Lengdung Tungchama, a dedicated book lover residing in Jos, Nigeria, is on a mission to reignite the love for books in his community. With a profound passion for literature, he has gathered a devoted group of fellow book enthusiasts who eagerly seek his recommendations for their next captivating read. Not only that, but Tungchama also actively supports aspiring authors by endorsing their works, helping them gain more sales and recognition in the literary realm.
LB: So, Mr. lengdung, what background do you have that made you love reading this much?
Lengdung: I doubt if anything in my background point to my reading life.
I studied computer science at the University. The University of Jos. Computers are still my favorite things. My wife calls my laptop my second wife.
I fell in love with books gradually. It was a process that happened differently.
LB: Like since when did it become a habit?
Lengdung: In the final years of my secondary school. At that time, I love words. I love beautiful combination of these things that give meaning. I would steal the literature textbooks of my art class friends. I wanted to read Ambassadors of Poverty, John Donne, etc.
But a major turning point that made me stick to it more was when I became conscious of the poverty around me. Gradually, I came to the realization that the fastest way out of poverty was through knowledge, which can be gotten through books. At that moment the habit stuck. There was no going back, I will read my way out of poverty.
LB: That means you read a lot of financial and business books
Lengdung: Nah. Not really. Biographies/Memoirs/Autobiographies are the things I read the most. I prefer to walk in the shoes of those great people who have passed this world. I haven learned finance from them. There is no better finance book than Titan by Ron Chernow, the biography of John D Rockefeller, one of the richest men that walked this earth.
LB: Interesting.
I believe you wife should be a book lover too.
Lengdung: Yes. Not in the same proportion as I am. Her chief means of absorbing information is videos.
LB: Hahaha.
That’s something most women love.
Lengdung: True man. I guess its the way they are wired. I hardly watch movies, but this woman will do so all day
LB: So do you have any plans to promote reading culture?
Lengdung: Well, that’s what I am trying to do with my page. To get more people to read. We also set up a community library in our community, Jenta Reads Community Library. It provides books to community residents for free. This is our way of keeping the tradition going.
LB: Wow. This is a huge and impactful venture. How do you come up with financing it?
Lengdung: Well, we contribute amongst ourselves friends to keep it going. We have gotten a grant once that helped us set up the whole place. And since then, we’ve been drawing contributions among the team
LB: Do you have records of how many books you have distributed?
Lengdung: More than 21,000 book borrows over the past 5 years.
LB: Wow. I realized that a lot of people love to own books, but don’t read read that much. I saw I post you made once in relation to a prize set for a reading event. Please can you explain about the event and how it was organized.
Lengdung: Oh. That’s a partnership with a friend, Ella Obans. She runs VTA, an organization that works in the publishing industry. This specific event is sort of a reading competition that brings readers from all walks of life. People read their books of choice, write reviews and the best reviews get a reward. It is basically a reward system for reading. The goal is to encourage reading. She has been doing this for years now. We are just partnering for the first time. I love the idea too.
You know, our society does not place a value on erudition. Programs like this will reset people’s mindset.
LB: Lastly, I see the links you post from Amazon, do you make money with it?
Like, from referring people to buy books?
Lengdung: I do. But at the moment, it is abysmal. Perhaps because I am in Nigeria, Nigerians do not use Amazon.
LB: Oh yeah.
It was nice having you sir.