What the future means now for Niger State Book Development Agency – BM Dzukogi

Congratulations on having the Bill on the Niger State Book and Other Intellectual Resources Development Agency passed into law. What is the significance of this?The significance is the final institutionalisation of creative writing in Niger State where annually, we are sure government will provide funds through statutory allocation for publishing our numerous young writers. Similarly, […]

Congratulations on having the Bill on the Niger State Book and Other Intellectual Resources Development Agency passed into law. What is the significance of this?
The significance is the final institutionalisation of creative writing in Niger State where annually, we are sure government will provide funds through statutory allocation for publishing our numerous young writers. Similarly, the development now seal the fact that there is a recognition of our existence as writers and artists by the state. This act will consciously promote reading and book development at grassroots. Then you can safely say that, as writers in Nigeria, we now have a home we can call ours at the Agency.

Prior to the legislative success, the agency has been operating as the Niger State Book Development Agency. What necessitated the modification in the name?
The governor modified it. I think he thought he should, we should be father to all. And we appreciate his broader vision in that respect because there are other forms of artistic expressions like film, visual arts such as painting etc. And one of the original intentions is to provide an environment for students and academics to function too. I want to believe that he changed it to that to enable the Agency accommodate other intellectual properties even if on a skeletal note. This will even give space for artistic union in the state.

This agency has been influential over the last couple of years in organising the MBA Colloquium and clearly, since Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu is leaving the government house in 2015, what becomes of the annual colloquium and the other programmes of the agency?
The coming of the law has taken care of such fears. We are now living legitimately and legally. Meaning, it is no longer about the governor nor is it about any other stakeholder but about Nigerian artists living in Niger State. It is about Niger State. Good leaders do things that will live forever. This is one.  I wish all states in Nigeria could do something like this. Meanwhile, on the schedule of the functions of the Agency is an item that says we shall organise an annual international literary colloquium. The law is the saviour in the matter. In fact, many more activities have been added, things like establishing a publishing house to publish young writers including primary and secondary students. We are now a legal entity recognised by the state and government and her peoples. Isn’t this glorious?
It is indeed. A year ago, the agency launched a mobile book distribution service, through which you planned to use tricycles to get books to all parts of the state. What has been the fate of this scheme?
It is still there. The governor asked the Ministry of Transport to give us five tricycles which they did.  After the launch of Bookhawker, suddenly, the Ministry started troubling us for payment for the tricycles but we have no money to do so. It was supposed to be free. MBA Bookhawker is a government scheme. But we had to withdraw the tricycles from the roads when they threatened to impound them. So we are going to write the new commissioner of transport who incidentally is a sympathiser of the Agency to clear the issue. I am sure that will be sorted out soon.  

The agency recently commissioned a bookshop in Minna that will make books available to booklovers in the state? Is there a plan to extend this to other parts of the state?
The new law has asked us to cover the whole state. So we will strategize with the Ministry for Local Governments to incorporate the Bookhawker into the activities of the Ward Development Projects. As a matter of fact the Ministry for Local Governments has been a major financier of the Agency and book development activities from the beginning. In the new law establishing the Agency, they are to nominate a Director from the Ministry as member of the Governing Board, meaning, we are together. This makes it easier for us to move to the local governments in the state as we move ahead. Even this year’s colloquium, they served as a great channel when we couldn’t access funds from the Finance Ministry.

How will you ensure accountability in this bookshop by ensuring that publishers get their returns for books supplied and that money generated from book sales are not misappropriated?
At the Agency are serious characters who are writers themselves. However, the law is there to catch up with any slip up by any staff. Also, it is a direct open transactions where authors can come in anytime ask for their dues because it is sales on return.