Nasiru Yusuf

Umar Danbatta, executive vice-chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has urged Nigerians to imbibe reading culture for a better knowledge and information.

KANO FOCUS reports that Mr Danbatta, a professor, said this at the 2021 Library/Museum Day on Thursday in Abuja.

He described library as a learning resource assessed by its level of currency in its quality, quantity and variety of the stocks.

Mr Danbatta said that an important component of the library resource is the e-section, which allows electronic link-up and access to more databases and information.

He called on the commission to continue to seek ways to maximise the library resource in meeting its mandate and expanding knowledge and information.

“The library is a learning resource. The stock of a library is normally assessed by its level of currency, what is the quality, quantity, variety of the stock. We must be able to embark on assessing the whole thing.

“An important component of the library resource is the e-section. The e-section is the section that allows you to link up and access more data bases for information.

“When we assess the library, we pay careful attention to the ability of users to access more data bases electronically.

“The most importantly thing is for you to be able to sight a reference that is credible. The library is a component of the entire learning process.

“I believe the outcome of today’s event will help change our reading culture, if you don’t have a reading culture, please try and acquire one, it is very important to read. It will motivate us to have a critical look of innovations,” he said.

Speaking further, Mr Danbatta said that the theme: “The Future of Museum, Recover and Re-Emerging” captured the purpose of the commission’s special museum dedicated to the telecommunications industry.

He said that it was important to collect exhibits and conserve telecommunications items to enlighten and educate stakeholders.

“Museums generally play important roles in the society by observing the past and appreciate the future through providing insight into the history of a people and educating a future of generations,” Mr Danbatta said.

Abba Isa -Tijani, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria (NCMM), said Museums play crucial role in preserving local culture with careful documentation and artifact preservation of institutions and sectors.

Mr Isa-Tijani, represented by Kilba Zainab-Uche, assistant director, museums, said that the museum sector must move with new trends of technology development , adding that the traditional roles of museums in development could not be underestimated.

He applauded the commission for setting the standard for other institutions and pledged to support the museum whenever the need arises.

“The NCC has a museum where significant and historical telecommunications objects are exhibited, this is historic.

“So the new role of museums in the digital era is till emerging. The museum is not yet completely digital because there is the need to converge both the new and traditional.

“If the traditional role is completely phased out, it will create a problem because from time to time you will have to go back to your past in order to know where you are in the present and to forge ahead,” he concluded.