Olamide Babatunde
It’s that time of the year that comes with Christmas trees, bright lights and holidays, which can only mean one thing: another festive season is here. Dubbed the most wonderful time of the year, most people attempt more acts of kindness if they haven’t done much through the year and, for the already philanthropic, it is one more reason to be nicer.
Invariably, one thing that is persistent with this season is the act of giving and sharing. Families spend time with each another, friends, loved ones exchange gift items with one another, and it is usually a merry time for all.
Following this, there is a surge in the number of shoppers wanting to get items for household consumption and gifting, making the commercial side of Christmas very attractive and lucrative. Nigerians, known to have a knack for festivity, go all out to patronise vendors of all scales who have wares displayed amidst bright red and shiny decors in order to meet up with the Christmas celebrations, with food supplies and clothing items topping the list of most shoppers after which thoughts and pennies are spared for gift items.
Mama Efe is a mother of three, and nothing is of utmost importance to her than food supplies and how to clothe her twins and the eldest. “I try to buy things early so that I can avoid the last-minute rush, because prices are cheaper at this time. I get my children clothes first, then drinks and food supplies that can take us into the New Year come later.”
Undoubtedly, this reality is not too different with many shoppers whose bucket list of items to tick largely is based on personality, needs and budget which determines how lavish they spend, but how lavish do people get when it comes to buying and gifting books during Christmas and New Year celebrations? There isn’t any limit to what can be gifted, but it seems the standard is set to gifting people with mostly edibles and things to adorn the body.
Ogechukwu Agwu is a freelancer, and she admits that she has never gotten a book(s) gift for Christmas. “Books are not usually in hampers, which fly around a lot; however, if you roll with a set of people who love books, you can get a book gift. It’s not like people do not read – I just think, generally, people prefer to gift
edibles or things people can immediately use during the festive period. Most of the book gifts I got are mostly in PDF because I do not like the hard copy”.
A stakeholder in the book business, Acting Managing Director, CSS Bookshop, Marina Lagos, Oludare Oluwatuyi, seems to agree with Agwu on the paucity of gifting books during festive season. He says, “Giving books as gifts or presents among Nigerians is not a common thing but they prefer to give gift like money, food items, clothes, drinks and beverages. Except for a few people who give books as gifts during Yuletide season I can say that it is a rare occurrence.
“Over the years, CSS Bookshop has tried to encourage customers to use books as gifts. We do package different types of books and give them as discount, so that they buy and give them to their friends. We found out that the patronage is very low, and it is not encouraging. However, people buy Bibles, motivational books, religious literature, and give them as gifts during Christmas. In order to encourage people to buy books as gifts during festive seasons, when they buy books, we help them to wrap and package the books at no cost for them to give out to their friends as gifts.
“As for me, I have received books/Bibles as gifts from friends, and I also give books as gifts to friends as well. Whenever we have a new consignment of books and I see books that are of interest to me, I will buy copies and give to them.
“I will encourage Nigerians to use books as gifts during festive periods and not just edible items alone. Many people will like to read but because their purchasing power is low, what is competing with their money is much, so, if they have a free gift as books, they will read them. Children read a lot of books; rather than give clothes or games, they should be given books which they will read.”
For Lola Akande, a lecturer with the University of Lagos, “Yes, I support books should be given as gifts during festive seasons, except that it is not common with Nigerians, because it is an evolving culture; it has not been with Nigerians from the beginning as the way people appreciate beverages, rice, food as gift items. For those people who appreciate books –that a book can actually change a life –they will be glad if they are able to get a book free when compared to when they buy these books.
“Giving of books should be a culture that we should promote and encourage. It is also not about giving people books to read but also encourage them to read these books, because that is the essence. When food items, beverages clothes are given as gifts, they will use it, but, for some people, when they are given books, they will simply dump the books. I will say that people should give more of books as gifts so that it will change their lives when they read it and become better people in general. I have received books as gifts, but it is not tied to the season. I have been receiving and giving books. I don’t think the culture of giving of books during festive seasons is common with Nigerians.
“I admonish Nigerians to inculcate the habit of giving books as our way of life because books can actually help people more than the bags of rice. When they read these books, they will come across people’s experiences, and it will help them to resolve their own dilemma when faced with similar situations.”
Yacoub Adeleke also agrees with foregoing notions of giving, noting that it is not a part of us, and it boils down to the understanding people have of Yuletide season as a time to eat drink and make merry. For this reason, it hardly comes to the mind to give something as much or less as a book. He says that he has given books out on the occasion of birthdays to people who would appreciate by reading to motivate them.
“Also, I give books to people so that we can try and open some discussions and make reference to something they may not understand in that book,” he adds. A tone of slight conviction almost on the contrary came from Ikyeleve David, an artist and painter, who hints that books are usually given as gifts during Christmas and New Year celebrations, but mainly for “academic purposes to students from their uncles and aunties but on the secular level, I don’t think people do it, although I have received motivational/inspirational books as gifts from friends during Christmas period. I read them and have gained a lot from these books as they have helped me in my day-to-day activities,” he concludes.
Sometimes, when people know the mindset of their friends, they can give them books that they know they love to read. Obviously, the trend is on a low mark and already points towards the fact that the reading culture has a lacuna that needs urgently to be filled if the future generation are to have intellectuals worthy Yuletide season should be encouraged to take the mantle of leadership.
There is need to encourage the trend according to Lekan Akinyeye, an entrepreneur and business man, who also believes the situation in the country and the stress that people encounter has killed the interest and ability to enjoy reading. He remarks that “giving of gifts as books is the best gift people can get, because the books will develop them when they read them and opens their eyes to new things.”
With Otunba Tunji Sotinmirin, the story is quite the same: “It is very insignificant number of Nigerians who give books as gifts during festive seasons, because they believe that it is a season when they have to celebrate, and their concept is to give things like food, clothes that people really need at that point in time. The least that they can think of is giving of books. I have received from books, Bibles from friends/pastors as gift items perhaps not during Christmas period which I have read. You cannot force people who do not have the orientation of giving books to people to read, because they believe that it will improve their understanding of certain things.
“I advise that people should continue to give books as gifts, as some people will appreciate the books they are given, because they will read it. Inasmuch as people will continue to give food, clothes as gifts during festive seasons, likewise people should continue to give books as gifts as well. In future, you will marvel at the response and reactions of people who receive such gifts and translate the ideas they come across in the books that will be beneficial to them.”
Without losing the essence of this festive season as time to make merry and exchange gifts, what goes around should not only be supplies for the body –the mind should also be put into consideration and, as such, trained to function at its best for the benefit of all. A mind filled with wisdom will do much better than a belly full of food.