Fiddles Club, an alumni group of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, has donated 1,000 branded exercise books to the Enugu State Library Board and pledged further support for literacy, cultural identity and children’s education.
Fiddles Club, an alumni group of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), has donated 1,000 branded exercise books to the Enugu State Library Board to support education and promote literacy across the state.
The group also pledged to donate two sets of textbooks written by indigenous Igbo authors to encourage children to appreciate their cultural heritage and strengthen their connection with their roots.
The club’s President, Mr Raluchukwu Onwubuemeli, announced the commitment during the presentation in Enugu on Friday, describing the donation as a starting point for further interventions.
He said the club hoped to extend similar support to other educational institutions and sought collaboration with organisations promoting learning, including the Enugu State Ministry of Education.
Onwubuemeli explained that members of the club considered it important to give back to the community, having benefited from quality education themselves.
He added that their years of living and schooling in Enugu had significantly shaped their lives and inspired them to contribute to the development of the state.
Receiving the items, the Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Library Board, Mrs Sylvia Onwubuemeli, expressed appreciation for the donation, describing it as a welcome gesture.
She said the exercise books would be distributed across the state, with particular attention to rural communities and zonal libraries where the materials could support pupils and other learners.
The executive secretary also commended Governor Peter Mbah for interventions aimed at improving the library environment, including clearing surrounding areas of criminal activities and fencing the complex.
According to her, the improvements had also helped ease traffic congestion along the adjoining major road.
Despite the donation, the library board called for additional support to digitalise its services, expand its collection of books and provide a playground for children within the complex.
Onwubuemeli said digitalising services such as book borrowing would improve access to library resources, while acquiring more Nigerian and international publications would broaden readers’ knowledge.
She disclosed that approximately 200 people used the library monthly, with patronage increasing during school holidays and periods preceding major examinations.
She noted that preparations for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations often brought more students to the facility.
Although digital devices had changed reading habits, the executive secretary maintained that physical books remained essential to children’s development, particularly in helping them concentrate and engage more deeply with learning materials.
A club member, Mr Ikenna Anekwe, described the donation as a positive beginning and reaffirmed the group’s commitment to supporting the library within its capacity.
Similarly, a library user identified as Mildred said the exercise books would benefit pupils and expressed hope that such interventions would motivate children to improve their academic performance.
The donation highlights the role alumni associations and community groups can play in supporting public education, improving access to learning materials and encouraging a stronger reading culture.
With its pledge to provide additional textbooks and explore further collaborations, Fiddles Club said it hoped to sustain its contribution to educational development in Enugu State.
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