The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has described the recent conversion of some structures housing the Oyo State Library Board in Ibadan as unacceptable.
The party made this declaration via a statement made available to DAILY POST on Sunday.
The statement was signed by APC Publicity Secretary Wasiu Olawale Sadare.
DAILY POST learnt that some structures at the headquarters of the Oyo State Library Board in Ibadan, which houses a library and other public utilities have been converted into shops.
APC in its reaction, condemned the action.
The party in the statement described the action of the state government, led by Governor Seyi Makinde, as not only shameful and ill-conceived but also grossly unacceptable.
The party while speaking further, wondered why a government will turn a library into shops.
“It is a sad reality that the buildings which used to serve as public libraries and archives in Dugbe axis of Ibadan have now paved the way for the development of commercial and business structures and the implication of this is that education and research development have been relegated to the background in the state by the same administration which has refused to address the issue of poor reading culture among young students.
“Without mincing words, 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.
“How can a government wake up one day and convert public reading facilities and archives into lock-up shops in the name of making money and thereby subject the entire society to the danger of illiteracy and ignorance?”