Federal government fails to employ a single librarian in 30 years.
The Nigerian Library Association (NLA) laments what it describes as government complacency, lack of luster interest and negation towards the operation of librarian and abolition of federal universities libraries across the country. In an interview with journalists in Abuja, The President of the Association, Dominic Omakaro revealed that the federal government has not employed any professional librarian in its educational institutions in more than 30 years. He added that in recent years the school library system has been experiencing paucity.
Omakaro says that the government’s lack of interest in promoting the area has hampered the development of the school library system. This is in spite of NLA relentless efforts in producing over 135 professors and numerous academic doctors in its 60 years of existence. As this continues, working in Nigerian schools as a librarian has grown more difficult. Omakaro said that for the last several years, the National Library building has been a massive unfinished project.
Government should revitalize neglected school library systems.
Association president emphasized that the federal government has a filial duty to invest in the area of librarianship on an annual basis and encourage initiatives such as the Readership Campaign. This is geared to make schools’ library system effective and duly to the fact that education is a paramount factor in the Nigeria constitution and should be enhanced. In accordance with this, NLA pushes to enrich the school library system area with attention and promotion.
In the same vein, the NLA president expressed concern that students have abandoned school libraries due to the absence of professional librarians to manage them. Omakaro said this is also a significant impetus for the government to revitalize the challenging and neglected school library system and appreciate the importance of recruiting professionals to manage the libraries. He added that crime and the craze for wealth would reduce if the mind of young people was attached to reality through the culture of reading.
FG continues construction of the National Library building.
Also in recent times, the association denounced the condition of libraries in the states stating that the support from various state governments is not encouraging. This is despite the association’s significant contribution to the area such as its impact on library and information services provision in the country as it was in the forefront in establishing the National Library of Nigeria in 1964. NLA was also proactive in the establishment of African Library & Information Association & Institutions, (AFLIA).
On the other hand, Omakaro went on to explain that the perpetual effort of the association has eventually drawn the attention of and propelled the federal government to continue construction of the colossal National Library building. He claims that the administration that is being led by President Muhammadu Buhari has administered the project funding through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and that fifteen percent of the total project fund has been disbursed so that construction may be restarted.
NLA president called for presidential library to be established.
Moreover, the NLA is continuing in its movement to bring the school library system area to the light as it demonstrated in its just observed “Library Week” tagged: Revitalizing the School Library System the Way Forward. Omakaro further called on the Nigerian political leaders to establish a presidential library just like the United States in order to keep track of record for present and posterity reference, study more and broaden their knowledge for more effective leadership.
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Our library system is a very important part of our education system. Readers are leaders. There is need to take up the responsibility of taking care of our libraries. Federal government should appoint a librarian as soon as possible.
Due to the government’s lack of interest in the region, the school library system has not been able to flourish.
More than three decades have passed since the last time the federal government paid for a full-time librarian to work in its schools.Which is totally absurd
Over the past few years, the school library system has been struggling with a lack of resources.
The association’s tireless efforts have prompted the federal government to keep working on the massive National Library structure.
Government doesn’t see things that will rejuvenate the educational sector as anything,libraries are part of the system whereby students can walk in at anytime read,lend books for use,even in schools how many can boast of a library.
Education is a paramount factor in the Nigeria and it should be enhanced.the government to revitalize the challenging and neglected school library system and appreciate the importance of recruiting professionals to manage the libraries.
Libraries is an important area that should be given the recognition it deserve. Government needs to tend more effort and investment in the area to enhance our education sector.
It is quite unfortunate that the federal government has not hired any qualified librarians for its educational institutions for a considerable amount of time.
The absence of interest shown by the government in the promotion of the region has been a barrier to the expansion of the school library system.
The federal government has a patriotic obligation to support libraries and librarians on an annual basis and to promote programs like the Readership Campaign.
In light of the importance placed on education by the Nigerian constitution, the federal government must ensure that school libraries are adequately stocked and run smoothly.
The group has condemned the situation of libraries throughout the states, noting that the assistance from a variety of state governments is not encouraging.
Library is also part of education system improving it will show improvement in our education system the FG should start innovation there so it can be function well
Federal Government don’t believe in the educational systems in Nigeria and as such refuse to do the needful in improving it. It is so unfortunate that federal government didn’t employ any librarian for 30 years.
NLA laments FG lack of interest on libraries. Is too bad that the federal government of Nigeria have no interest for things that will benefit the country. They don’t even care about the country since is not affecting them and their family. Government have no interest for all the sector
It is very painful and shameful for a country as big as Nigeria not to value education because education is the bed rock of any development.
The head of the association stressed that the federal government has a familial obligation to annually invest in the field of librarianship and support programs like the Readership Campaign.
It’s quite shameful that the Federal Government need to be schooled that a library is paramount to education. It shows how much they don’t value the educational system.