DR. OMOKARO LAMENTS POOR STATE OF THE NATION’S LIBRARIES, CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION
By Ahiaba Douglas, Abuja
The President, Nigerian Library Association and Chairman of Council, Dr. Dominic Omokaro has lamented the Poor state of libraries in the Country and Called for immediate Government intervention.
Dr Omokaro made the call recently ,in an exclusive interview with the media in his private Office Utako, federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
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The Nigerian Library Association’s President, Call for Government intervention on the state of the Nation’s Libraries, was not unconnected to some of the issues that were raised at the inauguration of the Abuja Book City recently,the poor Reading Culture and the Sorry State’s of libraries across the Country and other issues that threatens Reading and Writing were said to have dominated discussions at the event, which raised serious concern amongst Nigerians, it was learnt.
Dr.Omokaro pointed out that,he would Continue to Sustain the advocacy for the reawakening and revival of the reading Culture that has gone oblivion in Nigeria ,and the call for the rehabilitation, renovation and updating of the Nation’s Libraries which were in a Sorry state would be priotised by his Leadership of the association.
He further explained that Some of the measures he had taken since his election and Inauguration as the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), President and Chairman of Council since July 2022,included amongst others ,a move for the appointment of an adviser to mr president on library , and that he was also able to register his Complaints on the ailing state of the libraries across the nation , particularly, the National Library to the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that has not witnessed or received any Significant attention since over three decades of it establishment, a move which the then President assigned some funds for it rehabilitation and revival.he said.
Reflecting on the poor Reading Culture or dwindling reading habit that has become pervasive amongst Nigerians of the Current generation, Omokaro lamented that the development has taken a dangerous dimension which has invariably affected the currency or premium attached to education by almost 60 % of the nations Youth.
Continuing, the president explained further that this ugly trend has given rise to a cliche among the current youths who goes about saying, ” School is a scam” , which according to him was the negative consequence of the dying reading culture in the Country, which is another way of discouraging hard work which our elders had long preached and still preach as the sure way to success, not to talked about the internet fraud and the ritual killings we are all witness to in our society today.
Still on the need to equip libraries across the Country and reawakening the dying reading culture in the country, to drive home his point ,the NLA president recalled that there are many leaders in the Country today who were not privileged to pass through the four walls of Secondary school,but were able to acquire their GCE or A level Certificate through personal studies, which was possible due to the presence of Standard libraries then , recalling how a serving Senator from Anambra State almost wept after visiting a library that was his place of studies in his formative years.
Responding to questions from journalists on the possible way forward to solve the problem of poor Reading habit,the president and Chairman of Council, Dr. Omokaro posited that Nigerians should revert to reading, particularly, the youths, as it’s also one of the ways to galvanise the youths.” we must have leaders that reads , lets go back to the ideals of reading”, and that there should be deliberate, intentional, massive campaign for hard work anchored on reading.
He said he would sustain the campaign for encouraging reading through the mass media, and also Organizing conferences and seminars so that the message will gets to the Nation’s leaders and critical Stakeholders in the Country.
