INTERVIEW: Nigeria is safer than most developing countries- AUN Librarian
“In two years in Yola, I have never lost anything, but in three weeks in Paris I lost my Samsung Galaxy.”
Amed Demirhan is the Director of Library at the American University of Nigeria Yola. Since his assumption of office about two years ago, the AUN library has virtually transformed from its traditional setting, to a real e-library that focuses mainly on technology.
Under Mr. Demirhan, the Library’s use of e-books rose from 1889 in 2011 to 45442 in 2012, while the use of physical books was reduced from 16185 in 2011 to 8892 in 2012. The use of e-articles rose from 29847 in 2011 to 73799 in 2012.
An advocate of open access, Mr. Demirhan is now shifting his focus to transforming the library into a ‘mobile’ one in which all resources would be available to all staff and students 24/7 regardless of location.
The libraryhas received 100 per cent accreditation by the NUC and has won several awards under Mr. Demirhan to include, the Excellence Service award by the Committee of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities, and an award for ‘Innovative International Library Project’ for the Universities e-Library project by the American Library Association. The U.K. Guardian newspaper named AUN’s ‘smart library’ as one of the best digital libraries in the world.
In a chat with Sani Tukur recently in office, the widely travelled Mr. Demirhan said Nigeria is safer than most developing countries, which he said is contrary to people’s perception outside the country.
Excerpt
Q. What is the secret behind the success being achieved by AUN so far?
A. We have an exceptionally good president, who has a positive reinforcement of good things. We also have a founder vision, who wants this University developed to be the best not just in Nigeria, but Africa as a whole. He has a pan-African vision to be great. When you have such a vision set out for you to achieve greatness, you are going to be successful. There is an American expression that says if you aim to the stars, even if you land in the moon, you have gone far.
In this university, the founder has aimed to the star; so when the president came, she aims for the star; when the librarian comes, he aims for the star. This I think is the secret. That desire to be the best.
Q. Does that mean you don’t have challenges?
A. We have a lot of challenges, the mere fact that the founder set up this university in Yola means he faced a challenge, to make something exceptional happen in one of the most perceived difficult places in the country. He has made a statement to say, in this little town in the North East, I am going to do something exceptional.
This is a source of motivation that gives one the courage to make a difference. I always tell myself that if one can make something like this happen in Yola, he can definitely make it happen anywhere in Africa. It would have been easier in Lagos or Abuja or Port Harcourt of course. I was told that this place used to be a forest.
Q. I want to get your own view about Yola, generally, outside of the AUN environment?
A. I love Yola, I was very fortunate. My flight to Nigeria came through Addis Ababa, when we landed in Abuja, I met someone who was also an Academic somewhere in the North East and we began to discuss about Yola and the region. Someone who was listening to our conversation and heard me say I was going to Adamawa State for the first time jumped in and said ‘I am from Adamawa’.
So struck a conversation and I asked him what should I expect in Adamawa; he told me I would eat lots of fish and the like. He was very friendly, and I said, it means I can travel with you from Abuja to Yola? He said, well I am from Adamawa but I stay in Abuja.
Also, considering that I really suffered to get Visa, I was prepared to face a lot of difficulty with Custom officials; surprising when they asked me what I am coming to Nigeria for, and I told them I came to work for AUN, they just said ‘welcome to Nigeria’. That was very nice, that was not what I expected. I also saw a police officer and I asked him how to get Taxi from the International Terminal to the Domestic one, but the guy from Adamawa said ‘My Driver is here, let me give you a ride’. I got my first service in Nigeria free of charge.
AUN was supposed to send someone there to pick me up, probably with my name hanging somewhere, but I did not even look for him as I was already getting all the help I need. As I already had my ticket, I just took my flight to Yola. At Yola Airport, I met someone already waiting because I was supposed to have a dinner at the president’s house.
Actually there was confusion because the guy waiting for me at the Airport in Abuja could not locate me and President had been sending emails to everywhere to check if I was located. They all thought I got lost.
Amed Demirhan is the Director of Library at the American University of Nigeria Yola. Since his assumption of office about two years ago, the AUN library has virtually transformed from its traditional setting, to a real e-library that focuses mainly on technology.
Under Mr. Demirhan, the Library’s use of e-books rose from 1889 in 2011 to 45442 in 2012, while the use of physical books was reduced from 16185 in 2011 to 8892 in 2012. The use of e-articles rose from 29847 in 2011 to 73799 in 2012.
An advocate of open access, Mr. Demirhan is now shifting his focus to transforming the library into a ‘mobile’ one in which all resources would be available to all staff and students 24/7 regardless of location.
The libraryhas received 100 per cent accreditation by the NUC and has won several awards under Mr. Demirhan to include, the Excellence Service award by the Committee of University Librarians of Nigerian Universities, and an award for ‘Innovative International Library Project’ for the Universities e-Library project by the American Library Association. The U.K. Guardian newspaper named AUN’s ‘smart library’ as one of the best digital libraries in the world.
In a chat with Sani Tukur recently in office, the widely travelled Mr. Demirhan said Nigeria is safer than most developing countries, which he said is contrary to people’s perception outside the country.
Excerpt
Q. What is the secret behind the success being achieved by AUN so far?
A. We have an exceptionally good president, who has a positive reinforcement of good things. We also have a founder vision, who wants this University developed to be the best not just in Nigeria, but Africa as a whole. He has a pan-African vision to be great. When you have such a vision set out for you to achieve greatness, you are going to be successful. There is an American expression that says if you aim to the stars, even if you land in the moon, you have gone far.
In this university, the founder has aimed to the star; so when the president came, she aims for the star; when the librarian comes, he aims for the star. This I think is the secret. That desire to be the best.
Q. Does that mean you don’t have challenges?
A. We have a lot of challenges, the mere fact that the founder set up this university in Yola means he faced a challenge, to make something exceptional happen in one of the most perceived difficult places in the country. He has made a statement to say, in this little town in the North East, I am going to do something exceptional.
This is a source of motivation that gives one the courage to make a difference. I always tell myself that if one can make something like this happen in Yola, he can definitely make it happen anywhere in Africa. It would have been easier in Lagos or Abuja or Port Harcourt of course. I was told that this place used to be a forest.
Q. I want to get your own view about Yola, generally, outside of the AUN environment?
A. I love Yola, I was very fortunate. My flight to Nigeria came through Addis Ababa, when we landed in Abuja, I met someone who was also an Academic somewhere in the North East and we began to discuss about Yola and the region. Someone who was listening to our conversation and heard me say I was going to Adamawa State for the first time jumped in and said ‘I am from Adamawa’.
So struck a conversation and I asked him what should I expect in Adamawa; he told me I would eat lots of fish and the like. He was very friendly, and I said, it means I can travel with you from Abuja to Yola? He said, well I am from Adamawa but I stay in Abuja.
Also, considering that I really suffered to get Visa, I was prepared to face a lot of difficulty with Custom officials; surprising when they asked me what I am coming to Nigeria for, and I told them I came to work for AUN, they just said ‘welcome to Nigeria’. That was very nice, that was not what I expected. I also saw a police officer and I asked him how to get Taxi from the International Terminal to the Domestic one, but the guy from Adamawa said ‘My Driver is here, let me give you a ride’. I got my first service in Nigeria free of charge.
AUN was supposed to send someone there to pick me up, probably with my name hanging somewhere, but I did not even look for him as I was already getting all the help I need. As I already had my ticket, I just took my flight to Yola. At Yola Airport, I met someone already waiting because I was supposed to have a dinner at the president’s house.
Actually there was confusion because the guy waiting for me at the Airport in Abuja could not locate me and President had been sending emails to everywhere to check if I was located. They all thought I got lost.
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