than 4 o’clock every morning. Each time I’m not reading, it’s like something is missing in me.”
He said it was Things Fall Apart that motivated him into writing and reading. “I still have it in my library till today,” he said.
He also described the consequences of that await those who have phobia for reading. “If you are not reading, you will have myopic idea about life. It widens your scope. I got my Ph.D within four years. Those things I read really helped me. I advise those who are not reading to start reading. Reading should be a culture. Just take one hour per day and read. You see that your thinking and the way you mix up with people will gradually change.”
Team manager/Coach, NPA Athletic Club, Maduka has been described as a man of deep insights and novel ideas on many subjects about life, organisations and environment. He has written several articles and books and presented papers on key issues, disclosing great ideas and suggesting solutions to challenges, problems and issues.
Hailed from Umunnekwu Agbo, Abia State, Maduka is working on two other books, namely, My Nation My Agony and The Surviving Twins.
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