Sola Osofisan
05-17-2007, 01:57 AM
By Yemi Adebisi
This year’s sixth edition of Nigeria International Book Fair kicked off on Sunday, May 6, and was rounded off on Saturday, May 12.
It witnessed the convergence of all stakeholders in the book industry with a view to building the publishing industry.
There was poor turnout at the fair partly because the organisers did not give the event enough publicity. Convener of the fair was the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), with its membership including Nigerian Publishers Association, Nigerian Booksellers Association, Nigerian Book Foundation, Association of Nigerian Authors, Association of Nigerian Printers, and the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of Nigeria.
Their partners include the Federal Government of Nigeria, National Library of Nigeria and Nigerian Education Research and Development Council, sponsored by the Education Trust Fund (ETF) and Norwegian Ministry of External Affairs.
The theme of this year’s fair was entitled "Capacity Building in the African Publishing Industry".
Chairman of NBFT, Otunba Yinka Lawal-Solarin, in his welcome address described the event as the biggest annually of the book industry in Nigeria. According to him, the aim of the Trust was to bring books closer to the people, improving the reading culture and tackling some of the current problems bedeviling the education sector. The objective of the Trust, Lawal-Solarin declared, was to build capacity in the publishing and printing industry by promoting and rewarding local authors of educational books and supplementary readers both in foreign and Nigerian languages and making sure the books are printed in Nigeria.
Chairman of the book fair, Prof. Shamsudeen Amali, Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, who was represented by Prof. Olu Obafemi, declared that he believed the future of education in Nigeria stands to gain greatly from the objective and vision of the Trust. While commending the organisers for the programme, he said, "It is a truism that the writer and the publisher, two indispensable stakeholders in the book industry, are traditionally strange bedfellows. The writer, to our experience in Africa, had always been the hapless victim in the world of book marketing, while, as we believe, the publishers always smile to the banks. It is in spite of this that we support in this brief remark, the creation of convenient and ample environment for publishing to flourish. This is because without publishing and publishers those who write books labour in vain."
Amali was optimistic about the future of Nigerian writers. "As it is, may be one day fortune will smile at the writers. Then and only then, the culture of literacy-writing and reading would be born in our creative desert," he said.
He urged publishers to brace themselves to the challenge of making the book industry grow, "for the overarching advantage and benefit of growing knowledge in this age of globalisation."
Virtually all available spaces at the multipurpose hall of the University of Lagos, venue of the fair, were occupied by publishers from all parts of the world, who came to showcase their goods and services.
Several guest speakers were invited to deliver speeches, which triggered sporadic change in the fortunes of the stakeholders at the fair.
Delivering his speech, Mr. Richard Crabbe, head of client relations, office of the publisher, World Bank, Washington DC, and past chairman, African Publishers Network (APNET), spoke on the theme: "Capacity Building In The African Publishing Industry".
He quoted United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) defining capacity building, as "the creation of an enabling environment with appropriate policy and legal frameworks, institutional development, including community participation (of women in particular), human resources development and strengthening of managerial systems."
Crabbe noted that capacity building was more than training. He therefore, identified three essential components of capacity building as human resource development, organisational development and institutional and legal framework development. Human resource development, he said, was the process of equipping individuals with understanding, skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively. He reiterated that African publishing directly contributes to economic development and poverty reduction through creation of new companies and growth of existing companies by African professionals. He, however, lamented that the publishing companies in Africa has failed to understand its environment, which hitherto was why they were unable to play their role effectively in the continent’s development.
He said, "Africa is home to more than 700 million people, with about half under 15 years old. Several countries are implementing universal basic education; virtually guaranteeing that for a long time, there would continue to be need for books. Two questions come to mind. First, can the African publishing industry meet this need? Given the current perception of the size of the industry, I think the answer is ‘no’. But there is room for both growth of the industry and business opportunities. Secondly, are African practitioners equipped to compete with long time traditional suppliers from Europe, and increasingly cheaper alternatives from new entrants from South Asia and the Far East? Here, the answer is, ‘partially’."
He stated with disappointment that the main challenge facing the publishing industry in almost all African countries was the dearth of information on what’s being produced. Lack of reliable data on a number of titles published annually in different categories was also identified as one of the factors not helping the industry to advance for a larger share of the market in educational books. He charged APNET to take this up as an urgent responsibility to build the expected capacity. Crabbe confirmed four major key areas that would enhance capacity building in African context as follows: Improvement of production quality; development and publication of scholarly books; promoting intra-African trade in books and implementing new technologies in Africa. He stressed the need for African publishers to ensure that their books meet international standards, from editing through illustrations and cover design to finishing by printers. It was noted that nowadays, concentration on primary and secondary school textbooks is too much, which Crabbe saw as the norm for publishers worldwide. According to him, the bulk of profits in the publishing industry come from textbooks and basic school textbooks, which have larger print-runs. "Many textbook procurement programmes funded by the World Bank and other donors have also focused on addressing the needs of basic education, thus attracting even more and newer entrants into the industry, from ‘briefcase’ and ‘Post Office Box’ publishers to well-established ones," he said. Crabbe declared that even university libraries, which were the main customers for tertiary level books, could not purchase new books.
He advised African publishers to come out of their shell by tuning to the new technologies on Internet for their publications. He wondered why a publisher must wait for nine to 12 months for a book to be published, which, of course, was longer for scholarly books, when information can be published with little delay directly to consumers on the web. This, according to him, would fuel self-publishing.
In a related development, Dr. Jerry Agada, Vice President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), solicited support from all stakeholders to achieve a virile development in the sector. In his presentation, "Developing African Publishing for the World market: Author’s Perspective", Agada x-rayed how African publishing can be developed to merit international market. He stated that all stakeholders in the book business need to faithfully contribute their share and the world market would be full of African books.
He therefore, appealed to all authors to borrow a leaf from Anyi Kwei Armah, who assembled a group of writers in some West African countries, putting together a publishing outfit to cater for their needs.
Crabbe critically observed that several publishers in Africa lack ambition. "Too many publishers appear to have been discouraged because of situations we feel they should have taken as challenges. A good case in point is Heinemann’s scrapping of the African Writers Series due to reasons we find unsatisfactory."
He called on the management of Heinemann to reconsider its decision and explore better ways to maintain the series while improving its marketability at the same time.
He stated that because government had failed the citizenry, many people have stopped expecting legitimate things from them, adding that government in virtually all countries in Africa have abandoned the intellectual climate. "The anti-intellectual posture of those in power has definitely contributed to government abandonment of their publishing responsibilities." Using Nigeria as a case study, Agada said, "there is a generation born now that may never know that once there was a thriving Government Press/Printer", adding that, "government printers are usually there to publish sensitive government materials."
Responding to the African speakers’ comments, Gina Winje, Director of Norwegian Literature Abroad, Fiction & Non-Fiction (NORLA), spoke about the book world market, using Norwegian experience. It amazed the crowd at the fair to note that Norwegian government had been in the forefront for funding the book industry in Norway for over 30 years. "NORLA, the office for Norwegian Literature Abroad, which I head, is an organisation set up 30 years ago, fully funded by the Norwegian government, with a mandate to promote Norwegian Literature abroad, and to give translation and other subsidies to books of current interest that are on their way to a wider market," she said.
http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=45&a=26345
This year’s sixth edition of Nigeria International Book Fair kicked off on Sunday, May 6, and was rounded off on Saturday, May 12.
It witnessed the convergence of all stakeholders in the book industry with a view to building the publishing industry.
There was poor turnout at the fair partly because the organisers did not give the event enough publicity. Convener of the fair was the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), with its membership including Nigerian Publishers Association, Nigerian Booksellers Association, Nigerian Book Foundation, Association of Nigerian Authors, Association of Nigerian Printers, and the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of Nigeria.
Their partners include the Federal Government of Nigeria, National Library of Nigeria and Nigerian Education Research and Development Council, sponsored by the Education Trust Fund (ETF) and Norwegian Ministry of External Affairs.
The theme of this year’s fair was entitled "Capacity Building in the African Publishing Industry".
Chairman of NBFT, Otunba Yinka Lawal-Solarin, in his welcome address described the event as the biggest annually of the book industry in Nigeria. According to him, the aim of the Trust was to bring books closer to the people, improving the reading culture and tackling some of the current problems bedeviling the education sector. The objective of the Trust, Lawal-Solarin declared, was to build capacity in the publishing and printing industry by promoting and rewarding local authors of educational books and supplementary readers both in foreign and Nigerian languages and making sure the books are printed in Nigeria.
Chairman of the book fair, Prof. Shamsudeen Amali, Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, who was represented by Prof. Olu Obafemi, declared that he believed the future of education in Nigeria stands to gain greatly from the objective and vision of the Trust. While commending the organisers for the programme, he said, "It is a truism that the writer and the publisher, two indispensable stakeholders in the book industry, are traditionally strange bedfellows. The writer, to our experience in Africa, had always been the hapless victim in the world of book marketing, while, as we believe, the publishers always smile to the banks. It is in spite of this that we support in this brief remark, the creation of convenient and ample environment for publishing to flourish. This is because without publishing and publishers those who write books labour in vain."
Amali was optimistic about the future of Nigerian writers. "As it is, may be one day fortune will smile at the writers. Then and only then, the culture of literacy-writing and reading would be born in our creative desert," he said.
He urged publishers to brace themselves to the challenge of making the book industry grow, "for the overarching advantage and benefit of growing knowledge in this age of globalisation."
Virtually all available spaces at the multipurpose hall of the University of Lagos, venue of the fair, were occupied by publishers from all parts of the world, who came to showcase their goods and services.
Several guest speakers were invited to deliver speeches, which triggered sporadic change in the fortunes of the stakeholders at the fair.
Delivering his speech, Mr. Richard Crabbe, head of client relations, office of the publisher, World Bank, Washington DC, and past chairman, African Publishers Network (APNET), spoke on the theme: "Capacity Building In The African Publishing Industry".
He quoted United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) defining capacity building, as "the creation of an enabling environment with appropriate policy and legal frameworks, institutional development, including community participation (of women in particular), human resources development and strengthening of managerial systems."
Crabbe noted that capacity building was more than training. He therefore, identified three essential components of capacity building as human resource development, organisational development and institutional and legal framework development. Human resource development, he said, was the process of equipping individuals with understanding, skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables them to perform effectively. He reiterated that African publishing directly contributes to economic development and poverty reduction through creation of new companies and growth of existing companies by African professionals. He, however, lamented that the publishing companies in Africa has failed to understand its environment, which hitherto was why they were unable to play their role effectively in the continent’s development.
He said, "Africa is home to more than 700 million people, with about half under 15 years old. Several countries are implementing universal basic education; virtually guaranteeing that for a long time, there would continue to be need for books. Two questions come to mind. First, can the African publishing industry meet this need? Given the current perception of the size of the industry, I think the answer is ‘no’. But there is room for both growth of the industry and business opportunities. Secondly, are African practitioners equipped to compete with long time traditional suppliers from Europe, and increasingly cheaper alternatives from new entrants from South Asia and the Far East? Here, the answer is, ‘partially’."
He stated with disappointment that the main challenge facing the publishing industry in almost all African countries was the dearth of information on what’s being produced. Lack of reliable data on a number of titles published annually in different categories was also identified as one of the factors not helping the industry to advance for a larger share of the market in educational books. He charged APNET to take this up as an urgent responsibility to build the expected capacity. Crabbe confirmed four major key areas that would enhance capacity building in African context as follows: Improvement of production quality; development and publication of scholarly books; promoting intra-African trade in books and implementing new technologies in Africa. He stressed the need for African publishers to ensure that their books meet international standards, from editing through illustrations and cover design to finishing by printers. It was noted that nowadays, concentration on primary and secondary school textbooks is too much, which Crabbe saw as the norm for publishers worldwide. According to him, the bulk of profits in the publishing industry come from textbooks and basic school textbooks, which have larger print-runs. "Many textbook procurement programmes funded by the World Bank and other donors have also focused on addressing the needs of basic education, thus attracting even more and newer entrants into the industry, from ‘briefcase’ and ‘Post Office Box’ publishers to well-established ones," he said. Crabbe declared that even university libraries, which were the main customers for tertiary level books, could not purchase new books.
He advised African publishers to come out of their shell by tuning to the new technologies on Internet for their publications. He wondered why a publisher must wait for nine to 12 months for a book to be published, which, of course, was longer for scholarly books, when information can be published with little delay directly to consumers on the web. This, according to him, would fuel self-publishing.
In a related development, Dr. Jerry Agada, Vice President, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), solicited support from all stakeholders to achieve a virile development in the sector. In his presentation, "Developing African Publishing for the World market: Author’s Perspective", Agada x-rayed how African publishing can be developed to merit international market. He stated that all stakeholders in the book business need to faithfully contribute their share and the world market would be full of African books.
He therefore, appealed to all authors to borrow a leaf from Anyi Kwei Armah, who assembled a group of writers in some West African countries, putting together a publishing outfit to cater for their needs.
Crabbe critically observed that several publishers in Africa lack ambition. "Too many publishers appear to have been discouraged because of situations we feel they should have taken as challenges. A good case in point is Heinemann’s scrapping of the African Writers Series due to reasons we find unsatisfactory."
He called on the management of Heinemann to reconsider its decision and explore better ways to maintain the series while improving its marketability at the same time.
He stated that because government had failed the citizenry, many people have stopped expecting legitimate things from them, adding that government in virtually all countries in Africa have abandoned the intellectual climate. "The anti-intellectual posture of those in power has definitely contributed to government abandonment of their publishing responsibilities." Using Nigeria as a case study, Agada said, "there is a generation born now that may never know that once there was a thriving Government Press/Printer", adding that, "government printers are usually there to publish sensitive government materials."
Responding to the African speakers’ comments, Gina Winje, Director of Norwegian Literature Abroad, Fiction & Non-Fiction (NORLA), spoke about the book world market, using Norwegian experience. It amazed the crowd at the fair to note that Norwegian government had been in the forefront for funding the book industry in Norway for over 30 years. "NORLA, the office for Norwegian Literature Abroad, which I head, is an organisation set up 30 years ago, fully funded by the Norwegian government, with a mandate to promote Norwegian Literature abroad, and to give translation and other subsidies to books of current interest that are on their way to a wider market," she said.
http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=45&a=26345