The Monument to Inclusion
In 1940, when Rahimtulla Walji Hirji landed in the British East Africa Protectorate, he saw a land rich with potential. Fresh off the boat, the successful trader was dedicated to enriching the lives of those around him. He would later form the Ismail Rahimtulla Walji Trust, investing his riches into this vision. By 1953, the Ismail Rahimtulla Walji Trust Library was established.
Rahimtulla Hirji himself was a man dedicated to the betterment of society. Though his major areas of interest were the health and education of the masses, he founded the library to house books of every kind. Anything “pertaining to philosophy, law, politics, medicine, arts and religion” was welcome in the library. Aside from the library, he and his friends founded the Social Service League of East Africa. The aims of the league were to help the distressed, to educate the masses, to preserve health and sanitation, and to provide prompt help when disasters would occur, all while promoting unity and moral uplift in society. Kenya still feels the impact of the Social Service League of East Africa: hospitals like M. P. Shah were founded on the values of the League.
When the Ismail Rahimtulla Walji Trust Library opened its doors to the public, the stately building was filled with Hindi, English, and Swahili books. It was accessible and open to everyone, creating a literary melting pot from the Indian, British, and Kenyan readers who gathered there. Imagine such a scene in the racially-segregated space that Nairobi was! It also acted as a repository for the Kenya National Archives from 1970-1978. To current visitors, the regal facade makes the library stand out from the stalls that flank it on both sides. Columns reminiscent of Greek temples and the elegant lettering above them signal a treasure from our past, one that was made a national monument in 2001. As it stands today, the library remains closed, all the books inside, cared for and kept in good condition. Its interior remains in good repair, due to the dedication of the trust which maintains it. There are high hopes that its doors will reopen to the public, once again welcoming, without prejudice, the people for whom it was established.
Though this treasure lies dormant, the vision of its founder does not. Simply by existing, the library reminds us of the foundations of our unity as Kenyans. It calls us to better the lives of the people around us. It inspires us to keep reading and exploring, taking others along on the never-ending voyage.
#KeLibraries
