Copyright Commission Warns Schools against Pirated Books

Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has vowed to prosecute institutions and schools that use pirated books.

It said it would work with the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) to explore ways of creating safe corridors for the distribution of legitimate books.

Mr John Asein, NCC director-general in a statement to mark the World Book and Copyright Day, held every April 23, said the fight against book piracy will be intensified.

According to him, the Commission would continue to develop policies and strategies to facilitate a culture of respect for authorship and copyright works.

“We will step up our enforcement and prosecutorial activities to stem the tide of copyright infringements both off and online.

“We will also reinvigorate our compliance checks in schools and other institutions of learning to sensitize them on the need to patronize only genuine copies of books through legitimate channels of distribution.

“Henceforth, proprietors, heads of schools and authorities in charge will be held vicariously responsible for any pirated books distributed to pupils and students through their schools.

“We shall also be taking appropriate steps under the law to sanction institutions found involved in mindless and unconscionable use and promotion of pirated books,” NCC said.

The Commission has embraced developments in the international copyright community to create a more inclusive culture of access to published works for blind and visually impaired persons.

It noted that Nigeria, in October 2017, ratified the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled.

“We have also gone ahead to make provision for the domestication of the treaty in the new Copyright Bill which was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council.

“On a more practical note, the Commission, with help from the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and its Accessible Book Consortium, is collaborating with the Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB), the NPA, the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG), and other key stakeholders to provide more books in accessible formats for blind and visually impaired persons in Nigeria,” Asein said.

According to him, a pilot project on capacity building assistance, provision of accessible books and assistive technologies to students in that category is ongoing.

This, he said, is another demonstration of the Federal Government’s policy on inclusiveness, equal access and non-discrimination against persons living with disabilities.

He urged stakeholders in the creative industry to support the government’s efforts to revamp the sector and build a copyright system that will help to maximize its potentials to national economic development.

Theme of this year’s celebration is: “Discover the World through Reading”!

The statement added: “The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1995 declared April 23 as a special day to focus on the wonderful world of books and the enduring role of copyright in promoting and protecting the rights of authors and other stakeholders.

“The day is also an occasion to celebrate the contribution of books and authors to our global culture as well as highlight the connection between copyright, creativity and books to the propagation of our common values as humanity.

“For us at the NCC, it is an opportunity to again underscore the importance of creativity to our collective development aspirations as a nation, with particular emphasis on respect for copyright and the effective protection of the rights of our authors. “As we join the world to celebrate the book as an enduring legacy, it is saddening to note the decline in our reading culture. This has become a major national concern in Nigeria for its youth population.

“The essence of reading, particularly for leisure and personal enjoyment, cannot be over emphasized.

“Reading is to the mind what physical exercise is to the body; it is food for the soul, the chisel that helps shape who we become in today’s knowledge driven world.

“Books develop the personality and stimulate imagination, taking us to faraway lands that we may never visit physically. Reading unlocks the potentials in us and fires our creative talents to innovate and build our society.

“Incidentally, the book remains the most resilient and prevalent copyright work today. It has helped grow human civilization and over the centuries has contributed to the development of virtually all fields of human endeavour, including education, religion, research and entertainment.

“In today’s digital world, it is imperative that authors and publishers should make changes in their business and distribution model so as to make the book more attractive to younger readers on the new media and digital platforms.”