As the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) prepares to map the next phase of its institutional journey, there comes a thoughtful responsibility upon members to determine who is best suited to steward the Association’s resources and represent the values we collectively uphold: transparency, professionalism, and service. In this moment of reflection and transition, one name stands out, not only by qualification, but by virtue of a career distinguished by commitment, leadership, and exemplary service: Dr. Fatima J. Abduldayan.
Her candidacy for the office of National Treasurer of the Nigerian Library Association is not solely an offer, it is a response. A response to the pressing need for credible, experienced, and visionary financial stewardship. A response to a time when the Association must reinforce its institutional credibility, while advancing its developmental priorities through the judicious management of its assets.
In a field where many serve, few lead with such distinction. Dr. Abduldayan is among those few.
Dr. Fatima brings to this aspiration a wealth of experience developed in some of Nigeria’s most competitive academic and administrative environments. A skilled librarian and administrator, her professional journey began over two decades ago and has seen her rise through the ranks with a reputation for competence, accountability, and ethical integrity.
Dr. Abduldayan began her impactful journey in academic librarianship with a commitment to transformation and excellence. From the outset of her career, she distinguished herself by championing the modernization of library services spearheading innovations in digital resource integration, metadata systems, and user-centered service delivery. Her approach was strategic and balanced, harmonizing visionary thinking with disciplined execution. She built systems that responded effectively to the evolving needs of students and faculty alike, while ensuring that financial resources were managed with precision, transparency, and accountability. Her early leadership laid a solid foundation for the kind of high-performing academic libraries that reflect both global standards and local relevance.
Today, as the University Librarian of the Nigeria Maritime University, she serves at the highest level of academic library administration. Under her leadership, the university’s library system has continued to experience a transformation in structure, scope, and service delivery. She has led projects that bridge traditional library practices with contemporary digital demands, expanded access to research materials, and implemented modern cataloguing and classification protocols that reflect international standards. These achievements are not abstract. Students, lecturers, and researchers alike now enjoy strong and inclusive access to knowledge resources, thanks to her strategic leadership.
Yet, her influence extends beyond infrastructure. Dr. Fatima has built a reputation for developing people, mentoring young librarians, advocating for continuous professional development, and creating opportunities for institutional collaboration.
The office of treasurer is, at its core, one of accountability and foresight. It is not enough to manage finances competently; the person must be above reproach, guided by a deep understanding of governance, compliance, and strategic prioritization. Dr. Fatima embodies these qualities in full.
Her years of financial responsibility within public universities have refined her ability to allocate resources efficiently and transparently. She has presided over budgeting cycles, project financing, vendor negotiations, acquisitions, and inter-departmental financial coordination, tasks that require both technical accuracy and ethical resolve.
She is well-versed in the framework of public procurement regulations, auditing requirements, and the principles of financial due process. But beyond technical compliance, she approaches fiscal responsibility as a moral imperative, always aligning decisions with the broader mission of institutional growth and collective accountability.
This is the kind of perspective the Nigerian Library Association needs in its next treasurer: not just someone who understands figures but someone who understands purpose.
Beyond her financial and administrative competence, Dr. Fatimah has distinguished herself as a voice of ethical leadership within the library community. She believes in leading by example, quietly, firmly, and consistently. Her leadership style is defined by clarity, empathy, and responsiveness.
Her colleagues across institutions commend her for her principled approach to teamwork, her insistence on standards, and her deep respect for institutional culture and rules. She listens as carefully as she speaks, weighs options with deliberation, and acts only after reflection. These traits may not be noisy, but they are enduring, and they are exactly what the Association needs at this moment in its institutional growth.
She is a believer in inclusive leadership, and her record supports this. Whether it is through mentoring junior professionals, creating opportunities for women in librarianship, or representing the interests of underserved libraries in maritime and coastal regions, she has consistently demonstrated that leadership is a platform for inclusion and not personal elevation.
As National Treasurer, Dr. Fatima’s vision is clear:
1. To strengthen the Association’s financial base through transparent reporting and accountable disbursement mechanisms.
2. To ensure members’ dues and contributions are deployed towards visible developmental programmes, capacity-building, and outreach.
3. To institutionalize systems that reduce financial leakages, enhance trust, and reinforce the Association’s credibility at national and international levels.
4. To work collaboratively with other executive officers in translating NLA’s vision into sustainable, value-driven action.
This is not a promise, it is a blueprint for institutional renewal. At a time when professional bodies are under increasing pressure to demonstrate value, transparency, and relevance, the NLA must be led by people whose credibility is unimpeachable. It must be led by those who understand that professionalism is a responsibility, not a badge.
Dr. Fatima J. Abduldayan is a woman of such character. Her career has been one of service without stain, leadership without excess, and accountability without excuse. Her candidacy represents a bridge between the ideals we profess and the systems we must build to uphold them.
This is not a campaign about popularity or seniority. It is a campaign about trust. And trust is earned not given.
My people, as we approach the NLA’s elections, the choice before us is clear. We can choose to repeat old patterns, or we can embrace the future one grounded in competence, credibility, and character.
We therefore urge all members and delegates of the Nigerian Library Association to rally behind a candidate who has served, delivered, and inspired. Let us elect Dr. Fatima J. Abduldayan as our next National Treasurer not simply because she is qualified, but because she is worthy.
Let our vote reflect our values.
Let our voice speak for accountability.
Let our Association be known by the leaders we elect.
Let us vote for Dr. Fatima J. Abduldayan for integrity, for excellence, and for the future of Nigerian librarianship.
ISSUED BY THE CAMPAIGN SUPPORT TEAM FOR DR FATIMA J. ABDULDAYAN
IN COLLABORATION WITH COLLEAGUES AND ADVOCATES ACROSS THE NIGERIAN LIBRARY COMMUNITY
