Arts & Culture – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

In what marks a bold new era for Nigeria’s creative sector, the Better Life for Authors and Publishers Association of Nigeria (BLAPAN) officially swore in its pioneer executive council on Thursday, at Moakland Plaza, Ikeja. This historic event not only formalised the association’s leadership structure but also signaled the beginning of an all-out war against piracy, a scourge that has crippled the publishing industry and left countless Nigerian authors impoverished and disillusioned. 

BLAPAN emerged from the ashes of the Nigerian Council of Authors Against Piracy (NCAP), which had spent over three years fighting for the recognition and protection of creative intellectual rights. Registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on December 5, 2024, BLAPAN is now set to operate as a legitimate and structured advocacy platform. 

Sworn in as National President, Hon. Feyi Abiodun pledged an aggressive but strategic approach to intellectual property protection. “The bitter experiences authors and publishers have endured at the hands of pirates will no longer be our silent reality,” he said. “We are going to engage the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), law enforcement agencies, and the judiciary to ensure pirates face the full wrath of the law.” 

BLAPAN’s enforcement strategy includes creating a dedicated task force of trained legal and copyright enforcement professionals who will monitor, report, and work with security agencies to raid piracy hotspots. The association also plans to develop a whistleblower system that will incentivise members of the public to report illegal reproduction and distribution of books. 

Additionally, the association will push for stiffer penalties in Nigeria’s Copyright Act, while advocating mobile courts to expedite piracy-related cases. “We want the punishment for piracy to be as severe and unforgiving as that for armed robbery or drug counterfeiting, because piracy, too, is economic terrorism,” Abiodun insisted. 

The swearing-in, conducted by Barrister Olatunde Shakiru Giwa of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, featured emotional recollections of piracy’s deadly toll. One member recalled the tragic case of Ugo S. Ugo, a publisher who died under the weight of unpaid debts after his books were heavily pirated. “He borrowed money from the bank to produce those books, but pirates flooded the market and pushed him into bankruptcy. He died because of piracy. That is how deadly this crime is,” the speaker said, holding back tears. 

Barrister Giwa charged the executives to remain unified and focused: “This may seem like a small beginning, but if you remain steadfast, you’ll build an association recognised not just in Nigeria but globally.” 

BLAPAN’s structure is built to ensure that authors and publishers receive legal, financial, and psychological support. The association is setting up a Legal Aid Unit to provide pro bono legal representation for members whose works are pirated. A Welfare Committee will assist distressed authors, especially those dealing with the economic fallout from piracy. 

Furthermore, BLAPAN will host regular training and publishing workshops to empower members with digital protection tools, such as ISBN registration, blockchain tracking, and digital watermarking technologies. 

“We’re not just about talk,” said one executive member. “We’re setting up systems, real systems that will protect members from idea theft, manuscript hijack, and piracy in all forms.” 

Absolutely. The leadership revealed ongoing discussions to affiliate with international organisations such as the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO), and African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO). 

“These global partnerships will help us bring international pressure to bear on piracy networks that operate across borders,” said Hon. Abiodun. “It will also give our authors the opportunity to be protected outside Nigeria, and allow us to tap into international funding and support systems.” 

Despite the heavy rainfall on inauguration day, the resilience of those in attendance symbolised the urgency of BLAPAN’s mission. “We are at war,” said another executive member. “And our enemy is piracy— heartless, relentless, and destructive. But this time, we are ready.” 

The ceremony ended with a strong resolution from all members to work together in unity and vigilance. “Our dream is now a shared dream,” a member declared. “And together, we will take piracy to the grave.” 

With its first national executive council firmly in place, BLAPAN is poised to lead what could become Nigeria’s most consequential anti-piracy campaign. Through advocacy, enforcement, legal aid, and international partnerships, the association is on course to restore dignity, income, and justice to authors and publishers long forgotten in the fight against intellectual theft. 

For Nigerian creatives, the message is clear: The total war against piracy has begun. This is as voices joined in beyond the inauguration venue. In fact, prominent voices in media and publishing circles applauded the emergence of BLAPAN. 

Speaking during a recent media roundtable on book development in Nigeria, veteran journalist Mudiaga Blessed said, “BLAPAN is the kind of focused structure the creative industry has long needed. The damage piracy has done to our authors and literary ecosystem is monumental. This association is coming at the nick of time.” 

At another media parley conducted by Saturday INDEPENDENT, Mr. Ken Onwuka, a Librarian and a book publishing enthusiast, said “For years, authors have battled piracy in isolation. This inauguration goes beyond mere symbolism, it offers a lifeline. With BLAPAN, there’s now hope that Nigerian literature can be rescued from the brink of extinction.” 

Lucky Omorogbe, a Computer Programmer, referred to BLAPAN as “a much-needed and long overdue initiative,” noting that “the reading public has equally borne the brunt. Pirated books are typically of poor quality, filled with errors, and frequently sold at prices that undermine the original authors. It’s imperative that we all support BLAPAN’s mission.” 

At this juncture, it is expedient to ask, “What Support Can Authors Expect from BLAPAN?” The answer to the foregoing cannot be farfetched as BLAPAN’s structure is built to ensure that authors and publishers receive legal, financial, and psychological support. The association is setting up a Legal Aid Unit to provide pro bono legal representation for members whose works are pirated. A Welfare Committee will assist distressed authors, especially those dealing with the economic fallout from piracy. 

Again, as the question is being asked, “Can BLAPAN Partner with International Copyright Bodies?”, it is expedient to respond in this context as a member of the association by saying that the leadership revealed ongoing discussions to affiliate with international organisations such as the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO), and African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO). 

There is no denying the fact that the birth of BLAPAN signifies a collective resolve of authors and publishers against the common enemy called Book Pirates. 

An aspect of the resolve was demonstrated when the members, including this writer, on inauguration day defied the rain. In fact, the resilience of those in attendance symbolised the urgency of BLAPAN’s mission. 

The ceremony ended with a strong resolution from all members to work together in unity and vigilance. “Our dream is now a shared dream,” a member declared. “And together, we will take piracy to the grave.” 

Looking ahead, it is germane to project that with its first national executive council firmly in place, BLAPAN is poised to lead what could become Nigeria’s most consequential anti-piracy campaign. Through advocacy, enforcement, legal aid, and international partnerships, the association is on course to restore dignity, income, and justice to authors and publishers long forgotten in the fight against intellectual theft. 

For Nigerian creatives, the message is clear: The total war against piracy has begun.