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President Olusegun Obasanjo Awarded The Grand Patron Of The Nigerian Library Association (GPNLA)

The Nigerian Library Association (NLA) on Tuesday, 17th May 2005, took a giant stride when it conferred on His Excellency, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, the Grand Patron of the Nigerian Library Association (GPNLA). This award which was received on his behalf by the Hon. Minister of Education, Senator, Liyel Imoke at the Conference Room of the Federal Ministry of Education Abuja, is in honour of the enormous sacrifices and visionary policies of Mr. President, which have impacted on the Library and Information profession in Nigeria.

In a citation read on his behalf, Ms. Victoria Okojie, the Vice President of the NLA, noted that before ascending the present seat as President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo had written several works and had endowed many educational projects including one on mathematics. As a true friend of the Library, the President is the first to appoint a Librarian as Special Adviser on Library Services and Documentation. The NLA is equally proud of Nigeria's stand and participation in the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), which emphasizes that information, is the right of every one and that every one needs to have access to it.

The citation also noted that one of the President's first assignments on his assumption of office was the establishment of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) which has metamorphosed into a commission (UBEC). This outfit according to the citation has brought focus and the necessary attention to education at the lower level where the Library also plays a vital role. Again, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) which has taken a bold lead on information policy for Nigeria was created by the President. The Librarians' Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN), which is very close to all Librarians' heart, was inaugurated by the President, through the honourable Minister of Education in 2003. The establishment of the Education Tax Fund (ETF), which has resurrected stone dead libraries, is also the creation of the President.

The launching of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Complex, the first of its kind in Africa, is a demonstration of the President's gift for unprecedented innovation in the Nigerian polity and in Africa. The Library is a unique one, as it combines in one location, facilities for rigorous academic work, states manly reflection and wholesome recreation. This shows the President's love for Library development in Nigeria and in Africa.

In his acceptance speech, the President thanked the NLA for finding him worthy for the prestigious award. He said that he has accorded education high priority in the two occasions he has headed governments in Nigeria. According to him, the Universal Primary Education scheme which he initiated between 1997-1979 and the current effort of the UBEC and the ETF were put in place to raise the needed standard in education. Many institutions run by state governments depend on ETF for their projects he said. He acknowledged the strategic position of Library Services in supporting both formal and non-formal education, stressing the need to build, maintain and fund libraries to support the citizenry in educational pursuits and informed decision making.

He assured that the sum of N2.4b has been appropriated in the 2005 fiscal year out of total cost of N8.9b required for the Headquarter building of the National Library of Nigeria. When completed he said, it will not only add in beautifying the Abuja skyline, but will also serve to preserve the nations cultural and intellectual efforts. He commended the effort at regulating the practice of librarianship and called for the training of the practitioners in line with changes in technology. He charged LRCN to bring some sanity in the qualification and lay a code of conduct for all practitioners, especially as information is becoming increasingly, a marketable commodity.

Earlier in an address, the President of NLA, Dr. J. O. Daniel saluted the President on his laudable policies on Library and Information services in the country, saying that President Olusegun Obasnjo is the first President to accord the Library profession its rightful place in the polity. He argued that if democracy is to thrive, it must be information based and information driven. If there are no libraries he said, it will be very difficult to achieve. He went further to say that information has become a liquid asset and whoever has it and uses it well will always have an edge over and above all others.

Nwabueze Nwoko
National Secretary NLA.

May, 18 2005.