Dr. Oshiotse Andrew Okwilagwe is no doubt one of the best scholars in the country today. In this interview with Sharpedgenews.com, Okwilagwe who has over sixty publications to his credit, spoke about education in Nigeria, saying that the standard is
still high but there is room for further improvement. The renowned publishing expert also talked about President Jonathan’s recently launched ‘Back To The Book’ program. Excerpts:
Can we know a little bit more about you, Sir?
My name is Oshiotse Andrew Okwilagwe from Jattu-Uzairue in Etsako West, Edo State, Nigeria. I schooled in University of Ibadan, where I did my first degree in ommunication and Language Arts. I also did my Masters in Communication and Language Arts in the same University. I did another Masters in Library, Archival and Information Studies. I also obtained Masters of Letters (M.Litt) in Publishing in United
Kingdom. I also have PhD in Publishing from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Today, I have over sixty publications and high profile books including Encyclopedia of Mass Communications. I’m the current Head of Department for Library, Archival and Information Studies, University of Ibadan.
There is a general decline in the country’s educational system. You as a seasoned scholar- what is your opinion about this?
It is not true. There is no decline in the educational system in Nigeria. The standard is still very high. We may have some pockets of deviances here and there; but the standard is still not as bad as some people tend to say. If the standard is low- how come we have our education in Nigeria and travel abroad and become the best?
If thereare some areas in which we are not doing well- that does not mean that the standard is low. Remember, this is Twenty-First Century; the expectations are very high to what obtained in the past. Our young ones now know better than their parents. So why are we saying that our educational standard is low? Our educational system is highly structured as various agencies are doing their best in delivering qualitative education to Nigerians.
People should begin to see what Nigerians are capable of doing now to what obtained in the past. They should look at the innovations our youths are bringing forth. If they are talking about our primary and secondary schools- yes we know there are still many things to be done. I disagree strongly that our educational standard has dropped considerably.
Perhaps the expectations of those criticising our educational system is that they compare Nigeria to other developed nations. But we need to remind them that we operate in different environments. The only thing we need to do is to make people get more committed to what they do.
Would you say the sector is properly funded?
I think in the last few years, the Federal Government has improved funding of our educational sector. The funds are coming in and government is putting in place other necessary facilities. We only need to be honest to this country. We should talk about management by those in the helm of affairs in our various citadels of higher learning.
For example in University of Ibadan; there are dramatic changes happening in the institution now. Look at how structures and other things are being put in places. The Vice Chancellor is working very hard. He has ensured that curricula are revised and every department is working very hard. In my own opinion, Nigeria’s educational system is doing very well. Our scholars are some of the best published scholars in the world. So what decline are we saying? I don’t talk about decline; I talk about how best to improve what is on ground.
Many Nigerians are ignorant of what Library, Archival and Information Studies is all about. Can you let us an insight into the usefulness of this course in the overall development of the country?
It is about man and his effort to come to terms with his environment – using the tool of information. That is what Library, Archival and Information Studies is all about. It deals with how you annex information; how you process information; how you organise information and how you store and distribute information to meet the needs of
different segments of the society.
Either as artisans; either as women in the market place; either as researchers, lecturers or even students. The idea is about annexing information; galvanizing the intellectual efforts of men by putting them together professionally for the users at the time they need it. That is exactly what Library, Archival and Information Studies is all about. Helping human to develop; helping organizations and nations to advance by making information available to them. We study people, organizations, environment and help in engineering the development process the provision of information.
And how has that impacted on our national development?
Information is a tool for national development. Without it, no nation can develop. The extent to which nations consume information determines how they develop. What differentiates a developed nation from a developing nation is the extent of information consumption. It helps nation in taking developmental decisions. Nigeria would not have
developed to this level if leaders had no access to information.
Look at the National Assembly and the State House of Assemblies; they all have libraries they consult before taking decisions. All these are made possible by people who read Library, Archival and Information Studies. At all levels of human endeavors, we need information. The extent to which a nation develops depends on the consumption of relevant and up-to-date information. If you want a nation to develop, you must take cognizance of the information such a nation needs and make it available.
Currently, there is variation in the curriculum of most library schools in the country. What do you think is responsible for this?
This is Library, Archival and Information Studies (LARIS), the first of its kind in West Africa. It is the lead department in Nigeria. We started before any other department. We are yet to see any other department that will beat this department. A great number of the lecturers in all these library schools studied here.
The HODs, librarians and many of them studied here. We have a highly structured
program for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. So back to your question, every school must abide by the curriculum provided by the NUC. So, any variation you see must be a creative one. Minimum standard does not mean that you cannot improve on it and add innovation to it.
That is where the variation is. Every department is aware of the basic courses students should take from the NUC set standards. The variations you are talking about are not destructive ones but ones that are capable of improving the profession.
Curriculum must not be static; it must be improved upon from time to time. In University of Ibadan for instance, the VC has challenged departments to develop new curricula in view of the new articulated needs of the society. If we have good curricula, other schools can copy them to develop their own. Our department is one of the best in Africa because we are doing the right thing. If there is any other department that
can beat us, I want to know. We have four Masters Degree programs,
including a Master and PhD programs in publishing.
Also on the issue of the department being in the Faculty of Education; is not proper. It
should not be so. It is wrong. Our being in Faculty of Education is accidental and we would pull out in due course. In U.K, Canada, USA and other Western nations, Library and Information Studies are not in Faculties of Education. They are in the communication and ICT faculties.
NUC will surely make a regrettable mistake if it insists that Library and Information Studies should be in the Faculty of Education. It is logical to make Education students to study courses in Library and Information Sciences than asking Information Sciences
students to study courses in Education. The Library, Archival and Studies students take courses in other disciplines. This is meant to support their professional practices in the field.
President Goodluck Jonathan recently launched the ‘Back To The Book’ program. You as a publishing guru, what is your take on this?
To start with, the President is very innovative. As a PhD holder; as a scholar, he is very innovative. He is doing very fine. He was the first President in Africa to use Facebook for election. He is also the first President to speak about ‘Back To The Book’ in recent years and in the real sense.
But the philosophy is not clear. I’m not even sure it is even clear to the President; I mean the urgent implications of this concept and the prescriptions. Does it mean that people should go back to the book and read? Is that all? It goes beyond that I think. I guess the President should be aware that ‘Back To The Book’ means that Nigerians should go back to the book to derive good national value system. I want to believe that is what he is talking about. That is bibliotherapy- using the book to develop good value system and make people more functional in their environment.
The grouse I have with Mr. President’s position on the ‘Back To The Book’ concept is that he has not supported it with a National Book Policy (NBP). When America wanted everybody to be computer literate, they implemented it with national policy. People had access to computer and internet.
If President saw the need to use ICT to start an election campaign; we should have a national policy to enhance that aspect of our life. If the President equally has the awareness that through the book, we can have good value system, good governance and development- he should support it with National Book Policy (NBP).
Unfortunately, we don’t have it. What I saw some time ago was an attempt- a draft and very inadequate to form our National Book Policy. Every developed country has it. U.K, USA and even Libya. The President must develop and implement a National Book Policy (NBP) to support the authors, institutions and publishers, thus helping poor parents and their children to have access to the bread of life-the book; for intellectual and spiritual development.
It will help to develop and sustain publishing programmes. The policy will also enable people to bring in papers and machines at affordable prices. Without the book
industry, the nation educational sector will not develop as fast as we want. The educational system will not function well.
To tell you the truth, Nigeria today is under- published. Major national experiences
have not been properly documented in books. The authors, publishers and the book industry are left unattended to by the Federal Government. A National Book Commission would do as an offspring of a National Book Policy (NBP).