By ‘Sola Fagorusi
About a week ago, discussions around books and reading crept into the social media space in Nigeria. This was thanks to tweets by Reuben Abati, special adviser to the president on media and publicity. He tweeted series of pictures of President Goodluck Jonathan engrossed in the reading of Topics in West African History by Adu Boahen with #PresidentialReadingTime. Books illuminate the mind and Mr. President conceivably understands this. In 2009, miles from Nigeria, Barack Obama shared his vacation reading list with the public. It included Tom Friedman’s “Hot, Flat and Crowded” and four other books.
If anything, the gesture of both men hints at a message to the public ? reading is an essential in life. The Latin saying – scientia potential est credited to Sir Francis Bacon further emphasises this. It means knowledge is power. The right knowledge however is power and in most times comes from the pages of books. Robin Morgan ups the ante by saying “…information is power. The secreting or hoarding of knowledge or information may be an act of tyranny camouflaged as humility.” The civilisation enjoyed by man has been in part because of knowledge conservation and sharing through books.
Depending on who is doing the analysis, publishing is a tough business in this clime. There is the problem of piracy to battle with. There is also that dire concern about the unorganised value chain of book business in Nigeria. The poor reading culture is also another of the several worries of a publisher and this is asides concerns that disposable income is also shrinking, meaning that books have become a luxury and is only bought when extremely needful. I do not have the figures but it is harmless to say that a huge number of Nigerians perceive book purchase as a luxury especially after graduation from school. Literature for instance has been said, in informal circles, not to be for the poor. This holds some value of truth knowing well that the average Nigerian novel is priced at about N1,000 ($6.5). The recent imposition of a 62.5% tariff by the Ministry of Finance is also worrisome knowing well that like most western nations, publishing houses in Nigeria also print in Asian countries where quality is better and cost of production cheaper given a number of infrastructure available in these nations. With adult literacy at about 60% in Nigeria and quality primary education often priced off the reach of the average parent, the future looks bleaker.
It is in observation of this that consideration for e-books becomes a potent thought. Technological advancement has redefined what a book is. It has created a new definition for what information is. In most instances, information is trapped on the pages of book and seekers of knowledge only have to pour through the pages to sieve out the illumination they seek. What this means today is that one can have the whole content of an average library on a single easy-to-carry device. There is still that debate on whether an e-book is better than a hard copy book or vice versa. The arguments vary, starting from hard book lovers who enjoy the feel of a book on one’s fingers. I have Helon Habila’s Oil on Water sprawled on my table as I type and would favour reading it in that form over other books that I have on my mobile device depending on environment. There are a sizeable number of eReaders in the market presently; they include Kindle, Nook, Sony reader et cetera
Nevertheless, eBooks are becoming the fad especially among the middle class in Africa. Some of them are free to download but to the publisher, it means there is the need to create online stores and fix prices based on the trends and benchmarks on online marketing platforms. What this also means is that advertisement of new books would also have to be done in cyberspace. It requires a complete review of hitherto existent approach at the business of publishing and selling books. First to go this way were journals given the craving for up-to-date information by academics.
Globally, amazon.com leads the pack in book sales using the digital media of the internet. The future was already being tested decades ago when books started getting published with audio tapes to go with it. Later CDs were introduced and then the eventual subsuming of whole books into soft form. Environmental activists advocating for reduction in deforestation would certainly be thankful for this new development. It means lesser number of trees would be fell to make books. The quick conversation of books into films should also means something to publishers. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adiche is an example. Publishers may see needs to also begin to occasionally borrow the cap of a producer to ensure that they can break even from other means and make profit to sustain their publishing enterprise.
In a society like Nigeria where public libraries barely get allocations and have become some form of book museums, safe for the daily newspaper supplies they get, the rise of eBooks is a breath of fresh air on a patched backdrop. In their various forms, they allow researchers become conversant with recent findings and literary enthusiasts can have works of foreign author in their reach almost few hours after being published. In western nations however, the grandstanding between publishers and libraries continue given the laws governing the borrowing of eBooks and the price at which publishers sell to libraries amongst other issues. Predicated on copyright debates, there are a number of books that would never end up in digital form anyway.
Given the unhurried internet penetration rate in Nigeria however, hard copy books still enjoy a market at the moment but it may not be for long. They’ll by the way also have to compete with self-publishers who given the technological ease of publishing may want to embrace such channel. E.L James’ bestseller, Fifty Shades of Grey started from this phase before Vintage Publisher looked her way. It is difficult to think eReading will completely erase books but they eventually will same way books replaced tablets and parchments! There are two other considerations that would serve as limitations for mass adoption of eBooks, they are the difficulty that comes with using an eReader’s content for research involving one going back and forth the index or bibliography page on a number of time. The health effect of constant exposure of one’s eyes to the screen is another.
In Africa, the reader is the winner in all of these. More options mean competitive pricing. Platforms like amazon offer sales of second-hand books in reaction to that. The cost of courier is another setback and this is where eBooks win. Plus, there is more room in an eBook lover’s travelling bag.
Since Mr. President also wants to bring back the book, maybe schools are a good place to start this revolution while bearing in mind the technological challenge. eBook devices are still well prized from the reach of most students and a dispassionate review of the Opon Imo model of Osun state can set this on course. Nevertheless, what counts really should be that people read, whether they consume it in soft method or hard form is left for the publisher to factor. The publisher is the one crunching the figures to ensure that he or she survives on the value chain.
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‘Sola Fagorusi
Sola Fagorusi is a youth development advocate, freelance writer, accomplished debater cum coach. The Obafemi Awolowo University graduate has about 10 years experience in social entrepreneurship which straddles leadership, good governance cum anti-corruption and adolescent reproductive health. The Leap Africa alumnus is also a trained peer educator, a DESPLAY alumnus and co-facilitator. For 2 years now, he has been a technical consultant and lead judge on the Intra-Faith Peace Youth TV Debate Project facilitated by Youngstars Foundation and the British High Commission. To read his full profile, click here.
