Some English Language and Literary Arts students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, have bemoaned the removal of English and Literary journals from Abdullahi Fodio library of the university.
The students expressed their displeasure over the development while speaking with Tribune CampusXtra.
According to them, there is no point in visiting the school library if the literary journals they intend to read are nowhere to be found in the library.
Speaking on the development, a 300-level student of English Literature, Auwal Mohammad said the library, which used to represent the institution’s central academic institution for research, is now a shadow of itself.
He said, “What I witnessed was shocking. As soon as I entered the library, specifically the serial section where I expected to find those English and Literary journals, I saw only scientific journals on the shelves. There was just one journal on English and Literary studies. Many others were missing. I am at a loss as to what has happened. To be honest, these journals have been instrumental in helping me grasp the concepts of my discipline.
He continued, “I could remember reading a comparative analysis of women’s conditions in novels by Chinua Achebe and Ngugi wa Thiong ‘O. It was written by our esteemed professor, Asabe Kabir, from our own university. Its structure and language significantly aided me during my exams. However, with the current situation, we are limited in our library visits and rely solely on the Internet for personal research.”
Another student, Suleiman Musa, a 300-level student of English Literature from the Department of English and Literary Studies, also expressed his disappointment.
He said, “I am deeply unhappy with what I witnessed. When I visited the library with my friend, I eagerly wanted to show him some of the Literary theories on Niyi Osundare’s poems, but I couldn’t find a single journal on that topic.”
“My project topic has been approved by my supervisor, which made me very happy. However, I don’t know where to find English and Literary studies journals in the library. I have been scouring the catalogs to locate relevant sources, but even if I find them, where can I access the journals? They were absent from the serial section.” Abdullahi, another 400-level student of the English language, bemoaned.
Other students who spoke with this reporter also lamented different ways the development has affected them.
Reacting to the students’ complaints, the school librarian, Mal. Idris Yahaya, who is the head of the serial section, explained that the journals had been relocated to the departmental library while others are still in the main library.
“The journals have not been lost. Some of them have been transferred to the departmental library. You can verify this with your department. They are there. We make an upgrade, that is why they are not in their normal place, and the English students can request for it at the serial section if they want to use them,” he said.
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