ABUJA – A university lecturer, Prof. Ehiedu Iweriebor, on Wednesday appealed to the Federal Government to set up multimedia-based libraries in all the 9,955 wards across the country.
Iweriebor of the Department of Africana Puerto Rican/ Latino studies, Hunter College, City University of New York, U.S., made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said that such libraries would enhance the quality of the nation’s education.
“There has been an abandonment of public reading facilities. In my time, it wasn’t adequate but it was available.
“And I think that one of the things the Nigerian government has to do is to take the opportunity to create not just the libraries but multimedia based libraries that have books.
“This is in addition to modern technologies that the young generation who use social media can use.
“The point is to give people a space they can go to where they can have access to resources to read without paying.
“It is the duty of government to enlighten its citizens, it doesn’t really matter what it takes.
“The Federal Government with the support of the 774 local government councils should establish multimedia libraries in all the 9,955 wards in Nigeria.’’
He, however, acknowldged improvement in the reading culture among Nigerians over the years.
Iweriebor specifically expressed happiness with the increase in the number of newspapers, magazines and journals in the country.
He called on Nigerians to imbibe patriotism and expressed satisfaction with the progress being recorded in the country.
“Perceptions of many Nigerians about issues don’t often reflect the reality,’’ the don said. (NAN)
