AS the yearly Nigerian International Book Fair opens on Monday, May 9, 2011 at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the University of Lagos, the attention of the book industry will be focused on Nigeria. With an equally impressive theme, Technology and the Future of the Book: Implications for the African Book Industry, this years book fair has a futuristic outlook. It is for this reason also that organisers lament the continuing absence of government in the 10-year history of the fair.In a press briefing during the week, the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), organisers of Nigerian International Book Fair, stressed that the Federal Government has continued to miss out on the immense opportunities inherent in supporting activities of the book project. NBFT chairman and Managing Director, University Press Plc, Ibadan, Mr. Samuel Kolawole stated that government should discard the attitude of viewing those in the book trade as another set of business people out to make profit. Rather, he cautioned that they should be seen as those in the vanguard of promoting a national culture of an educated crop of Nigerians without which the nations development would be stunted as epitomised in the neglect the sector has suffered over the years.He reiterated the importance of the book fair as one of the pillars supporting educational growth and reading culture in the country and that it was in governments interest to support the fair in all its activities. Areas government could support the fair, he offered, included supporting its delegates to other international book fairs, where the Nigerian government could make its presence felt thereby boosting its foreign image, especially in the area of education and book matters, where Nigeria has lagged.Kolawole stressed that the Nigeria International Book Fair was about the only functioning book fair in Africa at the moment and that it behooved government to pay special attention to it for its sustainability and continuity. The Zimbabwe Book Fair died long ago following the leadership crisis in that country. Then entered the Cape Town Book Fair in South Africa with supported from the biggest book fair in the world, The Frankfurtt Book Fair in Germany. But there is a seeming hiccup in the organization of that fair as it would now be a biennial affair.Meanwhile, the Nigeria book fair has continued to grow stronger from year to year, according to Kolawole with many international bodies showing renewed interest both in attendance and support in various ways. This year alone, over 135 exhibitors from 15 countries including the U.S., the U.K., the Netherlands, India, United Arab Emirates, Ghana, Kenya, Singapore, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Uganda, etc, will be in attendance.But apart from the foreign image boost that the fair stands to afford the government, organisers have also stressed that government has overlooked the economic benefits of the book fair, which they said were really monumental. They stress that each year Nigeria imported books worth billions of scarce foreign exchange. Apart from imports, Nigerian publishers also spend corresponding amounts to print from Asian countries because of the incentives governments in those countries have provided.Both Kalawole and another NBFT board member and Managing Director, Havilah Books Limited, Mr. Lanre Adesuyi recounted how many times they had been sponsored by some Asian governments to network over there as a way of making them do business with publishing companies in those countries. The net result has been that more Asian companies in the printing and publishing arena have started doing business in Nigeria at the detriment of local companies that are stifled by a harsh operating environment.Poor power supply, poor incentives to local printers and Nigerias skewed liberalization policy on book import, they stressed, have continued to work to destroy the local book market. For instance, while books attract free import tariffs in line with United Nations free movement of information and educational materials, raw materials used for printing purposes (ink, paper, etc) are heavily taxed. With a weakened and devalued local currency, local publishers and printers are therefore hampered in delivery, thus leaving room for foreign companies to have a field day on the local scene.On the other hand, foreign companies, especially Asian printers and publishers have cashed in on these lapses to infiltrate the local market to the detriment of local players with attendant lose of jobs, expensive books on the local book market, which impact negatively on the nations educational aspiration.According to Adesuyi, Asian (India, Dubai, China, Malaysia) printers now troop in here to lure our publishers to print our books over there. This inevitably saps our foreign exchange power from our mono-productoil. So, its in governments interest to be interested in the book fair and book business generally.The Nigerian book fair is about the best in Africa right now that is being self-sustained by stakeholders in the Nigerian book industry. Book business is an educational service and not just any ordinary business. Mush as weve been doing to propagate the nations reading culture, government needs to do more to help us.Harping on the same issue, Mr. Tunji Okegbola of the Nigerian Library Association and NBFT board member remarked that, Government has long neglected the key factor for impacting knowledge and education to Nigerians. There is a need for government to come to the aid of Nigeria International Book Fair. We dont have any government support. There is need for government to come to our aid.While speaking on the theme of this years fair Kolawole said, It should interest anyone both in Nigeria and Africa. Everyone has been transformed one way or the other by technology, including books. The developed world has gone far ahead but Nigeria and Africa have to change and not be left behind. We dont have to wait. Nigeria has leap-froged ahead in all areas. So, the question is, where will be the future of the book in the face of the invasion of digital technology in Nigeria and AfricaThe book fair conference will hold on May 10 at the Afe Babalola Hall of the University of Lagos. This will be followed by an award ceremony both for organisations that started with the fair since inception and organisations and individuals that have played significant roles towards the growth of the fair over the years, according to the Acting Executive Secretary, Mr. Biodun Omotubi.
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