Putting books, not guns in the hands of Niger Delta youths

Niger Delta youth are said to be always restless, ready to put to aggressive use whatever they find in their hands. If they find guns in their hands, they shoot up everyone without caution, and tend to turn into cultists, kidnappers, and militants. Now, a new project that seeks to put books in their hands has just begun in the presumed oil capital, Port Harcourt, with N2 Billion book centre.

Shell, seen to always be at the receiving end of weapons in the hands of the youth in the region, has chipped in a whopping N1 Billion into the project, a modern library, in the book centre conceived and operated by the Port Harcourt Library Society (PHLS) led by Chidi Amuta, a writer, media manager, and intellectual activist.

The library section was unveiled on October 27, 2016, and Amuta tried to explain the book for gun concept.

“We live in uncertain times, and the attention of youth is torn violently between the forces of new information, new modes of violence and the pull of new money. In this atmosphere, it is easy for young people to be diverted and to wallow in the ignorance and bestiality they see around them. We believe that culture can redeem the future; exposure to noble ideas through the medium of books and the printed word can point our youth in a different direction.

Only a fool will dismiss the touch-screen ease of access to news, new ideas, entertainment and a vast sea of limitless knowledge. The information superhighway is like any other highway, carrying both good and evil almost in equal measure including bomb-making skills and radicalisation lectures. This is why we must include a digital library in this facility. We hope to develop this in order to deliver content to our public through multimedia channels that can engage the minds of youths and change the narrative of Port Harcourt,” Amuta explained.

Those who find it hard to believe Amuta may need to peep into the wonder-library and the book centre. They would find on completion, a new venue for the now famous annual Port Harcourt Book Festival that would host musical and drama performances by local and international artistes. “The centre will also host visiting writers from around the world who will come into residence to do creative and cultural research for short periods at a time,” Amuta further explained.

As the booklet of the commissioning stated: “There is the ultra modern library by Shell (50-seat e-library, 100-seat children’s library, and 20-seat research library with general adult section for 180 persons at a time, children’s nap room, etc.). Events/Cultural Centre pledged by the Rivers State Government; (Heart of the project; exhibition hall, event auditorium, banking hall, bookshop space, fast food restaurant, business centre, conference and seminar room, and a lobby; writers’ hostel for writers in residence with services and food; multipurpose centre: planned as venue for performances by local and international troupes with flexibility”.

The chairman said the centre is patterned after the Muson Centre in Onikan Lagos to be a centre of culture and enlightenment; “People can come here to watch plays by international theatre companies, watch movies, hold and attend book and poetry readings and lectures, buy books, and artistic souvenirs and enjoy meals in decent restaurants.”

He gave huge credits to Koko Kalongo, a woman he said has made indelible contributions to the cultural life of the city and the nation through promotion of a reading culture. He also mentioned the Rivers State government, especially the former governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi that donated the event centre/exhibition hall; the Airforce, etc.

World Book Capital commemoration

He said the modern library is set to be part of the Port Harcourt Book Centre that stands to commemorate the recognition of Port Harcourt by UNESCO as the 2014 World Book Capital.

He said he had many reasons to be happy, especially to give back to the city that played huge role in my career. He explained the tasks before and ahead, saying, “This took elaborate and laborious negotiations for MoUs, especially with Shell. This has opened my eyes to how oil corporations do their things. From Shell I learnt that an elaborate bureaucracy can also deliver results in good time. I hope those who manage our public affairs will learn from that following due process and transparency need not kill the delivery of social beneficial projects.”

 Shell MD

Managing directors of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) hardly attend events personally. Usually, it is the high and competent experts in their employ that stand in for the MDs, but twice, journalists have seen the MDs come personally. This was one of them. The present MD, Osagie Osunbor, said he had to fly in from Abuja from the oil industry road map unveiled by Mr. President. He said he was excited more because of the impact this kind of project would make on the future success to knowledge and education in Rivers State and the larger Niger Delta region.

“This in particular is a demonstration of our continued belief in the future of this country and our commitment to its socio-economic development especially in the Niger Delta region. The journey to this handover was through a memorandum of understanding with the Port Harcourt Library Society to deliver an ultra-modern public library that would rank as one of the biggest and the most IT-driven in the Niger Delta. Without sounding immodest, our objective has been achieved,” Osunbor said.

Cost and sustainability

The MD gave hints to how the laudable project would survive. First, the company is supporting the initial staff that opened the place. SPDC staff members are also donating books to fill up the place (and these are well-red technocrats). Amuta also hinted that tokens would be charged for adults and children to raise money to maintain the place. He added: “This is a beautiful library; it makes me very proud. Its location between the Nigerian Army and Airforce headquarters is a guarantee for security and sense of safety. Cost ($5million plus) may be high but price is cheap considering the price of ignorance”

He assured of support to prop up the intellectually-stimulating facility. “We will support this facility to last; I will like to come here in about two years and I want to find it running. This is a social investment project. Education is key to the region’s development. It is part of the centenary projects to boost Nigeria to signpost the Niger Delta states. Cost of ignorance is phenomenal; if Nigerians knew a little more, probably we would not be in recession,” he said.

Tour and voices

A tour of the ultra-modern library complex would reveal a lot. It has three floors. The first floor has children’s library, archives, etc; the second has Social Sciences, Literary Arts, Architecture, Law, etc, while the third has Adult library annex; Science, Medicine, E-library, Copy room, etc.

National Librarian of the Federation

Lenrie Aina, a professor, after touring the facility, told journalists: “This is the type of library I have fought for all my life. Let states emulate this and replicate this around the country”.

Magnus Abe, a lawyer and administrator, senator and now contestant to the senate, said: “Book, not gun, will rule Niger Delta. This indeed is a great edifice, and I am proud to be associated with this project as part of the administration that initiated it, the Amaechi administration. To Shell I say, this is a project that will not go away or be wished away in a hurry. It is a project full of legacy. The significance of this project is in its ability to promote knowledge across the oil region.”

He went on: “It is books, not guns that will rule the Niger Delta. The more we put books in the hands of our children and the youth, the less guns we find in their hands, and the more peace we have in the Niger Delta. This project will determine the health of governance in Rivers State, it is going to be a barometer to gauge the type of people in charge of governance in this state; if this place is up and running, know that the administration in Brick House is a good one, if this place is found dead or dying, know that the people in charge of Brick House are the wrong type. So, let the meter read our state at all times.”

He added that it had been proven that books read by children influenced their lives thereafter. “This is why we must get our children reading. They say books shape your life, your decisions and thus your actions. I read every book in the children’s section of the Calabar Library where I grew up. If you read in your youth, it stays with you for life. So, I encourage our parents to bring out our children to this library and read in an environment that is safe, decent and quiet,” he said.

Toyin Olagunju, project-operator, is one of those who feel that Port Harcourt’s beauty lacked one aspect, public library of world oil class status.

“Some 30 years ago, I came to Port Harcourt; I saw that everything was good, but did not find a good public library. This is that missing link, the facility that will help the young ones. This project is no coincidence. As I listened to the poems by the children, I was moved and motivated by lines such as ‘panthers panting; snarling tigers; recession to accession’”, Olagunju said.

Many citizens have continued to post their reactions in social media, often hailing the facility.

Government reaction

Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Ipalibo Banigo, in a speech delivered by her Senior Special Assistant, Inegogo Fubara, thanked SPDC for supporting the state government’s desire to provide sustainable and affordable education to the people.

“Rivers State government is not unaware of the numerous contributions of SPDC over the years in the education sector. The importance and relevance of this facility of over $5million cannot be overemphasised. Rather than embarking on building of new schools, the Nyesom Wike administration is upgrading 11 old secondary schools. We are waging total war against cultism and winning it. Please, operate this library with international best practices because we cannot allow the huge investment in the facility to be a wasteful venture. This is also calling on students and researchers to feast on this facility,” Banigo said.