The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expanded its human capital development drive with a critical reading skills workshop aimed at equipping young people in the Niger Delta with the tools to identify misinformation, analyse information objectively and make informed decisions in an increasingly digital world.
The one-day programme, organised in collaboration with Human Dignity Network, brought together youths from across Delta State in Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area, under the theme, “Critical Reading Skills for Youths.”
Representing the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, at the event, his Senior Aide, Dr. Godwin Edozie, said the initiative was designed to prepare young people to navigate the growing flood of information, particularly on social media.
“We do not want our Niger Delta youths to run into tumultuous situations because it will take you down. It is my belief that at the end of today’s interaction and exchange of ideas, you will become better, greater pillars of those who will lead our society,” he said.
The workshop reflected the commission’s growing emphasis on investing in people alongside physical infrastructure, with speakers stressing that critical thinking had become an essential life skill in the digital age.
Professor of African Literature at Delta State University, Abraka, Prof. Enajite Ojaruega, who delivered a lecture titled “Building Foundations for Critical Reading,” challenged participants to question information before accepting or sharing it.
Noting that “critical reading is a process,” she explained that it went beyond understanding words to evaluating the credibility and intent behind them.
“You cannot believe everything you read. The idea of critical reading is to be able to separate facts from opinion and bias. It is the process of evaluating, analysing and interpreting a text in order to understand both its explicit and implicit meaning,” she stated.
According to her, critical readers ought to understand an author’s purpose, consider the contexts, and distinguish between surface meanings and deeper messages before drawing conclusions, thereby making informed judgments.
Speaking with journalists about the level of reading among people after her presentation, Ojaruega said she deliberately linked academic reading with the realities of today’s digital information world.
“I tied my lecture not just to academic reading but to contemporary reading, which has a lot to do with what is on social media and what is out there for public consumption on the internet.
“People read these days, I promise you. That is why I consider this topic timely because it helps to sensitise people on what we consume, how we consume it and how we respond.”
She commended the NDDC for broadening its mandate beyond roads and other physical projects.
“I must commend this initiative introduced and sponsored by the NDDC because it shows they are working beyond physical infrastructural development. They are looking at human development; they are investing in the human mind.
“The target audience, the youths, was a brilliant choice. We all say they are the leaders of tomorrow, but tomorrow is already here. The more we can do to enlighten them and prepare them for leadership, the better for society.
“I hope the takeaways from this programme will help build a society where people reflect, evaluate, analyse and respond thoughtfully to issues they encounter daily, whether from traditional media or social media.”
Leadership Development and Human Rights Consultant, Joseph Ogah, in his presentation titled “Questioning and Analysing Texts,” urged participants to identify bias by examining the source of information, the language used and recurring patterns in the presentation of facts.
He noted that bias is not always intentional, but stressed that developing questioning and analytical skills enables readers to make sound judgments and avoid manipulation.
Taking the final session, Dr. Nosakhare Osakue of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, spoke on “Reading Between the Lines: Applying Critical Reading Skills.”
She advised participants against rushing to conclusions, saying readers should combine clues from a text with prior knowledge and experience before making inferences.
According to her, critical reading also required evaluating the type and credibility of information sources and connecting ideas to real-life experiences to support informed decision-making.
Participants described the training as impactful and relevant to everyday life, especially media consumption habits.
Engr. Tega Oghoghorie from Ethiope East said the programme had changed the way he would engage with information online.
“I don’t have to just reshare something because other people are resharing or liking it. I have to critically analyse it and find out the originality of the post and what facts the text is based on before resharing it. I think this programme is a necessity for every Delta citizen to participate in if there is another edition in the future.”
The workshop underscored a growing recognition that strengthening critical thinking among young people is becoming as important as providing physical infrastructure, particularly at a time when misinformation spreads rapidly through digital platforms.
