The edifice, opened in 1965, was classically built, reflecting the vision of the young Dim, who had left Oxford University just ten years earlier, in 1955. Some say it was the architectural masterpiece of Dr. Alex Ekwueme. But whoever shaped it, even in its current abandoned state, it remains one of the most striking architectural works in all of Onitsha.

We met this building twenty years later. And because Onitsha didn’t have many safe, creative spaces for children, the library became our sanctuary. Many people now in their late 30s to 50s found a second home within its walls. It had countless comic books, stories like Tom Sawyer, The Frankenstein Monster, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and many others that sparked our imaginations and stretched our young minds.

Back in our primary school days, access was free. But by the late 90s, it cost about ₦100 a month. Even then, I’ve never seen a library as alive as Onitsha District Library. It was where we read not just literature, we also prepared for JAMB, GCE, and every major exam.

That’s why, in 2019, when I had the opportunity to share my life story, I gave full credit to the Onitsha District Library. It played one of the most defining roles in making me who I am today.

Today, that library is a ghost of its former self. For over a year, social media – especially Twitter – has hosted campaigns urging authorities to act. But so far, nothing has been done to restore this cradle of learning and community.

I understand the emotions the topic stirs. Those of us who were raised in Onitsha know what that place meant. It raised us. It nurtured us. And now, many are willing to give back.

But as we do so, let’s also seek a way to bring stakeholders to the table and have an honest conversation. We know how powerful our voices can be and we have the choice to either use it loudly or calmly.

Still, one of the books I read in that library told the story of a contest between the Sun and the Wind. And the moral of that story? That gentleness can achieve far more than force or aggression.

Let’s go for results…

Abdulrasheed Bawa, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has released a groundbreaking new book titled ‘The Shadow of Loot & Losses: Uncovering Nigeria’s Petroleum Subsidy Fraud’.

This powerful exposé provides the most authoritative account yet of Nigeria’s multi-trillion-naira fuel subsidy scandal, unraveling the inner workings of one of the country’s most pervasive financial crimes.

Drawing from his firsthand experience as a key investigator on the EFCC’s special team that probed the 2012 subsidy fraud, Bawa reveals the staggering scale, complexity, and audacity of the schemes used to siphon public funds under the guise of fuel subsidy payments. His insider narrative chronicles how billions of naira were recovered and several culprits brought to justice, while also shedding light on how entrenched corruption allowed the fraud to flourish for years.

In the book, Bawa details multiple fraudulent strategies including:

Ghost importing and over-invoicing: Companies submitted claims for fuel that was never imported or inflated shipment volumes to receive excessive subsidy payouts.

Manipulation of bills of lading: By altering shipping documents, fraudsters exploited international price fluctuations to claim higher subsidies.

Round-tripping and double claims: Single shipments were often used to obtain multiple subsidy payments.

Diversion and smuggling: Subsidised fuel was frequently diverted to black markets or smuggled out of Nigeria for profit.

These practices, Bawa explains, were enabled by forged documents, weak regulatory oversight, and systemic collusion between corrupt government officials and private sector actors.

“The Shadow of Loot & Losses is not just a chronicle of fraud,” says Bawa. “It is a call to action — a demand for transparency, accountability, and reform in Nigeria’s public finance management, especially in the oil sector.”

Having served as EFCC chairman from 2021 to 2023, Bawa brings rare credibility and insight into the institutional challenges and political dynamics that have shaped the anti-corruption fight in Nigeria. His book is both a revelation and a reckoning — offering evidence-based analysis and personal reflections on one of the most controversial chapters in Nigeria’s recent history.

God bless President Bola Tinubu for the removal of fuel subsidy. If not by now, Nigeria could have been totally bankrupt as a result of the fuel subsidy scam.