martin bassey
“I envision myself collaborating and partnering with like-minded individuals and organizations that are committed to changing the poor narrative of inaccessible quality education in Africa.”
Martin Bassey has been selected as a 2021 Youth Ambassador for the World Literacy Foundation. Phonetic Planet interviewed him recently and is proud to bring his story to you in this short article. Literacy is a precious gift, and Martin is determined to bring this gift to the rural population of his native Nigeria. Read on, and be inspired!
(All photos supplied by Martin Bassey)
Where in the world did you grow up, Martin?
I am from Nigeria, in West Africa. I was born and raised, and have been spending my entire years as a lad here in Africa. Being the most populous black nation in the world, Nigeria and Nigerians are distinctively hard-working people with the population being over 200 million. Precisely, I hail from the Southern region of the country, where we do not take education as mere adventure but rather look upon it as a lifetime investment in so many homes. Our weather pattern here in Nigeria is hot, although sometimes we enjoy moderate weather conditions.
challenges of accessing equitable and quality education and literacy development compared to my counterparts in the cities who had access to a more serene and structured learning environment with good educational opportunities from their early childhood. Most, if not all, the public schools in remote areas here in Nigeria do not have access to basic literacy materials, both in print and electronic formats, especially in the Northern part of the country which is currently facing an additional crisis of terrorism and banditry.
Is there a particular place from your childhood that you associate with special memories? Can you tell us why?
Yes, a particular place from my childhood that I associate with special memories is my Primary School. Like I said earlier, I attended public school in a remote area, and as young pupils we were compelled to spend most school days working on the school farms rather than engaging with our studies. I remember vividly that on several occasions our class teachers rather than teaching and imparting basic academic knowledge to us used us for farm labor. It’s difficult not to feel sad when I go back down this memory lane! In fact, the pain of not having the right platform for early literacy development in a remote area motivated me to advocate for an educational transformation- a shift in the approach to rural education development. Hence, I came up with an organization called RURAL EDUCATION SUPPORT INITIATIVE, with a view to mobilizing necessary resources to support children’s access to quality education at the remote communities in Nigeria and Africa at large.
My vision in forming this organization is to eradicate illiteracy in remote areas of Africa and to ensure that no child should have to endure the pain and the sad memories I experienced in terms of farming for my class teacher. I envision myself collaborating and partnering with like-minded individuals and organizations that are committed to changing the poor narrative of inaccessible quality education in Africa.
We are very interested to learn more about the World Literacy Foundation’s Youth Ambassadors’ Program! Please tell us about it, and why you chose to become involved. What will your responsibilities be as part of this program?
The World Literacy Foundation (WLF) is a global non-profit organization that works to lift young people out of poverty through literacy. Founded in 2003 in Australia, the World Literacy Foundation operates on the principle that education is a basic human right, with a view to eradicating global illiteracy through the promotion of literacy and the provision of educational resources to various communities and regions of the world. The mission of the Foundation is to ensure every individual has the opportunity to acquire basic literacy and reading skills. Free and appropriate access to education allows young individuals to eventually reach their full potential whether that be in the school or work setting.
What really endeared WLF to my heart (and of course I know it to be the same for many others) is the annual WLF Youth Ambassadorial Program, which aims to bring together individuals from all over the world to be a voice and fundraise for literacy in their communities as well as to support the education for the vulnerable children around the world.
I heard about this program through a friend, Enwongo-Abasi Francis, who was a cohort of the WLF Ambassador Program in 2019. I joined him on September 8, 2019 to celebrate International Literacy Day here in Nigeria; this was my second time to participate in literacy and education advocacy. In 2020, during the lockdown as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic, my friend told me about the WLF Ambassador Program 2020. Inspired by the excitement to volunteer for a global non-profit that promotes literacy and education for young people, I applied for the program, and also prayed that I should be selected. In fact, checking emails became a regular routine for me in order to confirm whether or not I would be selected and it was my greatest joy to receive a congratulatory message that I had been selected for the program in 2020!
Since I became the Youth Ambassador of WLF here in Nigeria, my perception about the world has completely changed from what it used to be. I have discovered my sense of purpose and have developed great passion and zeal to attain the zenith of my dreams - to ensure no child is left behind in literacy and educational opportunities. Through this youth program, I have gained more leadership skills, and I have improved my communication and fundraising skills. I have joined a network of outstanding individuals and changemakers who have distinguished themselves to eradicate illiteracy in our world.
Also, my role as an ambassador has been intentional about solving the societal problem from the perspective of educational development. I have, through individual and collaborative efforts, been able to develop an action plan that will create a more literate and sustainable society through the power of literacy. With most of Nigeria lacking access to quality education for the children, I have mobilized the available resources within my capacity to provide children with basic literacy and writing materials. I must acknowledge that we have a lot to do in order to eradicate illiteracy here in Africa but I am motivated to pursue my goal.
We would be happy to donate some of our Phonetic Planet readers to a school or library of your choice. Can you recommend some of your favorite books from childhood, and why they are special to you?
Woow, I really appreciate you and Phonetic Planet for this good intention to support my work here in Nigeria. This is perfect and in line with our next project to set up libraries in my community. This is the way to go, really grateful for this opportunity.
As a child, my favorite books I could recommend are; Anya Goes to Nigeria by Nikko Fungchung. This book illustrates the story of little Anya as she learns about the diverse cultures of Nigeria. The book encourages unity and patriotism among Nigerians. Also, the book Chike and the River by Chinua Achebe. This book allows young readers to get an intimate look at African life, learn about the Niger River and the historical perspective of Nigeria. Thirdly, I recommend "A" Is for Africa by Ifeoma Onyefulu. The book, from A to Z, illustrates through a series of stunning color photographs scenes from everyday life in Nigeria; it represents the rich diversity of Africa, and the warm family ties and traditional village life found throughout this vast colorful continent, Africa.
Our sincere thanks to Martin for taking the time out of his busy schedule to chat with us and for continuing to highlight the need for improved access to literacy in Nigeria. We look forward to following his experience as a Youth Ambassador for the World Literacy Foundation this year. Did you know that one out of five people in the world cannot read or write? You can learn more about this organization at www.worldliteracyfoundation.org