Big changes for the Lagos public libraries

olamide oni

December 17, 2015 1:42 PM

For the next three and half years we are going to see a lot of activities in that space; we are going to try and have more public libraries.

Lagos Libraries to be upgraded

Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Education, Obafela Bank-Olemoh has promised Lagosians that big changes would be made to the state's 12 public libraries which is run by the Lagos state government.

Bank-Olemoh, who made the assurance that these changes will be made within the next three and a half years.

The Nation disclosed that, in an interview, Bank-Olemoh promised to make the libraries more conducive while also hinting at creating new Libraries.

He said: “For the next three and half years we are going to see a lot of activities in that space; we are going to try and have more public libraries and we are also going to ensure that we have more libraries in our schools. If I have five naira, I would rather spend three or four naira to make the environment conducive because most people come with their books already. What they want is a conducive environment where they can sit down and use the toilets and come back. I checked the toilets and I said this is bad. Somebody also complained to me and said improve on the toilets. We will focus more on making the environment more conducive and comfortable.”

READ: Gov. Ambode promises to ease residents' stress

He also spoke of plans to make the library a tourist attraction.

“In Yaba I heard that we have the first bible or the oldest Bible used by Herbert Macaulay and am saying to myself that if we have that how come we don’t make that into a tourist point for those who are just coming to Lagos? The white man would have made so much noise about it, you will see people going there, even paying money to go and take pictures so I want to go there and see and talk to the Commissioner for tourism,” he said.

olamide oni