Sunny Udeze, professor of Mass Communication, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) has called for stronger copyright protection for academic and non-fiction authors.
He warned that rampant piracy and unauthorised reproduction of intellectual works undermined research, publishing and knowledge development in Nigeria.
The don made the call while delivering a lecture on Nigerian Copyright Law and the Role of REPRONIG on Tuesday in Enugu.
Udeze, who is also Secretary, Planning Committee of the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) South-East Advocacy and Sensitisation Programme, said the moral rights of authors also protected their names, recognition and the integrity of their intellectual contributions.
The don, a member of the Interim Executive Committee of the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of Nigeria (ANFAAN) explained that authors’ economic rights enable them to earn from their works.
He decried the unauthorised photocopying and reproduction of entire books without permission or payment, describing the practice as damaging to authors and the publishing industry.
Udeze warned that denying authors compensation for the use of their works, discouraged research, writing and intellectual productivity.
According to him, authors are more motivated to write and conduct research when their contributions are recognised and adequately rewarded.
He stressed the need to educate authors and users of published materials on copyright laws, noting that ignorance of legal obligations contributed to infringement.
Udeze then called for stronger collaboration among authors, publishers, educational institutions, government agencies and relevant organisations, to enforce copyright compliance and ensure creators benefited from the use of their works.
He maintained that effective intellectual property protection, would boost academic publishing, strengthen research and advance Nigeria’s knowledge economy.
The don said ANFAAN was established in 1995, following a resolution reached at a workshop in November 1994, to represent academic and non-fiction authors and tackle challenges affecting their work.
He distinguished ANFAAN from the Association of Nigerian Authors.
According to him, while ANA serves fiction writers, including novelists, poets and dramatists, ANFAAN on the other hand, represents lecturers, researchers, textbook writers and authors of reference and professional publications.
“The association’s founding mission included establishing a reproduction rights organisation in Nigeria, with support from Norwegian non-fiction writers and translators and the Reproduction Rights Organisation of Norway,” he explained.
He noted that academic authors produced essential textbooks, research materials and reference works used in schools, libraries and professional institutions.
Udeze identified the protection of authors’ rights, collection and distribution of royalties, copyright awareness, promotion of research, publishing and representation, before government and relevant institutions, as ANFAAN’s key objectives.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the REPRONIG South-East zonal advocacy and sensitisation programme brought together stakeholders to discuss copyright protection, reproduction rights and respect for intellectual property in Nigeria.
(NAN)
