In its effort to promote literacy in the Niger Delta region, the Anglo-Dutch multi-national company, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Nigeria Limited, has built and donated a standard modern public library for members of Port Harcourt Literary Society (PHLS). Built and equipped at the cost of N2. 574 billion, Shell invested the sum of $5 million while the sum of $1.5 million was raised from other sources. The library is adjudged by professionals as the only standard library facility Nigeria has ever had, having facility for every strata of the society, ranging from babies to the very old.
Located at the Nigeria Air Force in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the facility is being managed by members of PHLS. The facility is meant to carter for the learning and research needs of everyone in any sphere of life.
The company has always shown commitment in the education of the people to enable them to improve their economic well-being. In achieving this, Shell designed and operates different educational scholarship and training programmes annually for different categories of people in the region.
On the firm’s annual Cradle-to–Career (C2C) educational programme for gifted but indigent kids in public primary schools in rural communities in the three main operational states of the company, namely Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta, the company gives scholarship to 60 graduating primary school pupils (20 from each state), to the best private secondary school in Port Harcourt, with Cambridge/A’Level classes on full boarding bases.
The first batch of the students has graduated. As at the last award months back, the company has given out scholarships to over 400 students.
The company also operates an expanded robust university scholarship, in which opportunities are given to undergraduate and post-graduate students of Nigerian origin to be sponsored under its social responsibility programme. This year, over 500 students received the award nation-wide.
The scheme is Shell/NNPC/Agip partnership; the latter has existed for over 50 years in the country.
Speaking at the event, the Managing Director, SPDC Nigeria, Okunbor Osagie said the project is one of the three library projects the company has planned for each of its main states of operation, expressing the delight on its impacts on the education and learning of residents of the oil-rich region.
Quoting Alan Moore he said: “Knowledge, like air, is vital to life. Like air, no one should be denied it.” Okunbor noted that library being a fountain of knowledge would be freely available to all. “This completed library project by SPDC will provide unfettered access to knowledge for all people who seek it,” he said.
The MD explained why the company decided to build the multi-purpose public library.
“When you look at Shell companies in Nigeria, this project is one of our boldest social investments and it’s one of the three N2 billion projects we are sponsoring to mark Nigeria’s centenary anniversary in the Niger Delta region.
“Our choice of these centenary projects and this one 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.
“SPDC has exclusively funded this library project because of its strong conviction that it will deliver significant benefits and positively impact the lives of people.
“The journey to the delivery of the library was implemented using a Memorandum of Understanding with the Port Harcourt Library Society and our objective was to deliver a modern public library that would rank as one of the biggest and most IT-driven in the Niger Delta. Without sounding immodest, our objective has been achieved.
“To ensure that this project is sustainable, the library will be managed by the PHLS and will be a component of the Book Centre that will serve as the hub of activities that will promote access to information and economic growth through education in general and literary arts in particular,” he said.
Speaker after speaker harped on the significance of the project to Rivers State as World Book Capital and the region in general.
After inspecting the library facility, the Chief Librarian of National Library of Nigeria, Prof. Lenrie Olatokunbo Aina, said it met international standard. According to him, the structure has sections for every stage.
“Having toured round the facility, I discovered that the facility has something for every strata of society, from kindergarten to the very old; that is what a public library ought to be. I am satisfied with what I have seen,” he said.
Prof. Aina adjudged the facility as the first and currently the only public library the country has ever had.
He urged young mothers to take advantage of the facility in raising their babies with ease by bringing them there when they are busy, have places/shopping to do, stressing that the facility’s environment and its baby section is conducive to safe and quiet learning.
“More importantly, one is happy that our mothers can now bring their children here on weekends or week days, go out for their shopping and other businesses and come back and pick them when they are done.”
He pledged the support of National Library, and enjoined other states of the federation to replicate the facility in their own states to promote reading culture and effective child-raising.
On the criteria for accessing the facility by the public and its capability in addressing the yearnings of Niger Delta students and researchers alike, the Chairman of PHLS, Dr. Chidi Amuta assured that the facility is open to everyone with the membership registration card (e-card), which also serves as the access card to the main entrance gate.
He assured that the facility would be able to solve all research and writing requirements of users.
“The vision for setting up the facility is to provide the word-class facility, which, however, is accessible and available to the public. This is because the users will not have second thought on the safety and friendliness of the facility and its environment.
“The library was opened for public use on September 1 and is already receiving students and pupils from various schools on excursion visit and registration. The place is available for individual or group registration. The registration fee is just a token for the provision of e-card to open the entrance gate. Already families are beginning to register their children and wards.” Amuta said.
He further said: “PHLS is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation, but the monies we raise from donors, contributions and goodwill from the public is meant to ensure that the library functions optimally.”
On why much funds is spent in building library in the current economic situation of the country, Okunbo said: “Education is very key in the social investment programmes of SPDC. It was the quest on how best to achieve this that informed our partnership with
