The following is the report of the NLA 2018 Executive and Council Meeting as prepared by the Publicity Secretary.
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The NLA Exco and Council Meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun State from 1st to 3rd Febrauary, 2018 was a huge success. The members of Exco arrived Abeokuta on the 31st January, 2018. On the 1st of February, the National Exco and members of the Local Organising Committee proceeded to access the venues tentatively penciled down for the 2018 Conference/AGM (Gateway 2018) scheduled for 23rd to 26th July, 2018. The first venue visited was the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library. We were highly impressed with the facilities at this venues. Apart from the very big and furnished 1500 capacity auditorium, other facilities like the presidental library, Archives, the zoo, adire market, the gym, swimming pool and 180 room hotel facility are also available for us to access. Though we saw president Olusegun Obasanjo and exchanged presantries with him, however, the courtesy call to Baba could not hold as Baba hosted Ex-Governor of Cross River State Donald Duke same day. The courtesy was however rescheduled for Wednesday 7th February, 2017.
The team led by the National President, Dr. Umunna Opara then visited the second venue which is the Ogun State cultural Centre. NLA Members would remembers that our 2005 Annual Conference/AGM was hosted at this venue during the tenure of Dr. Daniels as the Predident of NLA and Governor Gbenga Daniels as the governor of Ogun State. The facilities at the Cultural Cetre has been renovated and upgraded and the National will like to use the venue if the deal for the President Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library fails to click.
On the 2nd of Febrauary. 2018, the team paid a courtesy call on the governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun at the Ogun State government house. The government received us warmly and took several pictures with our team. The NLA Preseident Dr. Umunna Opara on behalf of the Association presented a beautifully carved birthday card to the governor to martk his 60th birthday. The governor was highly impressed with the presentation and as he was scheduled for another engagement he asked the Deputy Governor Chief Mrs Yetunde Onanuga to stand in for him for the rest of the deliberations.
The NLA president briefed the Deputy Governor on the purpose of our visit and sought the support of the government of Ogun State for the forthcoming NLA Conference/AGM. He equally highlighted the deplorable state of public and school libraries in the country and called on all stakeholders to rally round to save public and school libraries. The National Librarian Prof. L. O. Aina also made appeal to the Ogun State government for a position of land to build a permanent branch of the national library in the state. The Deputy Governor in her response promised that the state government will support NLA 2018 Annual Conference/AGM to make it a big success. She also requested the Director of the state library Board to get in contact with her so that a befitting portion of land will be mapped out for building the state branch of the national library.
After the courtesy call on the governor, the NLA President, Dr. Umunna Opara moved to the Ogun State Television where he did a one hour programme on library advocacy.
The Council Meeting was held on the 3rd February, 2018. It was well attended and very far reaching decisions were arrived at. At the appropriate time, the National Secretary will brief members of decisions that were conclusive while those that needed the ractification of the general congress will be brought up at the 2018 AGM.
Please make sure you are part of the NLA 2018 Conference/AGM. Do not be left out.
Thank you.
Prince Kingsley N. Egbukole KSC, CLN
National P. R. O. / Publicity Secretary.