ABEOKUTA — The Olowu of Owu, Oba (Prof.) Saka Matemilola, has called on Nigerian writers to continuously improve their skills and explore emerging opportunities within the publishing and creative industries.
The monarch made the call while declaring open a one-day capacity-building workshop organised by the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Ogun State chapter, at the Olowu’s Palace in Abeokuta.
Oba Matemilola commended Ogun ANA for organising the workshop, describing it as an important platform for strengthening the capacity of writers while helping them discover new ways of generating income from their creative works.
He described God as the greatest writer and source of inspiration for authors, stressing that learning remains a lifelong process that begins from childhood and continues until old age.
The Olowu expressed satisfaction with the various value-adding programmes of the Ogun chapter of ANA and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the association and its activities.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of Ogun ANA, High Chief Abiodun Lasile, urged members to take advantage of the training opportunities provided by the National Copyright Commission (NCC) and the Reproduction Rights Organisation of Nigeria (REPRONIG).
He said the rapidly changing nature of the publishing industry made continuous learning and professional development essential for writers who wish to remain relevant and financially sustainable.
The National President of ANA, Dr. Dipo Usman Akanbi, commended the Ogun chapter for exposing its members to knowledge about their legal rights and the opportunities available within the writing profession.
Akanbi also expressed optimism that the renewed unity within ANA would be sustained, describing unity as critical to the growth and development of the association.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, High Chief Sesan Fagbayi, represented by the Deputy Director, Visual Arts, Mrs Oluwatoyin Oyelami, pledged the state government’s continued support for writers and practitioners in the creative arts sector.
Speaking on copyright protection, Mrs Oluropo Oke of the National Copyright Commission advised writers to actively protect their intellectual property and report cases of piracy rather than tolerate the unauthorised use of their works.
She explained that authors enjoy both moral and economic rights under the Copyright Act, noting that royalties and copyright interests could also be transferred or willed to family members.
Oke further educated participants on measures for protecting their intellectual property and disclosed that the commission had been visiting secondary and tertiary institutions under its “Catch Them Young” initiative to promote copyright awareness among students.
Also, the representative of REPRONIG, Mr Oyesola Oyeniyi, explained how writers could register their works and benefit financially from the reproduction and use of their intellectual property.
Mr Afis Raheem of the National Library of Nigeria also spoke on the services available to authors, including the registration of publications for International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and International Standard Serial Number (ISSN).
The workshop attracted notable personalities, including Chief Tunji Ogundimu, Elder Dada Olanipekun, two former chairmen of Ogun ANA, Mr Biodun Bello, a veteran broadcaster, and representatives of Chrisland University, among others.