By Funmilayo Adeyemi

Dr Dominic Omokaro, President of the Nigerian Library Association has urged Nigerians to embrace library culture, calling it essential for national development.

Omokaro spoke in Abuja on Saturday at the 2024 Annual Dinner and Awards, themed ‘The Library as an Agent of Change in Contemporary Nigeria’.

He noted that the time has come for the nation to foster a reading society.

According to him, a reading society is a leading society.

“Leaders are readers, and we must capture the interest of our youth, who are increasingly less engaged in reading.

“The purpose of this dinner is to inspire public interest in libraries and ensure the profession endures, as librarianship has been present in Nigeria for nearly 75 years.

“Our ongoing challenge has been advocacy, continuously informing Nigerians about the need to read and visit libraries to develop themselves”.

He stated that the public library, often seen as ‘the university of the poor’, should raise awareness and consciousness.

“If we want Nigeria to be a leading nation, we need to revive library engagement and build a reading society,” he added.

He said libraries are not merely repositories of books but active agents of change, empowering individuals, fostering social cohesion, and developing informed, engaged citizens.

The Chairman of the occasion, Rear Admiral Francis Isaac (rtd.), encouraged Nigerians to return to the libraries, noting that the solutions to many of the nation’s problems can be found within them.

He also urged Nigerian youths to use libraries for research to help solve the country’s challenges.

In her keynote address, Dr Chinyere Ibeh, a research fellow at the National Defence College, discussed numerous challenges facing Nigerian libraries.

They include limitations in physical infrastructure, digital reach, a significant digital divide, and a lack of programmes promoting a vibrant reading culture.

She appealed to the government to create incentives, such as financial support, scholarships, and other benefits, to encourage more citizens to pursue library education.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that event highlights included awards to distinguished library professionals, including fellows and brand ambassadors.

Journalists Daniel Adejo (FRCN) and Patrick Abulu (AIT) won awards in the Radio and Television categories, respectively. (NAN)