APC Criticizes Makinde Over Conversion of Library Into Shopping Mall

The APC has condemned Governor Makinde for converting a public library into a shopping mall, calling the move unacceptable and a setback for education in Oyo State.

The Oyo State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has deemed the recent repurposing of several buildings that house the Oyo State Library Board in Ibadan as unacceptable.

The party announced this declaration through a statement released to the DAILY POST on Sunday.

The statement was signed by Wasiu Olawale Sadare, the Publicity Secretary of APC.

discovered that certain structures at the headquarters of the Oyo State Library Board in Ibadan, which accommodate a library and other public utilities, have been transformed into shops.

In response, the APC criticized the action.

The party in the statement characterized Governor Seyi Makinde’s state government’s actions as not only shameful and poorly thought out but also completely unacceptable.

In further discussion, the party questioned why a government would convert a library into retail spaces.

It is unfortunate that the buildings once serving as public libraries and archives in Dugbe, Ibadan have been replaced by commercial and business developments. This shift reflects a deprioritization of education and research advancement in the state. The current administration has failed to address the issue of poor reading habits among young students, further compounding this problem.

To put it bluntly, the term ‘library’ has become unfamiliar to many students in public primary and secondary schools in Oyo State. This is due to the government’s neglect in constructing new facilities or maintaining existing ones that need significant care.

How can a government suddenly decide to transform public libraries and archives into commercial spaces for profit, risking the spread of illiteracy and ignorance throughout society?