‘Nigeria Int’l Book Fair a battleground for the soul of our nation’

By Olufemi Timothy Ogunyejo

NIGERIA International Book Fair 2025 came to a close last Friday, May 10, 2025, with one man who showed unwavering dedication, strategic foresight, and servant leadership taking the shine for redefine the Nigerian book landscape — Mr. Dare Oluwatuyi, Chairman of the Nigerian International Book Fair Trust, MD of CSS Bookshop Ltd and author of The Fine Art of Bookselling: Reflections of Nigeria Industry Stakeholders. A driver who has skillfully steered the wheel of progress, a pilot navigating the complexities of the book industry with vision and precision, a coach inspiring and mentoring a new generation of book professionals, a prophet foreseeing the potential of Nigerian book culture on the global stage, a surgeon dissecting systemic challenges with surgical wisdom, and an eagle whose eyes remain fixed on the lofty heights of literary excellence — Mr. Oluwatuyi embodies uncommon leadership in its finest form.

As chairman, his leadership was instrumental in the success of the 24th edition of the Nigerian International Book Fair, an extraordinary event that brought together book lovers, literary enthusiasts, tourists, foreign authors, government stakeholders, and exhibitors from around the world. Under his guidance and with the dedicated execution by the Olugbemi Malomo-led planning committee, the book fair was showcased with renewed vigor, energy, and excellence to the global community.

This interview seeks to delve into the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Nigerian Book Fair through the eyes of a man who stands at the helms of it all. Mr. Oluwatuyi, with his humility and brilliance, shares his reflections on the journey so far, the pressing challenges, and the bright prospects ahead for the Nigerian and African book industry.

In celebrating him, we not only honour a man of remarkable achievement but also a symbol of integrity, vision, and godly leadership. As Managing Director of CSS Bookshops, former Chairman of Booksellers Association of Nigeria, and now the leader of the Book Fair Trust, Mr. Oluwatuyi has left an indelible mark on the pages of Nigerian publishing history.

“The book fair is not just an event, it is a movement, a mission, and a mirror of our national consciousness,” Mr. Oluwatuyi stressed.

When NIBF opened its doors nearly 27 years ago, it began not with the fanfare of fireworks, but with the silent flutter of printed pages and the resolute footsteps of visionaries determined to build a nation of readers. It is a journey etched in ink and determination.

Mr. Dare Oluwatuyi

“From humble beginnings, we have built a literary lighthouse that now shines across Africa,” Mr. Oluwatuyi began, tracing the origin of the book fair to the visionary efforts of the Lagos chapter of the Nigerian Booksellers Association. This was before the organisation evolved into the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT) — the current body that coordinates this book market.

The associations known as the constituent bodies and book ecosystem that shaped the fair’s framework include Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Nigerian Association of Authors (ANA), Booksellers Association of Nigeria (BAN), Reprographic Rights Organisation of Nigeria (REPRONIG), Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria ( CIPPON), Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), among others.

In a moment steeped in reverence and deep appreciation, Mr. Oluwatuyi, paused amidst the triumph of this year’s fair to cast glowing tribute to the giants whose shoulders he proudly stands upon – the past chairmen of the fair, both living and departed.

With eyes lit by gratitude and a voice thick with emotion, Mr. Oluwatuyi described them not merely as predecessors, but as visionaries, architects, and relentless custodians of Nigeria’s book destiny.

“These men were not just administrators,” he began, “they were torchbearers who lit the path for us with courage, sacrifice, and uncommon devotion to the Nigerian book industry. They built what we now celebrate. The vision of a book fair that speaks to the world from Africa; it was their dream long before it became our reality.”

He spoke glowingly of the pioneering chairmen, who, at a time when the book industry was grappling with multiple challenges, dared to gather the fragmented voices of publishers, authors, booksellers, and stakeholders under one national umbrella — giving birth to what has become the continent’s largest book fair. For the living leaders, Mr. Oluwatuyi offered not just admiration, but continued fellowship and collaboration.

“Their wisdom remains a well I draw from,” he said in gratitude. “I am only a steward continuing the journey they began, and I rely on their counsel even today.”

Turning to the memories of those who have passed on, he was especially tender, saying, “To the chairmen who are no longer with us, their legacies are immortal. Though absent in body, their imprints remain in every hall we decorate, every author we showcase, and every child who discovers joy in reading through this fair.”

Mr. Oluwatuyi’s tribute was not a mere courtesy; it was a recognition of a sacred relay of leadership, where each man handed the baton with faith that the next would run farther. Their individual tenures might differ in time, but their collective impact echoes in the resounding success of every edition of the book fair.

He concluded: “This year’s fair, successful as it was, is a dedication to the resilience, commitment, and legacy of all our past chairmen. Their footprints are on every page of this story.”

In those words, Mr. Oluwatuyi not only saluted the past — he called on this generation to honour, preserve, and extend the rich legacy entrusted to them. With humility and heartfelt gratitude, Mr. Oluwatuyi acknowledged the founding fathers who built this platform and legacies.

The raison d’être of the book fair remains evergreen like the books it celebrates. Its objectives are clear, to foster a vibrant reading culture, to promote the availability and affordability of books, to ensure end-users students, educators, and readers have access to quality information and to forge unity among key stakeholders in the industry

“This fair,” according to Mr. Oluwatuyi, “is not just about books, but about the betterment of society through shared knowledge and accessible education. Organising a book fair in Nigeria is not a tea party; it’s a marathon on a muddy track.”

Funding, unsurprisingly, remains a towering hurdle, and as he put it, “Unlike the world’s developed nations where arts and education are handsomely funded, here, we often have to go cap in hand, knocking on the doors of agencies, institutions, and corporate bodies.”

Yet, there is light, as Mr. Oluwatuyi commended Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and players in the paper industry for their consistent support, calling them “the lifeblood that has kept this noble venture alive.”

Unity among stakeholders is another thorn on the fair’s body. The relationship between publishers and booksellers has at times been more frost than fire, with Mr. Oluwatoyi cautining, “But a house divided against itself cannot stand. We must learn to collaborate, not compete. The reader should be our shared compass.”

And then there is the ever-present scourge: piracy. “Pirates are intellectual bandits,” he said sharply. “They loot without shame, plunder without guilt, and rob creators of both reward and recognition.”

Mr. Oluwatuyi praised the Director-General of Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) Dr. John Assein for his responsiveness and support, but stressed the urgent need for the enforcement of piracy laws, noting, “If we do not protect our creators, we endanger our culture.”

Why hasn’t the book fair moved beyond Lagos? “It’s not for lack of will,” he explained. “But taking the book fair outside Lagos is an arduous task, like trying to transplant an ancient tree. The roots are deep, the logistics are heavy, and the fear of losing key stakeholders is real.”

Nevertheless, the dream of regional and national expansion remains on the horizon, as he noted, saying, “even the largest rivers started as streams. One day, the fair shall flow across Nigeria.”

On his perspective on the enduring value of books, Mr. Oluwatuyi leaned back thoughtfully, his gaze momentarily lifting as if searching the very air for the weight of the word. Then, with a voice steady and passionate, he answered, “Books are more than ink on paper. They are vessels of thought, carriers of culture, and custodians of civilization. A book is a bridge between minds, between generations, between continents. It is a quiet teacher, an ever-patient companion, and a timeless storyteller. To define a book merely as a printed collection of words would be to undervalue its magic.”

Mr. Oluwatuyi described books as living archives of human experience, repositories of knowledge, imagination, dreams, fears, victories, and wisdom, adding, “Books preserve the voices of the past and ignite the minds of the future. They are the safest place for dangerous ideas, the birthplace of revolutions, and the sacred ground where dialogue begins.”

In his words, books serve multiple ends: A book is a seed planted in the soil of a mind, watered by curiosity and harvested in transformation. A book is a mirror reflecting not just the world around us but the world within us. A book is a ladder lifting the reader from ignorance to insight, from confusion to clarity. A book is a doorway into other cultures, other hearts, and other worlds.

“The power of a book is silent but unstoppable,” Mr. Oluwatuyi added. “Nations have been shaped by books. Leaders have been born through them. Empires have crumbled because of the ideas they carried. The book fair exists because we understand this power, and we are determined to keep it alive.”

As the crowd of authors, publishers, scholars, and readers listened, it was clear that Mr. Oluwatuyi had not merely spoken about books, he had spoken into them. His words captured the soul of the fair itself: a celebration not just of products but of purpose. Not just reading, but of remembering what it means to be human.

A ray of hope beams through the fair’s growing relationship with schools, as Mr. Oluwatuyi acknowledged, explaining, “Our children are not just the future — they are the now. School participation has grown, and our youth-focused events are bursting with talent and curiosity.”

The book fair also champions local authors, offering platforms for book launches, readings, and intellectual dialogue: “We must not just consume imported content; we must create, elevate, and celebrate our own,” he said.

Mr. Oluwatuyi envisions a future where the Nigerian International Book Fair becomes a continental model. He sees a future with digital integration, virtual fairs, and AI-powered publishing tools. But beyond the tech, he dreams of a Nigeria where books are in every home, not just libraries, but in every child’s hand, not just in elite schools.

In closing, Mr. Oluwatuyi made a clarion call to readers, writers, educators, and policymakers, saying, “The book fair is more than books. It is a battleground for the soul of our nation. If we fail to read, we prepare to be ruled by ignorance. Let us build a country where books are not luxuries but necessities.”

And so, as the 24th edition turns another page in the book fair’s history, the story of Nigeria’s literary awakening continues — one fair, one book, and one reader at a time!

* Ogunyejo is a member of the ICT, Media and Marketing Committee of NIBF 2025