The Nigerian Publishers Association, on Friday embarked on a street rally to stress the importance of books for personal and national development on the occasion of the World Book and Copyright Day.
Among other issues, book publishers, authors and marketers seized the occasion to call for full enforcement of Copyright Law in order to check violators from the heinous crime.
The rally lamented the dying culture of reading and citizens’ dwindling engagement with intellectual contents. They also raised the alarm on the danger of neglect of adequate use of books.
Prior to the address by Chief Uche Cyril Anioke, President/Chairman-in-Council, NPA, a procession moved from the NPA Secretariat, Premium House, Jericho through Magazine Road, Dugbe to Alesinloye Market with placards bearing inscriptions like, ‘Buy books for your children,’ readers are leaders,’ ‘Books are the planes, the train and the roads,’ ‘Managing authors and publishers rights.’
The NPA Operations Manager, Mr. Olawale Adebayo, spoke on the importance of the book for personal and national development.
“Government should assist the publishing industry by resuscitating the paper mills that are moribund, strengthen the copyright law and the Nigerian Copyright Commission to fight against piracy,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria, Mr. Kayode Motunrayo, urged the government to enforce the Copyright Levy Order 2012 as deterrent to those engaging in unwholesome practices.
On the procession were officials of the National Secretariat of NPA, representatives of major publishers in Ibadan, officials of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, Ibadan Zonal Office, representatives of Booksellers Association, Ibadan chapter and the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria.
