TURNING THE NEW CROSS RIVER STATE LIBRARY INTO A LIVING LEGACY

Anthony EKPO BASSEY

The bold decision of the Governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, to remodel the state library to a global standard is both refreshing and remarkable. It is a rare renaissance of reason in an age where reading rooms are fast disappearing. With the stroke of vision and the strength of will, His Excellency has breathed new life into what could have easily become a forgotten fossil, and for that, he deserves both commendation and celebration.

Lets think of this: A library is more than shelves and cement. It is a living, learning, lasting legacy. Now that the walls are up and the lights are on, it is time to give it a soul, a system, and a strategy. A globally inspired library must be governed with global intelligence. It is therefore prudent that the governor inaugurates a Library Board not merely as a formality but as a functional force. This board should be a blend of the brilliant: librarians, lecturers, literary minds, digital designers, and development experts. It should be a coalition that understands not only books, but the business of books.

Moreover, to keep this modern marvel from becoming a memory, the library must be more than a space for silence. It must be a hub of hustle and humble enterprise. Beyond being a sanctuary of study, it can become a centre for creativity, community, and commerce.

Let us begin with skill schools and smart seminars. The library can host low-cost certificate courses in coding, content creation, copywriting, and climate studies and can tap into today’s most in-demand skills. With certified facilitators and structured modules, these can attract not only locals but learners from neighbouring states, generate steady income while empowering minds.

Then there is the potential of a Writers’ Wing or Creative Corner, a space where budding authors can write, share, and publish. With modest registration fees, writing residencies, and book publishing partnerships, this idea could turn pages into profit, give birth to Cross River’s own literary legends. Imagine a Calabar Canon of poets and playwrights, born from this building of books.

The library could also serve as a Tech-Tonic Co-working Cove, with desks, devices, and digital access for freelancers, remote workers, and student researchers. With affordable hourly or daily passes, this would generate revenue while turning the space into a think- tank for tomorrow.

And let us not forget the charm of a Book-and-Brew Café, nestled somewhere in a quiet corner, where ideas steep as deeply as the coffee. With book-themed beverages and light bites, the café could be run through a private partnership that offers both ambiance and an alternative revenue stream.

In the spirit of sustainability, parts of the library can be monetised as multi-purpose media and meeting rooms, rentable for seminars, workshops, reading clubs, and corporate brainstorming sessions. Imagine hosting local literary festivals, student symposiums, or even small start-up pitch days within its well-lit halls.

The digital domain, too, holds promise. A virtual vault of Cross River literature and historical archives, offered via subscription to scholars, students, and diaspora enthusiasts, could attract a niche but loyal global audience. From colonial records to cultural manuscripts, the library could become a heritage hotspot and history haven, especially for those researching Nigeria’s southern stories.

To keep all this spinning smoothly, the proposed Library Board would not only ensure routine maintenance and programming but also forge partnerships of both public and private. Also, corporate sponsorships for digital equipment, grants for literacy outreach, collaborations with publishing houses and ed-tech platforms, could become win-win windows of wealth and wisdom.

In all, what has been created is no ordinary library. It is a launch-pad for legacy, an icon of brilliance that can light both the lives of the youths and the ledgers of the state. With the right structure, strategy, and stewardship, this remodelled masterpiece can move from being a symbol of pride to a source of modest, meaningful, and sustainable profit.

So let us turn these stacks into stats, these books into balance sheets, and this reading room into a revenue room. With pages turning and minds churning, Cross River’s new library can write a fresh chapter of learning, livelihood, and lasting impact.

And to His Excellency: thank you for building the shelves. Now, let’s fill them with ideas, innovation, and income.