By Abubakar Imam
The University Librarian, University of Ilorin, Prof. Kamaldeen Tunde Omopupa, has called for the establishment of a Ministry of Library and Cultural Development at both federal and state levels across Nigeria.
Prof. Omopupa made the appeal last Wednesday (November 19, 2025) while speaking at the 50th Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Kwara State Chapter of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa. The Conference was themed “Librarianship in the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR) Era”.
The University Librarian, who is also a former Head of the Department of Library and Information Sciences, said that the creation of such a Ministry has become necessary in order to strengthen the nation’s knowledge infrastructure, promote information literacy, and preserve Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
Prof. Omopupa stressed that libraries remain critical to national development and must be given dedicated attention through appropriate government structures.
The conference also witnessed paper presentations from experts and stakeholders who all discussed various aspects of the evolving role of librarians in the 5IR era.
