Ogbe, Patrick Adaofuoyi: “A great Nation, Devoid of Great Libraries…”

In contemporary times, on the surface of the earth, there are many factors that make a(ny) nation, (truly) great. Some nations are termed as great, because of their military prowess, and might. Some other nations are labelled as being great, because of the buoyancy of their economy, as well as the strong value of such a nation’s currency or national legal tender. Yet, some other nations are called great, on account of the peace that exists in such a nation. For some other nations, it is efficient health care, and the availability of expert health care givers, that makes people attribute the acronym of greatness to such a nation. Some other nations in existence are referred to as “great” because of good, urban housing for citizens and residents in such a country.

For others, it could be a sound educational system, while for others, it could be sports, entertainment, or skilled, available for export to other nations, that need a skilled, labour force, or manpower. For the nation of Nigeria, the acronym with which it is easily identified is “it is Africa ‘s most populous country.”

Occupying a land mass, prominently on the coast of West Africa, Nigeria, officially referred to as the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the North, and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean, to the South. It covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres, with a population of more than 230 million people (2025 estimate). It is the most populous country in Africa, and the world’s sixth most populous country. Nigeria borders Niger in the North, Chad in the North-East, Cameroon in the East, and the Benin Republic in the West. Nigeria, as many are already aware, is a federal republic, comprising 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, where its capital, Abuja, is located.

Other than its land mass, people, unique cultures and traditions, and also its unique history of resilience, Nigeria can boast of a lot of feats, achievements, and notable renown, achievers. Whether, it is in the world of sports, military might and attainments, philanthropy, rich business moguls, or renowned bankers, on the continent of Africa-and popular, cultured politicians, as well as book authors; Nigeria’s name will easily ring a bell, in all the afore-mentioned fields, and professions. In the continent of Africa, Nigeria, truly, is a giant‟.

The prime status, which Nigeria enjoys among the committee of African sovereign countries, thus leaves one in slight perplexity, as to why the nation is devoid of well-equipped libraries across its 36 states. Particularly perplexing is the reason why the federal government of Nigeria has, over the years, neglected or has outrightly abandoned something as vital and pivotal to the nation’s holistic development as its national library building, in its national capital, and federal capital Territory, Abuja.

Many factors add up in making a(ny) nation truly great. One of such factors, remains without any iota of doubt, EDUCATION. Now, education, or educating people, quite often, has to do with books. And books, inevitably, are connected with libraries.

The National Library project, in Abuja, dates back as far as 2006 (??). Then, the estimated cost needed for completing the said federal government edifice was in the range of a few billion naira. Many years later, the budget required for completing the said national project, was updated to about 16 billion naira. As of year 2025, two years and some months into the first term of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) administration; it is estimated that the entire cost, required for completion of the nation‟ ‘s national library, could oscillate in the range of a hundred billion naira. It could be more. (This, because of the ever-increasing cost of building materials, as well as the cost of paying for manpower services). Incidentally, the said amount of money is just for the cost of completing the building structure of the said edifice. The afore-mentioned cost estimate, excludes procuring a library of books, with which to stock the said library, when it is eventually completed, and then duly commissioned.

The cost for virtually all things, (goods and services), in and outside the country, seems to be ever going up‟, and never „coming down‟. In this light, continued neglect of the said national library project, which presently appears to have been abandoned, will only increase the required cost needed for its completion if its completion continues to be procrastinated by any incumbent administration in the future of Nigeria’s history.
It is in this light, and scenario, that one must herein, commend, truly, the praiseworthy effort of Nigeria’s incumbent First Lady, (2023-2027), Senator Oluremi Tinubu, (wife of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR), on her patriotic apathy towards Nigeria’s national Library project, in recent times. In the month of September, 2025, Nigeria’s incumbent First Lady, as a way of celebrating her 65th birthday, which comes up on the 21st day of September, 2025, appealed to Nigerians-and indeed to friends of Nigeria-that, citizens, friends, and well wishers who would want to send her a birth-day card, birth-day flowers, gifts and presents, cakes, and for all who would like to place congratulatory, advertorials in newspapers to commemorate her 65th birthday, should instead, make monetary deposits into a designated bank account, with a view or objective, of using all such contributed, gathered money, to aid in the completion of Nigeria’s national library building structure in Abuja, which has been abandoned for quite some time, is now.

The proclamation of Nigeria’s incumbent First Lady is notably “cocooned” with glaring altruism. She could have chosen to host an elaborate birthday, at the said age with much pomp, pageantry, and glitter, with rich and wealthy citizens that abound in the country. She could have chosen to accept gifts of exotic cars, expensive hamper baskets, gifts of cash, as well as a multitude of newspaper, congratulatory messages, placed on the pages of many newspapers, in and outside Nigeria. However, for the
country’s current First Lady to instruct, (and also humbly request) that people seeking to celebrate with her on her 65th birth-day, via cash donations, as well as gifts in kind, should do so, by channeling all such money into a particular designated bank account for the purpose of completing the National Library project, in Nigeria, tells of the fact that, the President‟s wife loves Nigeria-to some magnitude, more than (her)self.

For this her honourable, and commendable gesture, geared towards national development of this great nation; we all pray that Almighty God will bless her, and indeed the President, and members of her entire household. We, all those who are citizens of this great country and are readers of books, good books, good books with good contents that will enrich the minds of their readers, remain truly grateful to Nigeria’s current No. 1 Lady, for this noble, altruistic and nationally patriotic gesture.
No one knows; it could well be that, in the future of Nigeria’s history, appropriate authorities might choose to name the Abuja library complex after due completion, and commissioning after her.

Libraries, the whole world over, are essentially about books. Thus, built libraries, when constructed and completed, need to be well-stocked with books. Not just any type of books, but good books, good books, which will enrich the minds of individuals who read such good books in modern-day libraries. Nigeria, as a sovereign, independent nation, is truly, without doubt, great among the array of committee of nations. Incidentally, most Nigerian-born citizens who have contributed to the nation’s fame, popularity, and glaring greatness have brought honour and glory to Nigeria through feats in writing books, book publications, and book-related acts and deeds. Prominent and eminent among such individuals is Professor Wole Soyinka. As many will call to mind easily; Professor Wole Soyinka brought fame, honour, and popularity to Nigeria in October 1986, when he won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Then there are other book writers, like Late Chinua Achebe, a Professor of Literature, an author of many books, and the author of the globally popular book, “Things Fall Apart”.

Other authors of popular books that have contributed to making Nigeria great, through the art and act of book writing, and book publications, include Amos Tutuola, Flora Nwankpa, Ola Rotimi, Femi Osofisan, and renowned novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Also, many Nigerian, contemporary writers who have won laurels in writing circles, both in the country, and outside the shores of Nigeria, include an array of “wielders of the pen” like late professor Sam Ukala, Esiaba Irobi, Isidore Okpewho, and Cyprian Ekwensi. Elechi Amadi, Late Professor Jerry A. Agada, Chika Unigwe, Chukwuemeka Ike, Soji Cole, Romeo Oriogun, Adam Abubakar Ibrahim, Helon Habila, Abdulahii Denja, Obari Gomba, (and a litany of many other Nigerian writers), all have contributed to Nigeria’s nascent greatness through book writing, book authorship, as well as book publications, book-related acts and deeds.

Since an uncountable array of indigenous Nigerian citizens have garnered so much prestige for the nation, via the noble act of producing books, wonders, with slight perplexity, why is the nation, Nigeria, not investing much money into building libraries in many parts of the country? And not just building libraries, stockpiling such libraries with good books, with content. As it is, Nigeria can be said to be “a great nation, devoid of great libraries..” This phrase may not be a pleasant acronym for a developing nation like Nigeria, which seeks to be a part of the league of developed first-world nations. It is, sadly, however a true acronym. From the North to the South, and from the East to the Western part of Nigeria; our libraries are little, shoddy, and unequipped with books, good books, good books that’ll enrich the minds of their readers.

For a nation like Nigeria that can boast of numerous professors, multitudes of Doctors, and PhD holders, as well as an array of tertiary institution graduates; I really agree that Nigeria, and especially Abuja, the federal capital of the country, deserves to have a national library that is globally in tandem with other book libraries, in developed countries, the world over. One adage states: “Readers, are Leaders”. I really think it‟s time for the nation to scheme out avenues for its teeming citizens, to be(come) (avid),book readers.

Great as it is among the committee of nations, Nigeria, for too long, has neglected its array of libraries, which the nation has to parade. Especially, its national library complex in Abuja. The library that is available for members of the public, within Abuja to use, located at Area 2, part of Abuja, doesn’t do justice at all to the status which Abuja enjoys among the league of African nations‟ state capitals. The current state, condition, and reality of the national library project in Abuja, is a tell-tale sign that we all really need to catch up on the lethargic practices of book reading, among we Nigerians.
Abuja, being Nigeria’s federal capital territory, requires many factors which, appropriately, should make the capital city of Africa’s most populous nation,
outstanding, and enviable. For example, good hospitals. Good accommodations, good road networks-in and out of the city, good, and efficient public transportation network and vehicles, in and out of the city, good hotels-and ad-hoc accommodations, good restaurants, good schools, good local markets and super markets, and then of course, good libraries, (or at least, a good, nationally acclaimed, library in Abuja: all such built structures, situated, strategically in different places in any city or town, truly, makes such a city or town, great. The Federal Capital of Nigeria, Abuja, crowded with lots of modern-day buildings, government infrastructures and amenities, but without a standard, library building, with well-stocked, good books for members of the general
public to read, is-one would dare say, an English man’s breakfast of tea, without bread, beside the tea. Incidentally, most nations that abound in the world, in
contemporary times, that can be described as great nations, (among the committee of nations), all have great libraries.

Name: Ogbe, Patrick Adaofuoyi.
Gsm. No. 08050324046.
e-mail: patrickadaofuoyi@yahoo.com.
NB: the writer, is a federal civil servant, who works in Abuja, Nigeria.
Contact address: National orientation agency, p.m.b. 27, Garki Abuja.