By Jane Daniels
ENUGU — Prof. Sunny Emmanuel Udeze has called for stronger copyright protection for academic and non-fiction authors, warning that rampant piracy and unauthorised reproduction of intellectual works undermine research, publishing and knowledge development in Nigeria.
Prof Udeze, a member of the Interim Executive Committee of the Academic and Non-Fiction Authors Association of Nigeria (ANFAAN) and Secretary of the Planning Committee of the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) South-East Advocacy and Sensitization Programme, made the call while delivering the second lecture at the event held on Thursday, at Amedeo Event Centre, Enugu.
He 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.
According to him, 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 Organization of Norway.
Prof Udeze distinguished ANFAAN from the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), explaining that while ANA serves fiction writers, including novelists, poets and dramatists, ANFAAN represents lecturers, researchers, textbook writers and authors of reference and professional publications.
He noted that academic authors produce essential textbooks, research materials and reference works used in schools, libraries and professional institutions.
He identified the protection of authors’ rights, collection and distribution of royalties, copyright awareness, promotion of research and publishing, and representation before government and relevant institutions as ANFAAN’s key objectives.
Udeze explained that authors’ economic rights enable them to earn from their works, while moral rights protect their names, recognition and the integrity of their intellectual contributions.
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.
He warned that denying authors compensation for the use of their works discourages 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 contributes to infringement.
Prof Udeze also called for stronger collaboration among authors, publishers, educational institutions, government agencies and relevant organisations to enforce copyright compliance and ensure creators benefit 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 REPRONIG South-East Zonal Advocacy and Sensitization Programme brought together stakeholders to discuss copyright protection, reproduction rights and respect for intellectual property in Nigeria.
