THE Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has charged publishers to preempt pirates by producing and making adequate quantities of their genuine books available in bookshops and other sales outlets during the book season.
Acting State Coordinator, NCC Ilorin Office, Mrs. Bilikis Bello who made the call during a copyright sensitisation outreach to publishers in Ilorin, Kwara State on 10th August 2022, pointed out that one of the major reasons why schools patronised pirates was the scarcity of original copies of books.
“The Commission encourages publishers to set up a formidable task force to check the activities of pirates during the season implores them to make their books available on time at the bookshops and outlets to avoid scarcity during the book season”, she stated.
She said a team of Copyright Inspectors visited major publishers in the State capital – University Press Limited, Macmillan Press Plc and Learn African Plc – to ascertain their level of preparedness during the upcoming new book season.
Responding, the State Manager of Learn Africa, Mr. Wisdom Adeyinka Adesoba expressed his gratitude to the NCC Kwara team for their visit and assured them of his company’s support for the Commission’s anti-piracy drive.
In a related development, the Commission has warned sellers of CDs and DVDs in Kwara State and environs to desist from dealing in pirated works.
Acting State Coordinator, NCC Ilorin Office, Mrs. Bilikis Bello said Copyright Inspectors issued the warning when they carried out an inspection and sensitisation exercise on audio-visual (CDs’) outlets in Ilorin, Kwara State on the 16th of August 2022
She said the CD and DVD sellers were advised to purchase their stocks from genuine right owners while reiterating the need to ensure that invoices were issued to them to ascertain the originality and authenticity of the creative works they stock.
Mrs Bello further educated the CD and DVD sellers on the importance of Source Identification Code (SID Code) stamped on original CDs and DVDs, adding that the unique codes were given to registered Optical Disc Plants in Nigeria by the Commission as an antipiracy security device. She urged them to check for the codes before purchasing CDs and DVDs.
According to her, the CD and DVD outlets visited were Wisdom CD’s at Challenge area of Ilorin; Olaiya’s CDs, Post office, Ilorin; Olufunmilayo Records, Maraba area, Ilorin and Ola Egbon outlet in the Amilegbe area of Iliorin.
