Will Nigerians Read Books On Mobile Phones? | Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog

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Monday 15 July 2013

Will Nigerians Read Books On Mobile Phones?

The reading culture of Nigerians has been on a steady decline for some time now. The decline can be attributed to many factors from a tough economy to a general lack of reading interest in the younger generation. Some have even gone as far as blaming the poor reading culture on mobile devices.

Now there is a new app called okadabooks that is putting Nigerian books on mobile phones in a bid to get people to read on phones. The app has a diverse collection of books from Nigerian authors and even past WAEC/JAMB questions with answers. Continue...

This all sounds like a good idea, but the question is will Nigerians actually read and buy books on their phone and will students actually study with their phones. Check out the app at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.okadabooks and let us know what you think about it and the Nigerian reading culture in general.

142 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have been doing that a long time ago. Saving books, novels on my phone and reading.

Anonymous said...

Of course yes!who knows where I can find books to read online foreign books like gifted hands by ben carson

BONARIO NNAGS said...

Its a commendable innovation,I guess they'll be tempted to read.

~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA3310

nedy said...

I can't download this into my infinix joy pad. not of any use to me. hey Linda post this

Anonymous said...

Yea!!..maybe..E dependz tho!..I read a lot books on ma fone!..e jes dependz on the person!!

Anonymous said...

error...lol

Anonymous said...

Nice one!.

Elibabé said...

Lin dats a good ques will nigerians read books online? † me i dont think puttin books online wud make any difference

Unknown said...

Nice attempt. But Nigerians won't read books via phone.

The phone itself is a distraction. How can you read from a distracting device? What happens to people who hardly have access to power supply? I really don't think Nigerians will appreciate it.

Kush Alabi's Blog said...

Sure, the ones that want to read will read. Like your blog now many have heard about it but some visited and some many did not...

Anonymous said...

linda is reading facebook posts and your blogs not part of reading? Abegiii

Jbankz said...

It might work bt 2me itz nat reali nice

Anonymous said...

Lai lai it wee even mak it worst cos of d multifunctional of dz fone,student wee read gossip on linda blog n still read @ d same n also facebook instead of facing dir books

Unknown said...

Truly, our reading habit is poor. Students believe that they can get all the informations they need in phones and laptops instead of going through books and dictionaries. The idea of online books is okay because I believe that students will prefer it. It'll be easier to read at anytime and one don't need to carry books around in the name of reading. But the disadvantage is that it will cause eye problem because looking continuously at the screen is not advisable.

unen said...

As with Nigerians and trends, reading on mobile phones will become the next big thing if it gets the right amount of publicity and hype.........and I tell you, it is the NEXT BIG THING

Anonymous said...

Of course we would read dem books online ask Tunde Leye,Tommyslav,Tomi Adeyemo,Sally en oda writers on 360nobs.com en u wud change ur thinking abt d declining rate of reading+i prefer reading on ma phone dan reading d actual hardcover book

Chikaka said...

If you can read with a KINDLE, why not?

BLOGLORD (MVBM) said...

No they won't! they would rather read Linda Ikeji Blog! #yimu

Anonymous said...

they should add more choice including foreign authors.

Anonymous said...

Reading a full book on a phone is not easy at all cos of d size of the screen plus it strains d eyes..might probably b easier if read with a tab or something bt don't tink dt idea will wrk wit a fone..

shouldisaymyname said...

I've been reading books( novels and textbooks) on my smart phones for more than 5 years...so I don't see it as anything new

Anonymous said...

To me,wen u don't ave the flair for reading,nno mata d format it comes in,u won't just be interested.for me I only read John Grisham novels

bbm pin 23491053 said...

Nice. But linda how many people will read. Nigeria has been hypnotised by online relationship, friendship, scams, porn and negativities. Book reading online will never come to stay. Engr Emeka.

Anonymous said...

i tink dts a gud idea

Anonymous said...

i read ebooks all the time

Anonymous said...

I am presently reading A Home of Throneson my Phone. if reading is your thing you will read in what ever form.

Anonymous said...

this is good news

yemzy said...

I guess it will help a bit since pple is always in d internet doing one tin or d others.

Anonymous said...

I read books o. When will it be available for iPhone users. I will definitely read if its cheap. If you want Nigerians to read you have to market it well, that's all, the motivation I need. Take a look at 'Americanah', it's marketing, people that have never picked up a book in their life are reading it. All na packaging.

Anonymous said...

After years for higher institution and no job to show for it,no ginger to read again joooooor.....

Anonymous said...

I do most of my study on my fone and on laptops. Recently I just added a friend who sends links to daily open heaven devotional. Since I started reading d online version, I just neglect d hard copy on my table in d office. I think d soft copy will go a long way for people dat love reading.

James said...

lovely idea

James said...

the idea of okadaboook is lovely. i hope Nigerians will utilize this opportunity

Anonymous said...

Definitely, I do that all the time.

Anonymous said...

Your statement is so dumb and am sure your dumb and darft aswell......kmt

kunle said...

Yes very well. I love reading mostly with my mobile phone and lot of people find it easy and user friendly. So, it is a great and right decision.

Learn the secrets to burning fat and eating healthy

Unknown said...

Llol well I'm sure by the amount of comments on this particular story u can readily get ur answer! Pathetic though to note that the trend on this blog and others is for peeps to go commenting en mass on seldom trivial issues like their lives depended on it but when it comes to more sensitive issues that border on the lines of academics, education, intellectualism, noone is seen to come pour out their opinion! Sad though bcos its a down trend!

Dee said...

Linda, this is concept gone good. Nice one a round of applause for the brain(s) behind this. However, Linda, help me tel them to change the name of d app as it sounds too local. I believe, the owner(s) of the app would want it to go international. If oyinbo man see 'okadabooks' I can't imagine wat his thoughts would be ooh

Anonymous said...

Yes they will because I read on my phone too.

Anonymous said...

Yes...I read on my phone too

me said...

And you have your answer, Linda

Unknown said...

If we can read your 24/7 posts, we can read online books too.

Anonymous said...

Lol. Personally I have been reading novels and islamic literatures on my phone;why? It is less bulky and i find it more interesting. Hope the books are not expensive. O

Anonymous said...

na facebuk post go make become sombody in lyf

Anonymous said...

No, they would not read online, except it is social network. The nigerian youths am sad say are not interested in any thing that is not frivolous.

Anonymous said...

Linda am angry with u dont ask me why.

Anonymous said...

I tire oh! Linda plz post my comment o

Anonymous said...

EXPO made easy...

Anonymous said...

You are obviously a dimwit. How will those affect your life and that of generations to come. Linda was talking about books pertaining to history, politics, professional disciplines and the likes

Anonymous said...

Yes oooo its a gud one.

Anonymous said...

Make ℓ̊ hear.we neva finiish wif textbooks na readin 4 phones.

cubixthoughts said...

In the west where they have bookshops on every corner the government still has schemes to encourage young people to read. Zik (God rest his soul) was a big advocate of reading. The problem of not reading is worse than a lot of us realize. This is good news to my ears :)

nuel-blake said...

Lmoa.....all W̶̲̥̅ƹ do on mobile phones is read!even if its bbm chats. Its all called reading

B€£ said...

Hardly wiLl nigerian read online.except for maybe u got assignment to do and u don't av text book den google is d next tin and once that's done that's it till next time.d only tin dey av time for is social network sites that's all and guess what,no reading habit is one of d disadvantages we nigerian av.

B€£ said...

Fool it not dat kind av reading we talking abt,reading to gain more knowledge and dat can help u,as u can see up in d pics u can see jamb past questions,if u re to write jamb u read d past question online which can help to before time for exam.olodo talking abt facebook and linda blog is social and to create awareness on what's happening around in d country and outside fool

Unknown said...

This is really cool. Nice Idea.

Unknown said...

This is really cool.

Anonymous said...

Excuse me what kinda books are they talking about??? Text books?? Jst forget it..

Ggirl said...

Those that know the value of reading will read.

Abby said...

Nice,I love this. This is going to make reading easy for us.thanks a lot for the app.

Anonymous said...

Mobile phones are already a distraction for young people...so having these book apps on their phones won't make any difference!
I'm sure most of us have Bible apps on our phone, but how many people read it?
The point is, if it is not "interesting" or "trendy", then its a waste *in chi girl's voice*

Anonymous said...

Mumu, readin facebook comments and blogs is diferent frm readin educational books

Anonymous said...

I have read books on my mobile phone so yeah.

Fabulous said...

its nt conveinent 2 read books on mobile av done dat.Nonsence

Anonymous said...

Is a nyc app but does it work on BB? I can't find a clickable download for BB

Anonymous said...

Lol reading on mobile phones is not a big deal. I'm actually reading a novel on my mobile phone @ the moment, George Martin's a Dance with Dragons. Its almost the same thing as reading on a tablet except the screen is a bit smaller. Reader is about your actual interest in reading not the medium you use. Anything contrary is probably a poor excuse

Anonymous said...

I wonda

Anonymous said...

Culture of reading has seriously decline in nigeria & reading books online is a good innovation bt thr r too many distraction on d internet dat mks it a bit difficult smtimes

Unknown said...

its a gud concept.

Unknown said...

Come to think about it,its a great idea my son who doesn't leave dat phone of his will find it easier to read....

Anonymous said...

Good idea I love its a yes for me I love reading but lazy to go get books @ times this will make it much easier for me*smiling*yes I likey.bb dancing...yessssssssssss

HATERS-SLAYER said...

at ist i taught it was for all phone type till i scrow down and saw android phone.abegii e no make sense people neva read finish with lapi na phone.not everyone can afford android

Anonymous said...

Asco*

Anonymous said...

You see! Just 1 comment on this post. Nigerians no go read such books o. =)) laffº°˚ ˚°º≈wanº°˚ ˚°º≈tearº°˚ ˚°º≈myº°˚ ˚°º≈belleº°˚ ˚°º≈=))

Anonymous said...

I'd rather print out n read except its nt lengthy

Anonymous said...

Dum Dum Dum!!! Facebook posts and blogs?? Uneducated rat

Anonymous said...

Errr....anyone ever heard of e-books? Please tell me what's new here? *confused face*

Anonymous said...

Yes, I will read books....This is a good idea because the internet and blogs in particular have killed our reading culture. I'm also guilty of this. They should give it a go, please. Just reading comments on blogs shows you how low the intellect of our youth has become these days, also its heartbreaking to read some comments; written English is being murdered. *bbm sad face smiley*

Paschal O said...

THIS IS GOOD! I rmb growing up on JHC, James Harley Chase book series and other novels. Girls read Mills & Boons. I know for a fact that I owe my good command of English and spelling to that. These days, its deplorable the condition of our reading culture.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Linda for bringing this up. Adults these day no fit spell to save their lives.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE READING. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY NOT.

Sean Manuel said...

If you want them to read books online? Insert each paragraph on LIB, you will see our youths knock down Ababio in a week. #justanobservation.

Anonymous said...

Which mobile phone we wan take read am? Torch phone???

Anonymous said...

I have tons of ebooks I have been collecting to read. Time, time, time. Work and live's struggle takes tolls on us. I wish I can go on a holiday and read for pleasure.

Anonymous said...

I LOVE IT!!! I BOUGHT MY TAB JUST FOR READING.

Anonymous said...

All of una wey think say phones and tabs na to watch porn, look pix and read Linda blog...oya!

Anonymous said...

Reading on mobile apps is not the same as reading books, so caanot take place of books. 1.You can read a book anywhere, anytime. 2.can make side notes to highlight salient points or as summary to quickly go back to. 3. With issues regarding power supply, how long will your mobile apps hold out before the battery runs down? 4, while using apps there are distractions such as incominng calls, pop ups that can make you abandone ur reading. I know this is the Technology era, however, even in the developed countries, they still use /read books.

Anonymous said...

Spelling and dictation is messed up these days. With all the SMS jargon covering people up. UNIVERSITY GRADUATES can't spell. Sad. Thank you LINDA for this.

Anonymous said...

Hide anytin inside d Bible n an average nigerian won't find it.put it online,n dae wil bring it out...I tink pple r more committed to fones. kel-B

Unknown said...

i dey mind linda! like say she dey read too. shioooorrr

Anonymous said...

This is a welcome development.
What is the government and the elites in our society doing to encourage reading amongst the students nowadays? Teachers are parents also support malpractises during examinations. Well, I believe we can still get it right

Anonymous said...

good to know dat technlogy is improved.

Anonymous said...

There are lots to learn from on linda's blog, though there are some stories that I personally don't subscribe to. On the okada books, I think I like that. Welldone linda.

Unknown said...

Hmmmmm........LIBers can't even comment on dis post as long as it's not celebrity gist! How on earth will dey read....smh

Anonymous said...

U r sure right anonymous-JBF says so

Bliss said...

this is wonderful. Kudos to the idea(s) behind this.

Anonymous said...

I think students will if they get to know abt the sites and its values#JBF#

Nonso said...

Yes, Nigerians will read books on mobile devices.

This kind of post is why I come here at least twice a day, you have made my day. I have just checked out Okada Books Android App - it is awesome!

Anonymous said...

lmaooooooo! Guy u funi ooooo! Heheeeehhee

MumsAloud said...

Novel, magazines yes. But JAMB,GCSE or Acada books. No so cool. LOL. I wont read o

Anonymous said...

Obviously Nigerians don't appreciate posts like this..lol.how many comments did u get here? Mz N

Anonymous said...

I think the app is great. I do hope people download it tho. The payment system is quite easy. You do not need a credit card to buy books. Rather you use your phone credit. I encourage people to download it. It's a great.
Although our reading culture may be bad, I do think this is a great start. There are people out there who really love reading but cannot afford a book but okada books makes it easy (and cheaper) to read. Kudos to the developer. Such things inspire me :)....oh thanks Linda for posting this.

Anonymous said...

Lol,ho ha! They still will not read,phone or no phone...lmfao.

Anonymous said...

The ideal is good but my question is ll Nigerian still read it?

Anonymous said...

THEY SAID BOOKS OO, NOT COMMENTS. NYWAYS, IF THAT IS ABOLISHED, THEN WE NEED MORE OPTICIANS AND MORE EYEGLASSES COS WE AR JES BARGAININ FOR THOUSANDS OF BLIND CITIZENS

Ruby said...

Cldn't download the app because it is not compatible with my device (Nexus 7).Hence, I can't say much about the app. They should update it so we can download it.

Unknown said...

that wont work.d serious ones shud study.y d less concern shud go to hell 4 all i care.can u broke a child head to put book inside.?phone or book its still d same.

Ruby said...

Cldn't download the app because it is not compatible with my device (Nexus 7).Hence, I can't say much about the app. They should update it so we can download it.

9ja's Finest said...

Have they finished downloading porn on thier phones that you want the reading culture to be revitalized? Tall order Ma'm!!

Anonymous said...

Mugu....me I do read quality books online oooo

Anonymous said...

Its luxury reading and not studying for a proper learning or acquiring skills and knowledge. So many nigerians dont even read daily newspapers with their phones. As for knowledge seekers its a welcome development

Anonymous said...

Lmao ur dumb

jessica morphy said...

Yea we do,go 2 naija stroies n u wil see lots of novels 2 read

Anonymous said...

Linda its well with you oo

Anonymous said...

Some Nigerians like me actually read books on mobile phones.

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm... Sounds nice. I read faster on my phone. ΐ† amazes me Tђe short time with which I read LIBers yabs here :D

Simeon Gift said...

It's so sad to know that the reading culture of young Nigeria is on a steady decline. I still think that there are few young nigerians like myself who still take some time out to read. I must give credit to the person that actually thought of this idea. Good job.

Anonymous said...

E go hard o!

Anonymous said...

I have been reading books on my phone for years. It's a fantastic way to read on the go especially because time is in short supply. Although, if you do not already have a reading culture, it's going to make you cultivate one

Anonymous said...

av bin reading books on my phone...still do.

Anonymous said...

Pls is there a book club in the FCT?
I hate reading but Im ready to imbibe the culture for the sake of my growing kids
pls help if there is
and this website is so bookmarked
thanks lin lin

Anonymous said...

Nigerians will not read books even if they were printed on naira paper

Anonymous said...

U can find it anywhere,just type it on google.The problem is there is always a price tag and mostly in dollars,so u need credit card to purchase it.

Anonymous said...

Datz a lie.Am a medical students and most of our books and hand-outs ate soft copies,so we read via fones or laptops for d rich ones

Anonymous said...

Dee....seriously??one can't please people at all. Infact I love the title. Why should we be concerned about what the white man thinks?? Okadabooks is a perfect title. We are Nigerians. There's nothing wrong with being proud of your identity.... if we continue like this, more people will be proud and intrested in our culture (and our local slangs).....

Unknown said...

Go to www.4shared.com

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 12.17am, its quite obvious you are one of the people that don't read in the first place, your entire statement is out of whack, the average nigerian cannot right or speak properly, such a shame! I have read books for years, thank God for schools like corona, where we were taught properly, as for the peson asking for where you can get books online, go to www.kobo.com, and my favourite www.onread.com, there isn't a book you wouldn't find there.

Anonymous said...

Linda!!!? U never post my comments! I wud know cos this is d 5th time in d last three yrs iv decided to drop a comment n u v never for once posted it. Not fair

Anonymous said...

Engr Emeka, that's where you are wrong, like someone said some of us have been reading books on our devices for years, so believe it or not it has come to stay, students research assignments, on google, wikipedia and so forth, so all you have said is total bull crap, naa person wey go' omo ita school no go know say people don dey do am for years'.

Anonymous said...

Famous oluchi, the word is scrolled!, I shake my head for nigerians!

Anonymous said...

Chai, victoria opara, grammar has suffered at your hands, I give up mehn!

Anonymous said...

Nt gd fone cn go off at nytime y nt buy d real stuff

Ofilispeaks.com said...

go okada!

Anonymous said...

Nice 1 @bloglord. That's just the plain truth. Linda is taking them away from books.

Anonymous said...

Tanks jare....wat of we d poor?wat do we do?

Dorothy Zyna said...

academic books should not be read on a phone!

Anonymous said...

I c u oooooo medical students?lol c as naija dey waste admission.is well with u shaa

Anonymous said...

Reading on your fone is fun. I believe nigerians will read if d site has books dat will capture readers interest.

Anonymous said...

Lindaaaaa!!! What have you done to me oh!!!, I practically and literally live on this blog.. Even when in the Clinic.. This isn't normal... No, there must be a w ay out of this... Dr kaodi..

Anonymous said...

FANTASTIC!!!

Safdar said...

Superb. I think this the best idea. I really appreciate your info. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

This is my best novel for this year.i downloaded it on my ipod touch though,bt its a good thing its available for Android.

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