By Prisca Sam-Duru

The 10th Nigeria International Book Fair(NIBF), which officially opened with book exhibition at the Multi-purpose Halls of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, on Monday, 9th May, 2011 came to its high point on Tuesday, 10th with a critical appraisal of the impact of new technologies on the African Book Industry.

The International Book Fair, organised by Nigerian Book Fair Trust, a coalition of major stakeholders in Nigeria book sector made up of the Nigerian Publishers Association, Nigerian Booksellers Association, Nigerian Library Association, Nigerian Book Foundation, Association of Nigerian Authors, Association of Nigerian Printers and; Academic and non-fiction Authors Association of Nigeria was packaged to bring “books closer to the people for better education and self-improvement”.

A platform for interaction

The Fair also created a platform for interaction between stakeholders in the book and publishing industry both local and international as they robbed minds on possible strategies of revamping the African Book Industry so as to level up with on going technological changes all over the world.

The International Conference, with theme, “Technology and the Future of the Books: Implication for the African Book Industry” which held at the Afe Babalola Auditorium, UNILAG, underscored the relevance of e-publishing on Africa economy as well as the readership culture in Africa.

The Director of Whitney Young Jr. Information Resource Centre of the Public Affairs Section, US Consulate General, Lagos, Samuel Eyitayo in his comprehensive and educative presentation; “Book, Technology and Infrastructural Development: What the Future holds for the Book industry in Nigeria?”, enlightened the audience at the conference on the influence of new technological developments in the industry.

He examined the numerous advantages of e-books and the challenges affecting the services of writers, publishers, booksellers and Libraries in Nigeria while laying emphasis on empowering key players in the industry with the right information on how to keep afloat in the book business.

Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo, Ambassador Olushola and another guest during the 2011 International Conference held at Afe Babalola Auditorium, UNILAG, Akoka, Lagos.

Identifying Government’s ineptitude to handling the energy sector with attendant costs of running businesses in Nigeria, high government taxes, high cost of equipments and obvious poor maintenance culture, as some of the issues bedeviling the general infrastructural development in relation to Information and Communication Technology(ICT) in Nigeria, Eyitayo noted that since bandwidths are getting bigger and cheaper and smartphones flooding the markets, social media becoming popular and individuals becoming more equipped with free tools to self-publish, stake holders, he insisted, must learn to embrace the ICT so as to remain relevant in this season of ICT revolution.

Researches according to him, have shown that reading digital books has been discovered to be an acceptable alternative to reading paper books in many Nations where Kindle for instance was experimented in which the students were noted to have forgotten the fact that they were using a device and became absorbed in the stories they were reading and rather, they read more.

Some of the features of Kindle which makes it easier to check meanings of words, provides more varieties of books and more importantly, is handy and makes good option for writers, librarians and publishers in any part of Nigeria where GSM phones could be deployed.

Also in his presentation titled, “Technology and the Future of the Book: New Digital Publishing in Nigeria”, Robert Baensch, one of the key note speakers from the United States of America educated participants on technicalities, importance and opportunities of new digital publishing in Nigeria.

Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ebonyi who was Chairman of the occasion on his own part, described the discussion on impact of new technology on African Book industry at the Conference as timely, noting that Nigeria must harness technology which he said, is a product of globalisation for a knowledge driven society.

He urged stakeholders to take advantage of e-revolution to assist individuals, especially research students by putting an end to difficulties in using libraries as they can make effective use of their digital phones (iPad, iPhone, iTouch, Blackberry) and televisions in sourcing books from publishers.

While Otunba Yinka Solarin, one of the awardees at the conference, decried lack of educational and instructional books which he said is responsible for poor reading culture in Africa.

The Chairman, Nigerian Book Fair Trust, Samuel Kolawole who was excited on the turn out of exhibitors, the calibre of people representing different countries and the key note speakers from Repro India and the USA, said that his organisation has been able to achieve the objective of drawing the attention of Africa and Nigeria in particular, to the importance of new technology in the book business.

Impact on the book industry

“We have no choice, technology has come to stay and from current developments, mobile technology has a lot of impact on the book industry in developed world, we must begin to think beyond the hard cover books to meet the demand of our readers across the continent.” He said.

The International Book Fair also featured the issuance of Awards to NIBF 10th anniversary awardees; Academy Press, Africana First Publishers PLC, Bounty Press, CSS Bookshop, Longman Nigeria PLC, REPRO India and University Press. Other interesting features of the 2011 NIBF were Children’s programme, Librarians workshop and a special seminar organised by the Committee for Relevant Arts , CORA in honour of Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike who turns 80 this month.