Headlines
Booksellers plan big for Nigeria Virtual Bookfair 2020
OBINNA EZUGWU
The Booksellers Association of Nigeria (BAN) is bracing for a grand outing at the forthcoming Nigeria Virtual Bookfair, 2020, a statement from the organisation has said.
The bookfair, an initiative of the Nigerian Bookfair Trust, NBFT, which BAN is a critical promoting stakeholder, is being held virtually this year from September 1-7, in lieu of the annual physical edition of the Nigerian International Bookfair series.
It had been scheduled to hold in May but had to be put off on account of the national and global economy disruptions occasioned by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the expanded theme of the bookfair is: ‘Information Technology as a Panacea for Book Industry Sustainability amid the COVID-19 Pandemic,’ in particular, BAN is putting forward three events of its own at the fair.
The first is a webinar on ‘An effective booksellers association: the needed stimulus in the book supply chain,’ that as lead speaker, Kevin van Hasselt, a veteran book sector player from the United Kingdom. He will be supported by two professional booksellers from Tanzania and Rwanda respectively.
A second webinar would address the issue of ‘Spending less, getting more, managing the online book marketing budget, with seasoned booksellers as speakers.
The third presentation is a promotional preview of the association’s Directory production project which would be conducted around the topic: ‘Introducing the Nigerian Booksellers Directory: Locating the booksellers in your neighbourhood.’
Commenting on the proposed events and the forthcoming bookfair package, the President of the Booksellers Association of Nigeria, BAN and Managing Director of CSS Bookshops Limited, Mr. Michael Oluwadare Oluwatuyi assured that everything had been done to ensure a most beneficial and rewarding experience at the event and fair. He therefore urged booksellers, book sector players and indeed all lovers and friends of the Nigerian book from within and outside the country to ensure that they register and participate fully in the sessions.
BAN PROGRAMMES
Booksellers Association of Nigeria (BAN) activities at the NIBF Virtual Book Fair:
Theme:
Information Technology as a Panacea for Book Industry Sustainability amid the Covid 19 Pandemic
*BAN’s* 3 Programmes: 2 Conferences and 1 Presentation:
1. Tuesday, September 2, 2020
Conference Topic 1:
An Effective *Booksellers* Association: The Needed Stimulus in the Book Supply Chain. (2 Hours)
– Speaker: Mr. Kelvin van Hasselt,
Book Publishers & Education Equipment Representative for the Africa & Caribbean, based in
Norfolk, United Kingdom
– Moderator: Mr. Adegbola Adesina,
Deputy Managing Director,
CSS Bookshops Limited, Lagos
2. Friday, September 4, 2020
Conference Topic 2:
Spending less, getting more: Managing the online book marketing budget.
– Speakers:
(i).
Tobi Eyinade,
Co-founder
Rovingheights
(ii).
Gideon Ilori,
Lead Consultant
Techside
(iii).
Dr Eghosa Imasuen,
Co-founder
Narrative Landscape Press
– Moderator: Mr. Richard Mammah,
MD/CEO Sunbird African Media Limited;
Contributing Editor, Business Hallmark & Publisher, The Difference Newspapers.
3. Friday, September 4, 2020
Topic 3:
Introducing the Booksellers Directory: Locating the booksellers in your neighbourhood. (2 Hours)
Presenters:
(i) Mr. Adegbola Adesina, Deputy Managing Director, CSS Bookshops Limited.
&
(ii) Mr. Richard Mammah,
Managing Director & CEO
Sunbird African Media Limited;
Publishers of The Difference Newspapers
&
Contributing Editor – Business Hallmark
Dare Oluwatuyi
BAN President
Henry Nkom Itauma
General Secretary
