To preserve the country’s rich cultural heritage, Librarians and information-management professionals have called for the strengthening and upgrade of libraries and archives as custodians of Nigeria’s intangible heritage.
The experts also called for stronger institutional support, improved funding, and continuous professional development to boost the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.
The practitioners made the call at the 2025 Library Week organised by the Nigerian Library Association, Lagos State Chapter.
Speaking on the theme: ‘Libraries and archives as gateway to intangible cultural heritage,’ Permanent Secretary, Lagos Cabinet Office, Toyin Ogunlana, said libraries and archives remain irreplaceable in safeguarding the country’s cultural memory.
Ogunlana said cultural practices, indigenous knowledge systems, oral traditions and community histories are strengthened through proper documentation and the introduction of technology into conventional library practices.
She said the Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau (LASRAB) is already looking for ways to simplify books, and use digital solutions or means to tell stories.
“Whatever we find in a conventional book, we now bring it up with pictures. Because a lot of people are just visual, they learn through pictures. So, we’ve discovered that and we always use that means to tell our stories.”
Chairperson, Nigeria Library Association (NLA) Lagos Chapter, Mrs Aisha Askira, said libraries and archives, which are central to the preservation of culture, must continue to embrace innovation, especially in this era of digitization.
“By bringing in more innovations and ideas, you are changing the ways of acquiring your information and storing them,” she said.
Askira noted that libraries and archives are no longer confined to preservation of physical print alone, but are using electronic storage, such as cloud storage for future preservation, while also ensuring there are backups.
Immediate past chairman of the chapter, Dr Taiwo Ajayi, decried the gradual erosion of traditional practices, urging librarians to increase the visibility of their services while leveraging LASRAB’s expertise.
Head Librarian, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Dr Racheal Odunlade, stressed the need to guarantee access to cultural heritage for future generations.
The programme featured a panel session that deepened conversations on documentation techniques, community engagement, and sustainable strategies for heritage preservation.
