Book Industry And Knowledge Economy In Nigeria, Bayelsa State: Way Forward

Present day global economy is information and knowledge driven, thus making book writing and publishing more relevant. And this trend has been further revolutionalised by Information Communication Technologies(ICTs); the internet and the worldwide web.

But most countries, including Nigeria and its states, for instance, Bayelsa, are yet to boast of a viable publishing industry that can bolster up the knowledge economy.

It is this scenario that has made this article a necessity, giving also that other countries, and even some parts of Nigeria, have developed or are developing their book publishing industry.

Indeed, publishing has taken roots in European, American and some Asian economies, amongst others. Countries such as Britain and Russia in Europe; America in the American continent as well as Japan, China, India, North and South Korea in Asia, stand out in publishing of all sorts and are good examples of knowledge economies.

The countries in question, have successfully used the strategy of device and process convergence to integrate conventional and ICTs methods of publishing to mass produce and commodify information and their cultures for sale to local and foreign consumers at profit.

With globalization, concentration and conglomeration of publishing ownership, they have taken control of international market, using mass media such as books, radio, television, newspapers and magazines, digital materials and the internet to promote international trade and politics.

And this, apart from making countries of Africa, especially Nigeria and indeed Bayelsa dependants in the knowledge of economic system, has also sustained cultural imperialism. Foreign cultures, some of which are negative, have been massively imported into the African continent to the extent that, its ways of life are threatened with extinction.

The development of local knowledge and technologies, have also been hampered, just as economic, growth is nothing to applaud.

In contrast, African countries, Nigeria inclusive and Bayelsa State of Nigeria in particular, have been crying wolf. Reasons often advanced are paucity of funds, lack of state–of-the-art equipment, declining reading culture, customer’s preference for foreign books in electronic and hard copy versions, lack of support from government and most seriously the piracy syndrome.

The above excuses, though real, are also opportunities to be tapped by local publishers. This is more so, considering the number of private and public schools, academics, professionals, ban on handouts in many tertiary schools, all of which could make the book industry lucrative in Nigeria and Bayelsa State.

It should be re-emphasized that countries that have well developed book industries and are solid in ICTs, have not abandoned conventional methods of publishing and distribution of hard copies. Instead, they combine old publishing methods and new ICTs methods and formats. This could be adopted in Nigeria and Bayelsa State as well.

Whereas, some states in Nigeria, such as Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Ondo, Abia and Imo have better presence of book industry; others including Bayelsa have little or no presence. Although, even in the states that are doing better, the acclaimed publishing firms are not standard ones, as a result, some of them could be described as mere printing and broker companies.

To say the least, the retrogression in this important industry in a country that embraced printing press long ago, has negatively impacted on education, research, knowledge economy, knowledge-based governance, income and reading culture.

Therefore, for Nigeria and Bayelsa State to catch up others in the knowledge-based economy and industrialization, book development must be part of their priorities and so implemented.

To achieve this, a book development commission ought to be established by states in the federation and Bayelsa State in particular. In the case of Bayelsa, such a commission could be domiciled in the State Ministry of Education.

A book publishing company could also be established and domiciled in the Bayelsa State Ministry of Information, preferably as part of the State Newspaper Corporation, to generate revenue for government. The printing press to be managed by the company must be equipped with conventional and ICT equipment to successfully operate as a converged printing press.

There will also be need to establish a research, book-writing and publishing fund under the book development commission, for prospective authors and companies to contribute to and get returns in form of affordable printing and marketing of products and get rewards from profit that will accrue.

Indigenous authors would need to be given reasonable subsidies to encourage writing and publishing.

A board of directors, drawn from academia, industry and government, could be set up to provide policy direction for the book commission and the publishing company.

Book promotion often neglected, would be used as a potent tool for marketing products. Thus, integrated marketing communication, made up of advertising, public and media relations, direct marketing, sponsorship, exhibitions, events, personal selling and others would support selling of products.

If information and knowledge are the key drivers of economic growth in recent times, then, Nigeria, and Bayelsa in particular, need to develop the book publishing sector, to buoy up the economy and catch up with the rest of the world.

This writer could be reached via: [email protected]