Libraries In C’River Now Extinct Calabar, Ikom, Ogoja In Ruins
Godwin AJOM | Calabar
All the three government owned libraries in Cross River State-Calabar, Ikom and Ogoja are now extinct. The state government does not seem to be interested in doing anything about the libraries.
A few months ago, TNN did a report on the decaying state of the state library in Calabar, a facility that used to be a cosy event centre in the days of Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke as governors. Most government events were usually hosted there.
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But as Prof Ben Ayade got into the saddle, the library lost its glory and part of the facility has even been converted to a maize farm. The complex itself is in ruins and despite criticisms, the governor, himself a professor and his deputy, Prof Ivara Esu, a former vice chancellor, have looked the other way.
The divisional library complex in Ikom, according to findings, was last renovated 26 ago. Today, the library is in a mess. A very senior staff of the library who spoke on the state of the Ikom library pointed out that the facility has run out of manpower, infrastructure and resource materials.
The staff said “we are supposed to have at least two or three library assistants, two or three security and one or two messengers too. But as I speak with you, I am the messenger, security personnel, messenger and library assistant. There is only one elderly man here as a messenger with me in the library.
“He cannot even bend down to sweep. That’s the situation we find ourselves here in Ikom library. The challenges we face is that the library is completely dilapidated.
“Right inside the library, the roof is licking. Recently, windstorm blew off parts of the roof and we are just managing it. I have spent almost N50,000 of my salary trying to fix the library.
“Sometimes I buy herbicides to use in eliminating weeds around the premises. Carpenters that I contacted made it very clear that even if I spend N200,000 of my salary, the library will not be fixed. The wood of the roof is rotten and before you will fix one problem another problem arises. So, the library facility in Ikom needs complete renovation.”
Our correspondent observed that the library in Ogoja is not any different.
Responding to questions on the state of libraries in the state, librarian, Dr Ekanem Ekpenyong described the situation as an insult to education.
“I have not always wanted to say anything in this regard because it makes no sense. It is an insult to our education sector to witness this kind of development. There is no usable library in Cross River state anymore. Despite all, we invested into such infrastructure, we have abandoned them today, it’s a sad situation,” Ekpeyong said.
TNN made efforts to talk with the Special Adviser on Education to the governor, Mr Castro Ezama but he never picked our calls.
