Ondo State Acting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has expressed great concern on the poor reading culture in the country, declaring that there is the need for all stakeholders to look in the direction of this challenge.
Aiyedatiwa made his concern known while declaring open, The 61st National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the National Library Association (NLA) tagged “Akure 2023”, held at International Culture and Event Center (The Dome), Alagbaka Akure on Tuesday.
The week-long event holds between Monday 3rd–Friday 7th July, 2023.
Aiyedatiwa said, “permit me to express our concern about a wide range of threats to Libraries in our contemporary world; whether they are digital or analogue Libraries” .
“Some of these threats include the danger of closing down due to lack of adequate funding, lack of public enthusiasm, poor reading culture and other numerous challenges” .
“As distinguished Librarians, Archivists and Information Sciencetists, you owe it a duty to look in the direction of these challenges and come up with necessary remedies,” declared Aiyedatiwa.
The Acting Governor said, society look up to Librarians because they are not just professionals, but also teachers, problem solvers, innovators, collaborators and leaders.
He disclosed at the event that the State under Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, placed high premium on education as encapsulated in the REDEEMED Agenda.
“We even have a State-owned Library duly funded and managed by the state government apart from the existence of Libraries in many of our Institutions of learning”.
“We are striving at all times to ensure that they are standard places for seeking knowledge” , he said.
Aiyedatiwa commended NLA for bringing their annual general meeting to Akure, declaring that, the honour of the State hosting the event was not just for the State Government, but also for the entire people of the Sunshine State.
Earlier in his welcome address, the President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Library Association, Pastor Dominic Amenaghawon Omokaro, appreciated the presence of the Acting Governor in their event , as he called for collaboration in the sharing of knowledge and resources so as to be relevant in the new age.
“The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) is a reality of our time and we must catch up with it or go into extinction as a profession” , he said.
Pastor Dominic Omokaro equally disclosed that, having their AGM meeting in Ondo State was to galvanized the interest of the State Government towards the development of library services in the State.
Others at the event are, Chairman Ondo State Council of Obas and Deji of Akure represented by Senior High Chief Sola Adegbomire, NLA Vice President/Chairman NOC/Planning Committee, Dr Umar Lawal, Chairman, NLA Ondo State Chapter, Dr Jerome Idiegbeyan-Ose, Dr Umar Lawal, Prof Adeniran Abimbola, Prof Chinwe Anaobi, Alhaji Jafaru Waziri , NLA Representatives from all the 36 States and FCT.
