In a shocking and annoying move by the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, working without a cabinet, he has ordered the closure of Edo State Library at Sapele Road, Benin City and directed that the library should be relocated to a store room in the dilapidated Ministry of Education at Iyaro or Forestry in Benin City.

In a directive signed by for Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, the governor who directly oversees all the ministries in Edo State, having no Civil Commissioners, directed strict compliance to this bizarre directive.

The Edo State Library Board was ordered to be relocated from it’s present befitting location at Sapele Road in Benin City to an unknown location.

But investigation by Urhokpota Reporters indicate that the new location was either the Ministry of Education at Forestry Road or at Iyaro in Benin City, both ministries are in advanced stages of dilapidation owing to deliberate arson and abandonment.

Further investigation revealed that the real reason why Obaseki closed the Edo State Library is because he wants to convert the place to the office of the Attorney General of the State.

In a circular issued on 31st of January 2017, a copy of which Urhokpota Reporters was able to obtain, Obaseki directed that the state library at Sapele Road, which is one of the enduring legacies of Chief Lucky Igbinedion of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), be relocated because he needs the place for other purpose.

Many education consultants and stake holders interviewed expressed displeasure over the decision of government.

Prof Remy Ojiako, an education consultant with The Pedagogues Educonsult, advised the governor to reconsider his decision and reverse the order.

“Governor Obaseki’s decision to relocate the library without a clearly identified alternative location is faulty, and indicative of disdain for education. He should reconsider the decision and let the Sapele Road library remain. It serves both educational, social and even security purpose. Relocating the library to any other place less befitting is an insult to leadership and also the legacy of Igbinedion whose visionary leadership gave Edo that befitting library, one of the best state libraries in Nigeria” Prof Ojiako said.

“Closing the Edo State library or relocating it to a less quality place is a misplaced decision by this government which is still battling for legitimacy and direction” Dr. Thompson Omorodion, an academic added.

In their view, Mr Kingsley Eboigbe of GetGripNigeris described the relocation as “a step backward” and expressed the fear that “Edo may never have a library again” and Saintmoses Eromosele, an education consultant and publisher, described the decision as “the stupidest decision of any government in the 21st century is to close a public library for a law office”.




Circular, relocating Edo State Library Board to a store room

The Edo State library was moved from Eghosa Grammar School area at Okhoro in Benin City to it’s present location by Chief Lucky Igbinedion following the court order that awarded the former library property back to Eghosa Anglican Grammar School.

To get a befitting place for Edo state youths and students where they could develop their academic careers and also socialize positively, the government led by Igbinedion established the state library at a state of the art facility along Sapele Road in Benin City.

Since then, majority of youths and students in Edo State, especially Benin City, have been using the state library for exam preparation and other research purposes, publishers and authors also use the library for registering their books and storing legal deposits. With this new directive of government, a lot is expected to go wrong unless the government has a concrete alternative plan, which no one can see or imagine at the moment.

Reactions, or even protests, are expected to erupt among youths of Edo State in the coming days over this vexatious policy of government.

http://www.urhokpotareporters.com/