Nigeria made history Saturday with the commissioning of the first Presidential Library in the African continent.
The multi-billion naira Library complex is owned by the country’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
The complex located in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital consists of 15 million documents, two million books and four thousand artifacts, catering for the needs of students from all over the world, this according to the guardian.
The library which was launched in in May 14 2005 has also created jobs for over 500 youths.
While attending the Commissioning which was part of activities to mark the 80th birthday of Obasanjo, Sirleaf-Johnson, chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in their speeches extolled the virtues of Obasanjo and urged other African leaders to emulate his leadership qualities “by preserving the history and culture of their countries for posterity sake.”
Osinbajo further described Obasanjo, as a world Statesman, a detribalised Nigerian and a gift to Nigeria and Africa in various ways.
Other eminent personalities present at the ceremony included; Presidents Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone, ex-president Boni Yayi of Benin Republic and ex-president Joyce Banda of Malawi, Prince Michael of Kent, former United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Kofi Anan, Prof. Akin Adesina, former president of Ghana, John Kuffour, former president Goodluck Jonathan, Ernest Sonekan, AbdulSalam Abubakar, Emeka Anyaoku, Namadi Sambo, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Olusegun Osoba, former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwakwaso, among others, the guardian reports.
Obasanjo said the library was in fulfilment of his vision and mission he had in 1988 to collect and keep vital materials of the civil war.
He described the library as a centre of knowledge said the Library would also sustain culture and encourage tourism.
