.Seeks govt. support to fight piracy
To rescue the publishing industry from the challenges that are threatening its survival, experts have called for concerted efforts for better results.
The experts called for increased collaboration between policy makers and publishers in the country in a bid to save the publishing industry from the brink.
The call came recently during the Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Nigerian Publishers Association, themed, ‘Reviewing the Publishing Model for Economic Sustainability,’ held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Ibadan Oyo State.
Among others, stakeholders raised concern on the harsh business climate in the country on account of piracy, arbitrariness and disregard to rules, describing these as key challenges militating against the growth and development of the industry.
The Keynote Speaker on the occasion, Dr Samuel Kolawole, described piracy as a major challenge besetting publishers, saying that this is followed by infrastructure deficit in the country.
Kolawole, who is the Managing Director of UPPlc., said that piracy ate away the profits of the publishers. “Piracy is a major challenge to the industry. Piracy is eating away our profitability and threatening the industry. Pirates don’t pay taxes. They don’t employ the number of staff that we employ. Government should empower the Nigerian Copyright Commission to fight piracy. The Commission is doing its best, but there is a little that can be done if the organ is not funded very well.
“You will recall that when government decided to fund NAFDAC very well, Dora Akunyili did wonders. Piracy is threatening the industry,” he said.
Giving his opinion on survival of businesses in the light of the current reality, he said, “Adjusting to the changes in the world is workable though it is not going to be easy. It requires every player in the industry realizing that we need one another to survive, and then coming together to adapt to the reality of our time and to adopt that model to ensure that we involve in what is economically viable for us.
“There is no point in publishers getting involved in direct retail of books to schools. It is not necessary. We have the bookshops and book sellers who can do that. The fact that publishers get involved in these things cause a lot of problems for us. A publisher today has a mini haulage firm. You are the one producing, you are the one selling; it is cumbersome and the burden is becoming too much for publishers to bear.”
He stated the need for policy makers to regulate the industry, noting that “there is no proper regulation in the industry. We have many who are just coming into the industry that don’t follow regulations. Schools are always looking for cheap books, so they go for the books and use them.
“Government needs to begin to look at the books that the schools are using to see if they are good enough or not. Many of those books were not recommended even by the state government but they find their ways into the school system. That is where the problem lies.
The President of NPA, Uchenna Cyril Anioke, explaining that the conference was targeted at raising the stake for growth in the sector, said that the publishing and creative industry was going through challenging moment.
He stated that there was the need to think outside the box to survive, stressing that “We must find new ways to sustain the book industry, otherwise, this generation of Nigerians will go back to the dark ages. Imagine a nation without books. Unthinkable. Unimaginable.
“Incontrovertibly, the book oils national development, and in more ways than one, remains a vehicle for cultural and political resurgent. Any nation without books is dead. Therefore, we cannot allow our beloved nation to die. We must rise up to the occasion. And the time is now.
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Publishers Association, Emmanuel Abimbola said, “Publishers should take the bull by the horn and be ready for a review of the publishing business model. The current model of publishers running the whole business should stop and allow the book publishing chain to work by reverting to the traditional book chain distribution.
“The roles of sales representatives should also be redefined. Publishers at large should agree to stop financing the business of booksellers and schools by stopping credit sales to them. Publishers should have a common voice.”
Officials of the Universal Basic Education Commission on the occasion said that “Introducing necessary measures in response to the challenges of the time is necessary. Initiate policies as well as adopt best practices to ensure that the publishing industry thrives.
“Navigating the business currently is very demanding, not only in terms of capacity and resources, but also in the partnership that promotes resilience and business excellence especially in not favorable seasons.
“Integrating new methods into publishing is essential. UBEC is doing all within its powers to live out its mission and vision which is the provision and promotion of uniform, qualitative and functional basic education for the Nigerian child. We want to express the Commission’s readiness to collaborate with the association.”
Meanwhile, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has expressed his readiness to support book publishers in the fight against piracy in the society.
Makinde, who chaired the occasion, was represented by Raman Abdu- Raheem, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in the state.
He said, “With regards to piracy, we are ready to partner with the Nigerian Publishers Association. Oyo State Government is not interested in buying any book that is subjected to piracy. We always buy directly from the publishers.
“That is the only way by which we can ensure that what we are buying are genuine products from the publishers. Piracy discourages productivity and creativity. It won’t encourage people to write books. Then, the publishing industry will suffer for it. Nobody will pray for that.
“That is why the Oyo State Government is doing its best to ensure that piracy is abolished. Without the publishers, our own policies in education will not see the light of the day and we don’t want that to happen. Oyo State Government will continue to recognise and identify with the Nigerian Publishers Association.”
