JOSEPH OJEDEJI, MAPAK LUCKY AND SAKA KEMI
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Sebastian Maimako, has flagged off the ‘Beauty from Ashes’ Campaign towards the rehabilitation and stocking of the burnt Naraguta Campus Library of the institution at the Bauchi Road Campus Library.
The Vice Chancellor said that the campaign ‘is a notable step to kick-start the process of receiving donations towards the rehabilitation of the burnt library’, while adding that the Principal Officers of the Institution have agreed to support the campaign with a free- will donation of N1,000,000 each of which the University Bursar is to start the process of redeeming the money immediately.
He also called on relevant federal ministries and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to support the initiative and revealed that the committee of professionals set up by the University Senate to ascertain the extent of the damage to the structure of the library complex have submitted the structural integrity test report, which indicated that the building can still be used when adequately rehabilitated.
Prof. Maimako stated that the Committee also counseled that cohabitation of the library with other departments should no longer be allowed.
Consequently, the Librarian of the institution, Dr. Steven Akintunde, applauded the initiative while calling on staff and students, especially from the Naraguta Campus, to make use of the Bauchi Road Campus main library, the law faculty library and the medical science faculty library as library services in the Institution continues.
He called on staff and students who borrowed books from the library before the inferno at the library to return them accordingly.
In an interview with UNIJOS Echo Online, Mr. Yakubu Gomos, the Director of the Advancement Office, expressed optimism about the success of the initiative while calling on relevant stakeholders within and outside the Institution to support the initiative.
He noted that the library complex is the biggest in the entire country and affirmed that the library will be better after its renovation.
In another interview with Mr. John Adah, the Faculty of Arts Librarian, he said that the ‘Beauty from Ashes’ campaign ‘is a call to responsibility for donations to begin with members of staff of the institution’.
He added that ‘a beautiful library will emerge out of the ashes of the burnt library as inspired by the word of God through the initiative’.
Donations and pledges were made by members of staff as well as alumni present at the occasion.
Also present at the event was the Registrar, Mr. Monday Danjem, the Dean of Veterinary Medicine, Prof. Lami Lombin, the Dean of Law, Prof. Clement J. Dakas (SAN), the Director of Academic Planning, Prof. M.B. T Umar, the Director of ICT, Prof. Ishaya Tanko, the Director, Center for Continuing Education, Prof. Mankilik and various Heads of Departments, students as well as alumni.
In a similar development, various dignitaries were received by the management of the Institution at the Senate Chambers, Bauchi Road Campus.
The dignitaries were from the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) led by its President, Rev. Dr. Dachollom Datiri, the National Library of Nigeria and the Plateau State Traditional Council led by the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba to sympathize with the management of UniJos over the inferno.
They all promised to explore necessary avenues of helping the Institution rehabilitate the burnt library.
