This paper examined the importance of reading culture, the role of parents, teachers and government in ensuring that reading culture is imbibed early in life. A sample of eighty (80) students from Ambrose Alli University in their clusters was used for the study. The questionnaire was used to obtain the data which were analysed using frequencies, percentages and ranking of factors responsible for poor reading culture. Absence of materials in the library ranked first, followed closely by lack of time while watching on television, lack of interest and prohibitive cost ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively. Thirty-four (34%) percent of the choices made affirmed that their reading materials were borrowed from their friends, 24.12% got theirs from the library and 11.18% borrowed theirs from reading clubs. In analysing the number of items read annually, novels with 25% of the choices made were the most read. Motivational books and magazines followed closely with 20% and 18% respectively. The grim picture got from other reading items--autobiographies, biographies, short stories, plays, poems and journals is beyond imagination for none of the choices made was up to 1%. One wonders how our future leaders can learn about great leaders if they do not read about them. If Nigeria is to achieve growth and productivity, produce well-educated citizens, reading culture has to be restored at all levels, especially at tertiary institutions.