Appoint Special Adviser on Library Matters, Librarians Tell Tinubu

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Nigerian Library Association has called on President Bola Tinubu to consider appointing a Special Adviser on Library and Information Matters, who would also double as the Librarian of the Presidential Library as it was during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
President/Chairman of Council, Nigerian Library Association, Dominic Omokaro, who made the call at a briefing in Abuja, yesterday, said the association expected that the federal government’s intervention in the debasement of librarians through the enforcement of existing regulations and guidelines that mandated the appointment of qualified Librarians to leadership positions in libraries.

Announcing its forthcoming 62nd Conference and Annual General Meeting holding in July and with the theme, “Promoting Diversity and Inclusiveness through Innovative Library and Information Service Delivery in Nigeria,” Omokaro said that the Nigerian Library Association can no longer take the gross abuse of the laws of the land as it concerns the sector.

He said: “We also want the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to help restore hope to this critical sector that helps in shaping the needed manpower for national development by the restoration of a vibrant library system in Nigeria by appointing a Special Adviser to the President on Library and Information Matters who should also double as the Librarian of the Presidential Library as it was in the day of President Obasanjo.

“The Nigerian Library Association has observed with deep concern the pervasive practice of employers of labour appointing non-librarians to head Libraries across the country. This troubling trend not only undermines the expertise and professionalism of trained librarians but also hampers the effective management and development of library services in our nation.

“Again, the Federal Capital Territory that should be a model for other states to emulate is suffering same fate with regards to the Library and Information Sector. The City Libraries in Wuse and Gudu Districts of Abuja have just one or two professional librarians and the school library system in FCT has collapsed as well for failure to employ Librarians to man their school libraries.

“It may interest you to know that the school library system in Nigeria has totally collapsed; we do not have Librarians manning school libraries anymore because there is no replacement for retiring and promoted librarians in the school system. We intend to continue to engage the government through the Federal Ministry of Education to see if we can be captured in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration. We also hope to engage the Hon. Minister of the FCT on this issue since we know that the current minister is a lover of education.”