The Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) wants its members to embrace other forms of publications apart from the traditional book to allow everyone easy access to the store of knowledge.
The President of the Association, Chief Uche Anioke who stated this during a virtual press conference to mark this year’s World Book and Copyright Day, which is celebrated every April 23 observed that time was ripe for publishers to embrace publications like e-books which he said is the way to go.
Anioke maintained that Nigerian publishers must flow with the current trend and accept the fact that there are other forms of books and embrace technology for all categories of people to enjoy reading.
The NPA president, who was represented by the deputy president, Chief Austin Onwubiko, said the declaration of April 23 annually as World Book and Copyright Day by the United Nations speaks volume on the importance the global body attaches to the production of high-quality books to engage the human mind.
He stated that the theme of this year which is ‘Read Your Way’ is apt and timely especially at a time when technology is causing irreversible paradigm shift in the industry, presenting the men and women, young and old with multiple windows and means to read materials that are of interest to them.
According to him, “Read Your Way’ calls on everyone to let go of pressure and expectations, giving children a choice and a chance to enjoy reading since research has shown that both children and adults are more likely to enjoy reading when their choices are championed and reading made fun.
He recalled that there were only few books that were available some years back, leaving people with minimal option on what to read while the few children’s materials in circulation were only available in hard copy which must be moved from one point to the other in order to be read.
Chief Anioke is however happy that a lot has happened as the present generation now has multiple options at its fingertips to read in a way and the book that catches her interest saying that technology has made it possible for one to purchase any book of his choice with just a click of button at any time of the day.