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Old students’ association of the Ilorin Grammar School (IGS), Kwara state, Class of ’87, have decried the delayed completion of a national library building project in Kwara state after 21 years of foundation laying.
Speaking on the sideline of its 35 years reunion anniversary in Ilorin, the president of the union, Dr Kamal Omopupa, who is also the librarian designate of the University of Ilorin, said the non-completion of the national library project has a negative impact on the development of schools in the state and Nigeria as a whole.
“The national library building in Kwara has been under construction for the last 21years and is still there. It has not been completed. This is the apex library in Nigeria that should serve as a guide and set the pace for others. This is very unfortunate and particularly troubling for a Librarian.
“I have participated in readership campaigns in Kwara, Oyo, Bayelsa and Delta states but the development of libraries in those states comes with mixed feelings. Delta is the only state with the most robust public library in Nigeria today because of the interest of its governor.
“If our politicians, governors and administrators are interested in restoring the library system, they have to provide necessary funding and action because the library made all of us.
“And with technology today, we have moved beyond only physical library to hybrid one with little books and more electronic resources so that everybody will have access to it,” he noted.
Omopupa, an associate professor, further called for proper enlightenment and awareness of the use and importance of the library by the leaders.
“We must encourage more people in our various homes to donate books they and their children no longer use to the library to cater for many children in school who can’t afford books,” he added.
The class had earlier commissioned a borehole to ease the water problem being faced in the school and the entire community, among other projects estimated at over N3million.
Other interventions by the Alumni in the school included the donation of a generating set and equipping of the school library, adding that plans had been concluded to provide scrabble board and table tennis equipment to improve sporting activities.
The event also featured a cultural performance by the present students of the school, among other activities.
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