AIPN’s war against book piracy takes centre stage at 2024 WIPD

EVERY April 26 is the World Intellectual Property Day (WIPD), which is used to celebrate authors, artistes, and other inventors of intellectual property.

With the theme of this year’s event being, ‘Building Our Common Future with Innovation and Creativity,’ the Association of Independent Publishers, Nigeria (AIPN), used the opportunity to draw attention of the public and relevant stakeholders to the challenges still being faced by owners of intellectual works on the infringement on their creativities and innovations.

Speaking during the event held at the Alliance Francaise, Ibadan, president of AIPN, Chief Hakeem Ajibade, said the theme for this year’s celebration is apt, just as he asked how owners of intellectual properties can build for the future when their works are being pirated.

“I keep saying it that the major challenge intellectual property owners face, both in the country and the world over is piracy; books are pirated, movies are pirated, texts of educational books are photocopied on campuses, and those losing are the real owners of the works.”

The AIPN president lamented the attitude of a government agency saddled with the responsibility of going after pirates and copyright violators, saying the agency needs to do more to show that it is serious about the war against pirates.

Chairman on the occasion, Mr Sikiru Olanrewaju Adewoye from the Lateef Fagbemi Chambers, expressed delight that literary and artistic works have put Nigeria on the world map, just as he added that those who steal or pirate these works are only denying the inventors the opportunity to benefit from their thinking.

“Thinking is a great task and those who do might have spent several hours to come up with what the people are benefiting from, so for someone to pirate such work is inhuman.”

Mr Adewoye further expressed happiness that the copyright law has been changed, adding that there is now stiffer punishment for those found with pirated works.

The guest lecturer, Mr Victor Adewole of Victor Adewole and Co. Victory Chambers, explained how the World Intellectual Property Day came to be.

He added that it is being celebrated in about 193 countries of the world, including Nigeria

The legal practitioner highlighted the challenges facing owners of intellectual works in the country and other parts of the world, adding that the government has already put in place laws that will help protect such creative works from pirates.

Mr Adewole further explained the difference between trademarks and copyright, saying trademark is to protect virtual properties, while copyright is to protect literary and artistic properties.

He then charged that the relevant agencies of government must continue to work in order to bring pirates to book so that owners of intellectual properties can enjoy benefits accruing from their works.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Publishers Association (NPA), Mr Emmanuel Abimbola, said owners of intellectual works, different associations and relevant government agencies, including security agencies, must continue to work together to take the fight to pirates.

He highlighted the recent seizure of over N300 million of pirated books at Onne port, saying this is a victory in the war against piracy.

Representative of Dr Nureni Adeniran, chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs Oluyemisi Odubayo, said more efforts must be geared towards sensitising booksellers on the punishment that awaits those who sell pirated books.

She said apart from pirated books, those who steal the works of other innovators like movies, among others, should also be sensitised that the work costs money and their activities will only deny the owners the reward for their labour.

The chairman of AIPN also used the opportunity to award former presidents of the association for their contributions to the development of the association.

Those awarded are Mrs Esther Oluyide, Mr Akin Bello and Mr Ayo Opakunbi.

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