Piracy Threatening Survival of Publishing Industry In Nigeria – Evans Boss

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By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan.
Managing Director of Evans Brothers (Nigeria Publisher) Limited, Mr. Lukman Dauda on Wednesday said piracy is still threatening the survival of book publishing industry in Nigeria.
Mr Dauda who stated this during a press briefing on the 50th anniversary of the organization coming up next Tuesday disclosed that there was no plan by Evans to relocate from Nigeria.
He declared that the increase in the rate of book piracy in Nigeria was as a result of low fine imposed on offenders of pirated copies of intellectual work especially books, saying the low fine “is not enough to deter offenders who are caught in the art of piracy”.
According to Mr Dauda, the highest fine for offenders of book piracy in the country presently is  N5,000, which he described as ‘too small’ and cannot deter the offenders.
“The highest fine for offenders of piracy is too low, coupled with our judicial system, this is not detering offenders. What publishing companies can do is to destroy their base or confiscate their materials to deter others” he said.
Mr Dauda stressed that “there are many cases still pending and are being investigated by Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC), even though they will fine them, the fine is too small.”
“The fine is not beyond five thousand naira. There is no year pass that we don’t prosecute them in conjunction with Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), but the menace still persists due to the low fine and our judicial system.”
Speaking further,the Evans boss insisted that the company is not relocating from Nigeria despite the present economic situation in the country but will consolidate on its core areas to improve the services it has continue to render in the last 50 years.
He added that Evans will also blend with the ongoing trends in the area of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and consolidate to achieve the aim of the E-Book platform launched in May 2016, saying, the E-Book platform was not to eradicate hard cover books but to meet up with the ongoing trends in the world.
“We are not eradicating hard cover books, the E-Book we launched in May this year which some of you witnessed was not to eradicate hard cover books, there is no amount of technology that will wipe away hard cover books. We are not just in the business to make profit, we cannot substitute profit for integrity, this is why we are not compromising on our values. While we are set to make profit for the owners, we cannot compromise on our values.
On activities for the Evans Golden Jubilee anniversary, he said the celebration will featured donation of books to libraries in 3 selected public schools, essay competition for Secondary school students from 26 schools from Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos and Kwara states and a visit to 3 motherless homes with the presentation of awards to winners of the essay competition coming up next Tuesday
“We are also donating books to libraries in 3 selected schools, we are visiting 3 motherless homes. These are part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).The debate and other incentives are aimed at improving and encouraging students in their educational pursuit.

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