Inside Obasanjo’s library complex

Inside Obasanjo’s library complex

The much touted monumental library project of former President Olusegun Obasanjo is in the works. Mooted while in government, it has generated heated debates. Joke Kujenya who last Thursday toured the complex sited in Ijeun Lukosi Community, Abeokuta reports with inputs from Ernest Nwokolo
The scenario is atypical of opulence amid indolence. To the right side of the main gate of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) is the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mega Station. The filling station, OOPL’s immediate next-door-neighbour had many residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital queuing with 10 litre gallons to fill with kerosene. The scenario cuts a pitiful spectacle. The people defied both the drizzle of rain and blaze of sunlight as they sat still hoping-against-hope for the cooking fuel. Men, women, boys and girls, old and young, sit, stand, stoop low and some with their two hands placed on their heads waiting for their turns to be served colourless flammable oil.
OOPL is located in Ijeun Lukosi Community directly opposite Magbon Kobape village seated between the Presidential Boulevard and Abiola Way on the outskirts of Abeokuta. To the left wing of its gate is a plain spread of stubborn grass land. Though the OOPL’s Library fence spreads a long strectch out to demarcate its compound from the outside world; yet the beauty of the enclosing structure is swallowed by the height of the hard grass. A little walk about one metre away brings one to the first sign of life on the section of the field.
A young man was sighted washing a car which probably belonged to a man sitting with a lady under a shaft tent provided for clients. In the cool of the Bamboo pavillion, the two engaged in heated arguments and were practically oblivious of others. Asked about the library being built in the neighbourhood, the car-wash personnel said it was a welcome idea for the fact that someday soon, probably people like him could be educated by the resources provided. "Though, I don’t know if people like me will be allowed in when the library fully begins operations", he said in the local dialect all through the discussion.
Still a little short distance away from the car wash is a budding block industry. It was situated in a small space of land. Though fenced, it has no gate to protect the products from predators.
Such was the contrast in the neighbourhood of the OOPL project. Across the road were a handful of food and fruit sellers. To these ones, the former president was just building another ‘house’.
But to a more enlightened Mrs. Esther Kester, a nurse, who had just bought kerosene, "the Library is welcome at least in Abeokuta. Now, we have a place where our children can go someday to read books instead of engaging in time wasting ventures. Although, I would have preferred it situated in a more civilised setting than this place; (pointing) as you can see, this is a village and not many people around here are educated."
At the entrance of the OOPL, a visitor’s first stop is the security post. It is a one room chamber with a mobile policeman seated behind a table. He barely looks the way of incoming visitors as there is another table outside. Behind the table are seated two men with large hard cover note books for registration of workers to the premises.
When approached, they politely turned back our correspondent saying that no visitor is allowed into the premises of the presidential library until its operation commences. But unknown to them our correspondent had walked around from the outer to the inner courts. Though a lot of work is still required to give the place a befitting outlook, there is every indication that a beautiful edifice is being constructed.
On entering the compound one is welcomed by a dome shaped Church building. It is situated on the left side of the entrance. Local and foreign workers are all over the compound standing. Almost completed and painted in a merge of chocolate and light brown colours are the large structures of the OOPL Hotels which is believed to be the income generating part of the project.
Next are beautiful displays of rocks, a wonderful work of nature that will offer scholars excellent environment for studying and relaxation. Close to the rocks is the museum edifice; still under construction. Largely, the ground is still a lot grassy and unkempt. A voyage further to the extreme shows a private guest house on the right where Obasanjo was hosting his visiting American Consultants last Thursday. There are also two bungalow buildings to the left which are part of the OOPL complex.
At some point, the reporter got accosted by a security man, but was let alone and cautioned. Efforts were made to speak with close personnel to the project, but none was willing to comment. Much later, our reporter got invited to the Olusegun Obasanjo Hilltop residence at the GRA along Abeokuta-Shagamu Express road.
The Hilltop as it is popularly called is another architectural masterpiece. The structure sits atop a high rock as it overlooks many other houses in Abeokuta. In there, besides the two security chalets, are three major visible buildings all painted in cool golden yellow colour. We were ushered into a beautiful waiting room to meet with one of the visiting consultants, Ms. Tracy Roosevelt, Content Coordinator and African Projects Specialist with the Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA). She is the great grand-daughter of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd president of the United States of America, (USA). The 25 years old lady, a London School of Economics graduate in International History with African focus said she is in Nigeria as a representative of the RAA. In a chat with The Nation, she explained that the relevance of a presidential library is that "It takes the ideas that the president fosters during his administration and puts them in a place where people can continue to learn from."
Mr. Nick Appelbaum, son of Ralph Appelbaum, an American firm of Designers and Architects that Obasanjo recently signed a N6million deal with; said presidential libraries in the US do not open as quickly as this one is about to be opened. "They often take as long as 10 to 20 years more. It is a huge project that requires a lot of courage."
Last week, the OOPL sealed a $6million contract with RAA for the development of the museum component of the Presidential Library project. A few days later, it was announced that another N3.5billion is needed, making many to wonder why such large amount is required. During the launching of the library fund in May 2004, billions of naira was raised from government and corporate individuals. Obasanjo was accused of using his office to extort money from donors. Dr Christopher Kolade has however risen in defence of the additional fund saying it is a justifiable because the library would be a repository of African objects and artifacts. Curiously every other thing about the library seems shrouded in secrecy. No Nigerian personnel, including the editorial board members, coordinators of the project and many others reached on phone were willing to talk. They all claimed that they were not competent to speak with the press.
Expectedly, observers are querying the rationale of having mass building of hotels, a church and a museum in an atmosphere meant to be serene for acquisition of knowledge. In particular, they expressed surprise at the largeness of the hotels and the museum which seem to be given more attention and funding than the actual library. Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on Thursday in Abeokuta, while reacting to Dr. Christopher Akolade’s remarks that an American agency was contracted in a $6million deal to develop the museum component of the library, said the entire project was an executive extortion. He also said the overall approach is devoid of due process and described the OOPL as korofo ishana, meaning an empty match box that is without any element of culture.
The controversial OOPL complex is reportedly founded on Obasanjo’s three philosophical principles that formed his administrative policies: leadership, transparency and agriculture. The initiative is patterned after President Roosevelt’s model and it is divided into three major sections: the main museum/library; recreation and leisure services as well as housing/support facilities.