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  • ‘My experience with a publisher’

    ‘My experience with a publisher’

    UK-based Nigerian ophthalmologist and author of I was a Teen Rock Star and The Last Days at Forcados High School Dr. Ayobami Hanif Mohammed speaks with Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme on his experiences with his former publisher, his interest in teen books and why he delved into writing among other issues.

    Your book The Last Days at Forcados High School seems to share the same target audience with your last book. How rewarding of fulfilling is writing for the young at heart?

    I write young adult/teen books for the contemporary Nigerian audience. The teenage years are a very turbulent period – physically and psychologically. Adolescents are seen as neither fish nor fowl because they are not children and not yet adults, yet it is a time of immense possibilities. Writing this genre has been quite exciting because of the impact it has on the minds of teenagers. I cannot count the numerous messages I have received from teenagers who say how inspired they were by The Last Days at Forcados. I guess that is my reward!

     Is it a direction you intend to stick to for long or is it for just a while?

    I write contemporary Nigerian Young Adult/Teen books. Y A is very huge internationally and Nigeria has a huge youth population but how many Nigerian teens can see themselves in books? There is a possibility I might decide to delve to another field later, but for now, this is the niche I have chosen to develop.

     How relevant is the theme of your new book to Gen Z generation of Nigerians and what impact can it make on them?

    Regarding the generation mentioned, young people are not taken seriously in Nigeria. Other countries may discriminate against race, gender but Nigeria’s age discrimination is something else.

    I sure hope my book is quite relevant. I was a Teen Rock Star! was inspired partly by our Nigerian music industry. I had started it quite a while ago, then stopped working on the manuscript. I must say that I am immensely proud of our current Naija music. It is one of our greatest social exports to the world.

    It is also a coming of age book with its attendant joys and sorrows. My protagonist Lanre had quite a tough time! I hope my readers would find a lot to interest them in Lanre and the other characters. In terms of making an impact, I want my readers to enjoy the story first as a rollicking good yarn.

     What is your experience in the hands of Nigerian publishers?

    I had an awful experience with my former publisher Cassava Republic. I realised that some publishers are simply in the business to exploit young or unsuspecting authors. The issue is also that the situation in Nigeria makes it difficult for authors’ rights to be respected if an unscrupulous publisher decides to violate an existing contract.

    Read Also: Burutu North: Appeal Court reserves judgment in APC, PDP dispute

    Some publishers try to make authors feel they are doing them a favour by deigning to publish them. The reality is that it is not true. In today’s world a writer does not necessarily need a publisher but without authors, publishers will cease to exist. It will interest you to know I am still in court with my former publisher (largely due to their efforts to frustrate the case) so there is a limit to what I can say here but this informed my decision never to use a publisher – at least not one based in Nigeria.

      What then informed your choice of a Nigerian publisher for the latest book or is it a self-publishing stuff?

    I decided to take control of my publishing, but my books still go through the same rigorous process of an independent assessment, editing, book design etc. I have mentioned how it is no longer essential nowadays to have a publisher. One must just do things the proper way. Even with a publisher, an author is usually responsible for marketing and promoting his/her book. Now, I oversee all aspects of my works and certainly have no intention of sharing my rights or royalties with any publisher.

     Marketing is critical to book appreciation. How are you working round this using the ICT and other marketing strategies?

    Yes, marketing is important because people must know about your books. We are working hard to create a buzz, but I believe it is better to have a good work and gradually this will spread out. Word of mouth marketing is very crucial for books. It is difficult but we are getting there hopefully.

    Regarding a lot of aggressive marketing strategies all I have to say is that I do not always believe the hype or claims made by some publishers.

     How long did it take you to complete writing the book?

    Oh, it took quite a long time! I write quite slowly. I left it for quite a while and concentrated on parts of my medical career. Medicine can be all consuming but also has its rewards. I love my work as an ophthalmologist and would not exchange it for anything.

    Writing is also very difficult. Don’t let anyone fool you otherwise. That is why I get quite piqued when people feel the rights of writers should be trampled upon. Not everybody can be a writer. That is the simple truth.

     How and why did you delve into literary works?

    I always loved reading as a child. That was the starting point. Reading a good book is still one of my greatest pleasures. So, I guess I always knew I was going to be a writer.

    As a youngster I noticed there were not enough works for contemporary teenagers/young adults. I guess this influenced me in a way. But reading was the genesis.

     If you had not taken to medicine, would you have studied literary arts and why?

    I am studying the literary arts! My career as a medical doctor has not prevented me from taking an interest in the Arts and humanities – rather it has enriched it because I can see things from a unique aspect and I am free to enjoy it. There’s no answer to that question.

     Many Nigerian writers young and old continue to make global headlines with their publications. Who among them do you find as an inspiration and model?

    Nigeria has always had quite a rich literary history and I am inspired by that. I am not sure if global headlines really matter. I am more interested in our local book industry and making sure Nigerians have access to well written commercial fiction, which they would enjoy. I am glad to see we now have quite a few new authors and books in Nigeria even if they are not well known.

    Americans write for Americans. British people write for the Brits. Let Nigerians write for Nigerians primarily- not another audience. If another market takes interest in it, all well and good. 

  • Publisher gets Honorary Doctorate in Theology

    The Editor in Chief/Publisher of South South International magazine Ovie Edomi has been conferred with a honorary doctorate degree in theology by Bishop Festus Nteile of Theological University in Delta State.

    A congratulatory letter by Nteile, the presiding bishop of Christ Freedom Embassy, noted that Edomi, a journalist of over three decades, ignited the vision for establishment of the institution which he stated has produced great solders of God

    Edomi who is also the immediate past president of League of Maritime Editors and Publishers as well as Publicity secretary of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria, said he considered the honour as very significant and important.

    In a statement, he said: “I believe as a Deacon in the Church that this honour from a faith based institution is very spiritual and significant much as l appreciate sound academic attainments which l am equally pursuing as a post graduate research fellow/ PhD students in one of the universities.”

     

     

  • Publisher donates building to Lagos primary school

    To complement Lagos State government in its efforts at infrastructure provision, the Publisher of Oriwu Sun community newspaper, Alhaji Monzor Olowosago, has built and equipped a 3-classroom block as donation to Estate Primary School, Ikorodu.

    While commissioning the ultra modern building last week, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode commended Olowosago for supporting the efforts of the Lagos State government to further improve the learning environment for pupils of its public schools across the state. The governor described the gesture as a laudable one that should be emulated by other people and organisations.

    Ambode, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagements. Hon. Kehinde Joseph, explained that education is one of the most important sectors of the socio-econmic development of any society. He added that irrespective of the richness of a school curriculum, the environment for must also play a key role as it must be relatively conducive for effective learning to take place, which informed the policy of his administration towards educational development in the state.

    Speaking at the event which was witnessed by government officials, traditional rulers and other eminent personalities from within and outside the state, Olowosago said the project was divinely inspired at a time when he was thinking about giving back to the society from the blessing God has bestowed upon him and his media organisation over the years.

    “God inspired me to donate the building to this school. I saw a need in my environment and decided to meet that need to the benefit of the community. I have been thinking of how I can appreciate God for all that he has done for me. Then God put it in my mind to put smiles on the faces of these little children and their teachers and I decided to do just that. I am happy that they all appreciate my little gesture,” he said.

     

  • Publisher petitions IG over plot to arrest wife, son

    Publisher petitions IG over plot to arrest wife, son

    WORRIED by failed attempt to arrest his wife and son, the Publisher of an online platform, PRNigeria, Mallam Yushau Shuaib, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris.

    He said a team of policemen from Lagos had subjected his family to harassment and intimidation in the past few weeks over alleged purported investigation of his son, Gidado Shuaib, who just returned from a Master’s Degree Programme from the United Kingdom (UK).

    Although Gidado was away to Saudi Arabia to cover the 2017 Hajj for PRNigeria, the police team attempted to bundle his mother, Hajiya Sikirat Shuaib, into a car without presenting any warrant of arrest.

    The alarm raised by Hajiya Sikirat made passers-by to come to her rescue before the publisher arrived on the scene.

    Following pressure from the family that the incident should be indented at a police station, the Police team from Lagos later took the publisher’s wife to Wuye Police Station in Abuja.

    In a 30-paragraph letter addressed to the IGP, dated September 11, the publisher said the team from Lagos claimed that Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode was aware of an alleged massive fraud committed in Lagos involving his son, Gidado Shuaib.

    He said the police team was led by one Inspector Babatunde (08056506863, 08081700099).

    He said:  “On August 21, 2017, my wife received a phone call purported to be from an MTN team coming to deliver a seasonal gift to her. Suspicious of such gifts at a period of insecurity, their calls were ignored.

    “With persistent calls, she told them she was going towards Wuye Market with her sister where they were accosted by four hefty men and a woman claiming to be from the Police.

    “When they attempted to bundle her into their white saloon car, she resisted by raising her voice, shouting for help. She learnt the trick of ‘shouting’ to evade abductions by suspected kidnappers who use names of security agencies to whisk away innocent victims.

    “Realising the implication of her shout that could attract a mob action, they accepted her request to trek together to a nearby Wuye Divisional Police Station for fear of abduction.

    “When I was alerted over the incident, I rushed to the police station on a pajamas and bathroom slippers only to be detained by the policemen, who now seized our telephones and were dialing different telephone numbers from them.

    “When I insisted on what offences we committed for our detention and search on our phones, they claimed that Governor Ambode was aware of an alleged massive fraud committed in Lagos involving my Son, Gidado Shuaib.”

    He also said the team wanted to take him to Lagos but for the intervention of the Wuye Police Station, CSP Solome Hardy, who insisted that the person in detention was not the suspect of the investigation.

    On the police allegation of fraud in Lagos and his son’s alleged involvement, Shuaib said: “Gidado has never spent a night in Lagos in the last five years.

    “In fact, he was only in Lagos on a transit to connect with a foreign airline on a trip to New York to attend the annual United Nations Youths Assembly, where he was invited as a delegate in 2015. He didn’t even return through Lagos but through Abuja Airport. He has, therefore, never spent a single night in Lagos in the last five years.”

    The publisher, therefore, urged the Police boss to provide clear information of the alleged offences purportedly committed by his son; to direct one Inspector Babatunde (08056506863, 08081700099) to stop threatening them with phone calls.

    He urged the police to tender unreserved apology for treating his family like a common criminal without adequate proof of the allegations.

     

  • Author debunks publisher’s claim

    Mr Ayobami Hanif Muhammed, the author of the book: ‘The last days at Forcados High School’ has debunked claims that he is in any  arbitration with Cassava Republic (CR), publishers of the book.

    Muhammed also denied claims by the Cassava Republic that both the Nigerian Copyright Commission and ICPC, took little interest when the disagreement between the two parties over alleged copyright abuse was reported to them.

    Last month, Muhammed addressed a briefing where he alleged a breach of contract on the part of the publisher.

    Muhammed recounted how CR entered into a contractual agreement with JAMB to use the book for candidates’ General English between 2014  and 2017. He alleged that the publisher short-changed him for the aforementioned years.

    Cassava Republic has since debunked the author’s claims, saying the two lawyers he initially engaged to meet with them  withdrew when they found no substance in his (Mohammed) case.

    However, speaking through his lawyer Ajayi  Fatoki, Muhammed alleged that the publisher attempted to intimidate his two previous lawyers in order to force them to a compromise; hence the need for him to change them.

    He said: “My previous counsel suggested the option of arbitration after a mediatory meeting that failed last May. However, no arbitration case was filed because arbitration involves the consent of two parties and I did not give my consent.

    Muhammed continued: “The case has been filed for litigation in the Federal High Court with appropriate suit no last month after all attempts at peaceful discussion in the past year failed irretrievably with them (CR) to abide by contractual terms due to their recalcitrance by insisting next payment on a reduced royalty rate which we didn’t agree upon. They also persistently refused to pay on registered candidates according to terms of agreement. I also believe they made efforts to intimidate and engage my previous lawyers to my detriment hence the need to change them. They were also supposed to effect payments much earlier according to my contract,” Muhammed said…

    Muhammed said he is glad that JAMB which signed an agreement with Cassava Republic to use the book for its candidates for a contractual year, owned up to being in custody of over 1.3 million copies, adding that by that alone, the published has an obligation to make payment for that.

    Fatoki wondered why Cassava Republic had to supply JAMB an additional 1.3 million copies if the agreement was truly for a two- year period.

    As against the publisher’s claim, Muhammed said he informed ICPC because the publisher had earlier insisted that the copy of the agreement must be submitted to the Commission; hence his compliance. Besides, he denied ever taking the case to ICPC.

    “I never made any communication to the ICPC on the matter. Maybe it’s their conscience or they have another case with the ICPC,” Muhammed said.

  • Author threatens publisher, JAMB with litigation

    Author threatens publisher, JAMB with litigation

    THE author of ‘The last days at Forcados High School’ Mr Ayobami Hanif Muhammed, is threatening a legal action against Cassava Republic, publishers of the book, for breach of contract.

    Muhammed said his legal battle wouldalso extend to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for allegedly defrauding him.

    At a briefing at the University of Lagos at the weekend, Muhammed and his lawyer, Ajayi Rahseed Fatoki, said they had filed an action against Cassava Republic, adding that JAMB would be notified soon.

    Mohammed recounted how he wrote the book as an undergraduate of Medicine in University of Lagos in 2006 and forwarded the manuscript to Cassava Republic, then a new publishing firm which accepted and published it in 2013.

    A year after, Muhammed said Fafunwa Education Foundation, picked interest in the book, recommended it for JAMB which adopted  it to be used  by candidates for General English for three consecutive years ( between 2014-2017), after the book has survived the board’s rigorous screening. Thereafter, Muhammed said he and the publisher were contacted, but since he had already entered into an agreement with the publisher, he felt there was no need to be at the negotiation between the publisher and JAMB, hoping the former would represent his interest.

    According to him, both parties signed an agreement to issue each copy of the book to all candidates that bought JAMB registration form within the years mentioned.

    Muhammed said: “After this, the publisher contacted me and to my shock started making efforts to compel me to deviate from my contract by agreeing to a lower royalty rate, citing discount. She first tried to get me to agree to a net royalty; this means all cost which ordinarily should be borne by the publisher, would be deducted from the author’s share. When I refused, she then suggested halving my royalty due to ‘bulk’. I refused and then all sorts of pressure, pleadings and even blackmail were applied. They took advantage of the fact that I was not present at any of the discussions and refused to show me the agreement they had with JAMB which they were contractually obliged to show me. After all this, I agreed to a reduction of 4.5 per cent royalty. This was, however, for the first year. Each year would be negotiated between the author and publisher.”

    After the first sale in 2014-2015, Muhammed said he received a statement from the publisher, stating that 1,295,963 copies of the book were sold as against JAMB’s official figure of 1,475,477. “I requested for an explanation for the discrepancy and the reply I got was ‘JAMB paid them (publisher) for the number of books picked up by students”,  noting that it was at this point he decided to inform his lawyer to arrange for a meeting, which yielded little or no outcome as the publisher continued to use different tactics to explain the discrepancy.

    He lamented that he had not received any royalty for 2015/2016, while JAMB has only decided to adopt the book only for Direct Entry candidates for this session.

    Earlier in the year, I was invited to an informal meeting with the  JAMB Registrar at which to my surprise, he tried to persuade me to agree with the publisher. When the UTME registration was announced for this year, I saw my book was for Direct Entry candidates, while another book by the same publisher was for the UTME. This was against what the publisher told me from the beginning and I did not give permission for my book to be used for ‘Direct Entry’ candidates”

    Fatoki lamented that ever since the agreement was signed, his client had not been obliged with a copy of it. Rather, Fatoki said the publisher has continued to employ varying tactics from subtle intimidation to threat.

    JAMB has, however, denied any informal meeting with Muhammed.

    The board’s spokesperson, Mr Fabian Benjamin, said JAMB entered into an agreement with Cassava Republic and as such is only answerable to it and not the author.

    ‘’I am not aware of any informal meeting you talked about,”  Benjamin said.

    “As I’m talking to you, we still have over a million copies of the book in our custody. If you were a businessman and you found yourself in my shoes, would you just allow those books to waste away like that?  I do not wish to talk about the life span of that contract. The author should talk to his publisher.’’

    But the management of Cassava Republic has described Muhammed’s claim as tissues of lies.

    It said it exhibited transparency with Muhammed all through the process of the said agreement.

    In an e-mail sent to The Nation, the management wondered why Muhammed had to rush to the press after he had already instituted a legal proceeding against the publisher.

    The statement reads: “It is surprising that our author, Hanif Mohammed, would call a briefing at this stage, rather than allow the legal process he initiated to take effect.  After consultation with our legal team, we have provided as much information as we can under the circumstances, without jeopardising the ongoing legal process.

    ‘’Please note that prior to his most recent legal team, the author has hired two previous sets of lawyers who, one after the other, informed our lawyer that on examination of the facts before them, they can no longer continue with the case.  You’ll also note that the same author has taken the case to the Copyrights Commission and ICPC. Both agencies took little interest in his version of events.

    ‘’My guess is that the author has decided to go to the media rather than wait for the legal process. I cannot, therefore, but think that his action is an attempt to diminish our company in the court of public opinion. It’s a pity, as Hanif has earned a sum well into the eight figures in royalties from the book.  It’s been a disappointing and upsetting process dealing with Hanif’s protestations when we have acted honourably to him throughout, as we always do with our authors.”

     

  • Nwapa, Emecheta were pioneers, says publisher

    Nwapa, Emecheta were pioneers, says publisher

    The late Buchi Emecheta’s literary voice was given expression through the support of Margaret Busby, who is reputed for being Britain’s youngest and first black woman book publisher. She co-founded Allison and Busby (1944 to 2011) with Clive Allison.
    Besides being her publisher, Busby also became the late Emecheta’s friend, even as she followed the writing career of Nwapa, though from a far. In an online interview with The Nation, after Emecheta’s death, Busby spoke on both writers.
    “It was an honour to be able to include both Flora Nwapa and Buchi in my 1992 compilation Daughters of Africa: An International Anthology of Words and Writings by Women of African Descent. Hard to believe it is 25 years since that was first published.
    She added: “As I noted in that volume, Flora was the first African woman novelist to gain international recognition, with her 1966 novel being published in Britain in Heinemann’s African Writers Series. She was indeed a pioneer, as were the other African women also starting out in the 1960s and additionally exploring the genres of playwriting and poetry – with Ghana’s Efua Sutherland and Ama Ata Aidoo leading the way, alongside Southern Africa’s Bessie Head.
    “Little wonder that when Buchi Emecheta too began to write, in the early ’70s, she would be influenced not only by “the father of modern African writing”, Chinua Achebe, but by her trailblazing countrywoman, to the extent that the title of Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood directly alludes to Nwapa’s words at the end of Efuru. Just as Efua Sutherland in the early 1970s co-founded a publishing company, so in the 1970s did Nwapa, giving as one of her objectives “to inform and educate women all over the world…about the role of women in Nigeria, their economic independence, their relationship with their husbands and children, their traditional beliefs and their status in the community as a whole. “Emecheta, too, for a while became her own publisher. In such initiatives it recognised the need for African women to continue to make interventions in the literary world, and the likes of Bibi Bakare-Yusuf of Cassava Republic Press must be accorded every respect for building on that brave tradition.”

  • Publisher, nine others held for floating ‘seditious’ Biafra Times

    Publisher, nine others held for floating ‘seditious’ Biafra Times

    •I’m not a Biafra supporter, says owner

    A newspaper publisher, Peter Eke and nine of his workers have been arrested by the police in Lagos State for floating an alleged seditious, unregistered weekly called Biafra Times.
    Eke; Ayodeji Gbemi; Akeem Bisiriyu; Jamiu Oleowo; Shakiru Folorunsho; Azeez Ayoola; Rafiu Kachu; Adewunmi Tope; Kunle Olushola and Akeem Adebakin were paraded at the command headquarters in Ikeja by the Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni.
    Owoseni said they would be charged to court for seditious publication under Sections 150 and 401 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.
    According to him, policemen stormed 33, Oguntolu Street, Shomolu and discovered that the suspects had turned a room into a printing press and were producing seditious materials, which they distributed to vendors.
    He said: “When we got the intelligence report, a team of policemen were sent to the address and they found a printing press where Biafra Times was being published.
    “We arrested 10 people and seized the plates and 515 copies of the print run.
    “It’s an offence punishable under the criminal law of Lagos State under Section 105, which deals with obscene publications.
    “Also, Section 401 captures offences relating to terrorism. It is punishable under the Criminal Code, a federal law under the chapters that deals with seditious report.
    “The exhibits are in police custody and operatives worked throughout the night to interrogate them and we have liaised with the Attorney General on the situation.”
    Denying any links with pro-Biafra agitators, the suspects said they were only after making money for themselves.
    Eke said: “I am not aware that my publication is seditious. I only saw it from a commercial point of view.
    “I have not registered the Biafra Times but my sports and politics papers are registered.
    “I started Biafra Times because we discovered that each time we ran Biafra stories on the other papers, we usually had huge sales.
    “So, we thought that having a paper with Biafra in its title would attract more money for us.
    “And it worked because we usually print between 6,000 to 7,000 copies a week and we sell. The paper is sold at N100 per copy but we give vendors at N60.
    “I was trying to recoup the money I spent setting up the press. I bought the four printing machines at N2.1 million each.
    “That was when I decided to focus on Biafra Times. I am not a Biafran, I merely cashed in on the situation to make money.”

  • Police raid PREMIUM TIMES, arrest publisher, reporter

    Police raid PREMIUM TIMES, arrest publisher, reporter

    The Nigeria police have reportedly  raided PREMIUM TIMES head office in Abuja, and arrested the newspaper’s publisher.

    The newspaper in a story on its website said the  publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, was arrested alongside the paper’s judiciary correspondent, Evelyn Okakwu.

    “Plain-clothed officers conducted search at the office shortly after 5p.m. Thursday, and said they were acting on a complaint filed by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

    “The arrests came days after PREMIUM TIMES turned down the army’s demand to retract news stories about the Nigerian Army and its operations.”

    Reacting to the arrest, the paper’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, condemned it stating that “they should stop deluding themselves that they can muzzle the press and intimidate PREMIUM TIMES.”

    “They should know that our loyalty lies with our readers and the Nigerian people who have a right to know.

    ” The paper will continue to discharge its responsibilities in line with global best practices, social responsibility and patriotism, even at great risk to our personal liberties,” Mojeed stated.

     

  • Osinbajo, publisher for The Interview lecture

    Osinbajo, publisher for The Interview lecture

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will be the special guest of honour at The Interview magazine’s first anniversary public lecture and presentation on September 6, in Abuja, a statement by Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Azu Ishiekwene, said yesterday.

    According to the statement, a lecture: Why Start-ups Fail and Strategies To Save Them, ‘’is designed to address one of the most topical and troubling issues of our time – how to create and sustain private-sector driven jobs.”

    It added: “We have invited a broad range of stakeholders from Nigeria and other economic engine rooms across the continent – including entrepreneurs, investors and regulators – to share their experiences and provide practical solutions. We’ll be sharing ideas about things that have worked and failed and provide insight that businesses can use.”

    Also expected as guest speaker is South Africa’s leading Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of The Mail and Guardian, Mr. Trevor Ncube.

    Other speakers will be the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of RainOil, Mr. Gabriel Ogbechie, and the Chairman as well as Founder of the Mike Omotosho Foundation, Dr. Mike Omotosho.

    Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari will chair the occasion, while Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum Zamfara State Governor Abdul’Aziz Yari is the chief presenter.

    Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed is expected to be chief host.