A Special investigative report conducted by the group of publications under Katsina Times has indicated efforts being made by present Administration in the state to restore the lost glory of Katsina Library from total collapse and documented as a medieval building.

Katsina State being centre of western education from the colonial times had at that time been the initial headquarters of modern schools in Nigeria.

Library is a place for research, studies and documentation of historical artifacts as well as findings on technology and skills.

In Katsina State, military administrators  accorded much attention and importance to libraries, which led to the construction of structures in twenty local governments and stocked the libraries with up to date books, periodicals and journals . In addition, Staff were recruited for the manning of the libraries.

All the successive civilian administration in Katsina State, none deems it fit to either rehabilitate, upgrade and modernize the libraries to make them complimentary centres of learning in the state.

This explains why the headquarters of the libraries is the most dilapidated structure one can find amongst Government buildings in the state. The building was inherited from the defunct Kaduna state and was constructed as a library for Katsina local government but had since without expansion been serving as the heads of Katsina State library Board.

During the previous administration, the structure was even sold to a businessman, but upon assuming office, the incumbent Governor halted the sale of the library. Mallam Dikko Umar Radda PHD had now set out to expand and modernize the library into an edifice of repute. This effort would make the name of the Governor to be written in gold as far as library is concern in Katsina State.

Most Libraries have been modernize. Apart from the books stocked, library is now linked to internet, which makes it to be a universal structure. 

Now teachings, conferences, researches, and reports could be shared for the benefits of not only Katsina people but the generality of learners throughout the globe.

For over 25 years that Katsina Library headquarters and the branches in the local governments have been neglected. Now that a Governor has taken the bull by the horns, things will change for the better in library structure in the state.

The site earmarked for the building of an edifice for the headquarters of the library Board was sold out by the PDP administration in Katsina State.

The effort of private hands could not go unnoticed in Nigeria. Such efforts include the library edifices built by former president Olusegun Obasanjo in Ottah, General Aliyu Gusau in Kaduna, late MD Yusuf in Katsina, Muttaqa Rabe Darma also in Katsina as well as that of Malam  Misbahu Na'iya.

Some well to do individuals in Katsina such as late Ibrahim Commasie, professor Sani Abubakar Lugga, and Senator Ibrahim Idah  have established functional libraries in their homes.

Several states have modernise their libraries just as Governor Dikko Radda had been striving to do in Katsina State. Books ,magazines and newspapers could now be accessed by students as well as materials on entertainment.

 Several Foundations now exist that have been rendering interventions to libraries that met their criteria. However, library in Katsina will now not be part of the request for such Foundations to render interventions to as the position of it had been surpassed about twenty years ago. 

Rehabilitation of the old Library building in Katsina will go along way in making youths to rejuvenate reading culture. The pioneer Executive Director of the library, Hajiya Hadiza Shitu Fawibe would not be forgotten by history as she indeed contributed to the good take off of the library Board shortly after the creation of the state. She single handedly made military regimes in the state to accord priority to libraries in the state. Although not an indigene of Katsina but was in the state by marital status, Hajiya Hadiza Shitu Fawibe makes sure that the library was given priority by the military. 

Similarly, history will be kind to the former member of house of representatives for Katsina central constituency, Alhaji Iro isansi who during his tenure renovated the old Library building through constituency project.

Attached with this report are the pictures of the current position of the library headquarters in Katsina.

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Jaridar Taskbar Labarai

@www.taskarlabatai.com

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