Education no doubt plays pivotal role in the development of any nation.
Book significantly constitutes a major component in educational advancement of young and adult Nigerians.
Findings however show that adult illiteracy of Nigeria increased from 24 million in 1991 to 41.3 million in 2015.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, placed adult literacy rate for Nigeria in 2018 at 62.02%.
As part of efforts towards ending intellectual property theft, encourage booking writing and reading, stakeholders in the publishing industry have embarked on sensitization campaign in Ibadan.
The activity which was in line with the World Book and Copyright Day 2021 held at Jericho in Ibadan was a collaborative initiative of Nigerian Copyrights Commission, NCC, the Nigerian Publishers Association and book sellers.
Addressing the public at Dugbe, the Operational Manager, Nigerian Publishers Association, Mr Olawale Adebayo attributed the level of illiteracy in Nigeria to poverty, high cost of book materials and the moribund paper industry in Nigeria.
Mr Adebayo however said current challenges should not hinder access of average Nigerians to book.
Speaking on behalf of Director General, Nigerian Copyrights Commission, NCC, Mr John Asein, the Oyo State coordinator of the commission, Mrs Olabisi Ogundiran explained that reading reduces illiteracy and promote national development.
Mr Asein emphasized that the commission would not relent in its collaborative efforts towards ending piracy in the country.
The NCC DG encouraged Nigerians to imbibe the habit of buying books, saying this would boost the nation’s economy.
The theme for this year’s world book and copyrights day is: “share a story”.
Rotimi Famakin
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