In search of good books at National Library

What does it take to get three relevant books at Abuja’s National Library? Daily Trust gave it a shot. There were three books on my mind en route National Library of Nigeria located at Garki Area 11, Abuja. The first was ‘Ahmadu Bello: Sardauna of Sokoto, Values and Leadership in Nigeria’ by John Paden, published […]

What does it take to get three relevant books at Abuja’s National Library? Daily Trust gave it a shot.

There were three books on my mind en route National Library of Nigeria located at Garki Area 11, Abuja. The first was ‘Ahmadu Bello: Sardauna of Sokoto, Values and Leadership in Nigeria’ by John Paden, published 1986 by Hodder Arnold. There are arguably hardly better options when it comes to learning about Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello (the Premier of the then Northern Region of Nigeria) thought by many to be the most powerful figure in Nigerian history. 

Another book was ‘Mythology, Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes’ by Edith Hamilton. A quick internet search took me to a site where it was number one in a list of ten best Greek mythology books. Others included works like Richard Buxton’s ‘The Complete World of Greek Mythology’, Homer’s ‘The Iliad’, and ‘Odyssey’. Also, ‘Theogony and Works and Days’ by Hesiod, ‘D’aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths’ by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’aulaire, and so on. 

Third was ‘Igbo History and Society: The Essays of Adiele Afigbo’ edited by Toyin Falola. Published in 2006 by Africa Research and Publications, this was the most recently published book among the three.

The very first taste of disappointment came upon entering the library’s premises and being unable to find a neat and secure locker to keep my backpack. Most of the doors were broken and the lockers had cobwebs and so much dirt in them. A couple of visitors came to the lockers bearing hand bags and turned their backs at the sight.

Abuja’s National Library is a single story building covered by enduring roofing and some old-fashioned air conditioners. On its side is a porch, where (in the open) people sit and read and sometimes hold tutorials. In the same premises, the library shares space with a health clinic.

One of the welcoming sights, upon entering the library’s ground floor, are three black-and-white framed photographs sitting on a catalogue shelf. One is of Philip Rappaport, Library Adviser from 1966 to 1971, another of Miss A. Priscilla Taylor (1965-66), and Dr. Carl M. White, Library Adviser (1962-64). 

Aside the electronic library (a 2010 project provided by Universal Service Provision Fund) the ground floor of the building takes the bulk of reading cubicles. Here, there are books on philosophy, religion, theology and more. For my three specific books, I was directed upstairs by a librarian behind a counter who acted like she was sure I would find what I needed. 

Upstairs, past the Serial Section crammed with hefty volumes of age-old newspapers and magazines, is a section marked NIGERIANA COLLECTION. Inside are seated three people. I approach a desk and ask for what I need. The librarian attending to me directs me to a shelf at the extreme end of the room. “Check there,” he said. 

I did check, for a while. The shelf was crammed with all kinds of Nigerian Books and before long I knew I couldn’t go on like that. 

“What kind of filing system do you have here?” I asked.

“It’s manual. We don’t have a catalogue here,” the librarian replied.

Frustrated, I asked him how I was supposed to get what I needed by checking book after book, row after row and shelf after shelf. He told me with a small laugh to come when I had more time to search.

I kept searching and then gave up altogether. 

A quick research online had taken me to an academic research journal by International Journal of Academic Library and Information Science, where the functions of National Library of Nigeria was written clearly. It is for collecting and preserving the nation’s literature for posterity, collecting foreign literature for research and teaching, maintaining a collection of manuscripts and rare books bearing on the nation’s heritage, indexing the nation’s literature and publishing national bibliography, keeping a national central catalogue, providing advisory services to other libraries, and more.

So, if the library is to help in research or teaching, my need was certainly not met. The librarian had told me clearly there was no record of books available. This meant he could not tell me for certain if a book as popular (at least to one curious about history) as ‘Ahmadu Bello’ was indeed owned by the library. 

The library obviously has a lot of books that could prove valuable to any researcher or reader. One of those that caught my attention was a play, ‘Queen Amina’ by Ahmed Ibrahim Khaleil. Another was ‘Immortal Legends of Africa’ by Pa Anyi Agwudagwu, and ‘The African Pilot’ by Captain S.A. Ohlomah Amanda. The latter gives zero results on the internet, implying it is probably out of print and cannot be purchased online as is the trend today. 

Other books included ‘Autobiography as Social History’ by Isma’ila A. Tsiga, ‘The Babangida Years’ Gabriel Umodey, ‘Gazetteers of the Northern Provinces of Nigreia’, and ‘The Untold Story of the Nigeria Biafra-War’ by Dr. Luke Nnaemeka Aneke.

The National Library of Nigeria was not established without foresight. Its website records the role of the Nigerian Division of West African Library Association (WALA) to the realisation of the vision that was the library, a dream that dated back to the 1930s. 

Following the recommendation of the Nigerian Division of WALA, which later became the Nigerian Library Association in 1962, a Library Advisory committee was established in the late 50`s.  This Committee had the assignment of working out plans for library services in the country and to persuade the government to agree to set up a National Library.  On the attainment of independence, the Nigerian government embraced the idea of a National Library as proposed by the association.

The Ford Foundation of America agreed not only to finance but also provide the necessary expertise for a feasibility study. The survey recommended a National Library of Nigeria, thereby backing up the recommendation of the Library Advisory Committee.

Dr Carl White a distinguished Scholar and Librarian was appointed to come to Nigeria in February 1962 to assist in setting up necessary technical personnel for the National Library, and in September 1964, the government passed the first legislation. 

The National Library of Nigeria came into existence by the National Library Act passed in September, 1964.  This Act was later replaced and substituted with the National Library Decree No 29 of 1970.  It is described as a grade “A” parastatal and the apex library in the country.  It is the giant memory of the nation, her intellectual store house and data bank for learning and remembering process.  It is the Vanguard of library development and information services delivery, advising institutions, organizations and MDAs at all levels of government on library development.

For these reasons alone, the National Library deserves to be sustained, its standard continuously upgraded to meet contemporary ones and the needs of Nigerians.