By Abidemi Samuel
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The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has strongly condemned the recent conversion of some structures housing the Oyo State Library Board in Ibadan to shops. The party described the action as not only shameful and ill-conceived but also grossly unacceptable.
According to the APC, the conversion of the library to shops is a sad reality that has paved the way for the development of commercial and business structures, relegating education and research development to the background in the state. The party wondered why the state government, led by Governor Seyi Makinde, would turn a library into shops, subjecting the entire society to the danger of illiteracy and ignorance.
The APC stated that the word “library” is now strange to many students in public primary and secondary schools in Oyo State because the government does not care to build such facilities or fix the existing ones, which require good attention. The party questioned how a government could wake up one day and convert public reading facilities and archives into lock-up shops in the name of making money.
The Oyo State Library Board, which was established in 1955, has been a vital institution for education and research development in the state ². The conversion of the library to shops has been widely condemned by stakeholders, who argue that it will have a negative impact on the education sector in the state.
In conclusion, the Oyo APC has called on the state government to reverse the conversion of the library to shops and to prioritize education and research development in the state. The party has also urged the government to address the issue of poor reading culture among young students in the state.
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