University Press Plc has donated 3,875 copies of books valued at over N12.5 million to the Ondo State Government as part of efforts to improve the quality of education in the state.
Gatekeepers News reports that the books were presented to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the Governor’s Office in Akure by the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Samuel Kolawole, who said the donation was a way of giving back to a state that had supported the company over the years.
Kolawole noted that University Press Plc, founded in 1949 as the Nigerian branch of Oxford University Press, United Kingdom, has enjoyed a cordial and mutually beneficial relationship with the people and government of Ondo State.
He also expressed concern over the challenge of book piracy, describing it as a major threat to the publishing industry, and urged the Nigerian Copyright Commission to intensify efforts to curb the menace.
“It is one of the things we do at University Press Plc. We believe that in any environment where we are and where we are succeeding, as part of the stakeholder approach to our business, we should give back to that society and that community,” Kolawole said.
“So this is part of our corporate social responsibility. We are book publishers. We have a presence in Ondo State, and we have benefited from this state. We feel that we should give back to the people of this state.
“So that is what we have come to do, to give back to the state by donating books worth over 12 million Naira, over 3,000 copies, to the libraries of public schools in Ondo State.”
Responding, Governor Aiyedatiwa said Ondo State had consistently benefited from the products of University Press Plc, noting that the government regularly purchases and recommends the company’s books at both state and national levels.
He stressed that the availability of educational materials for pupils and students from primary to secondary school is critical to human capital development, especially in a modern, knowledge-driven economy.
According to the governor, major global economies are driven by knowledge built on education, technology and skills, adding that University Press Plc was already making a significant contribution to education and human capital development in the country.
Aiyedatiwa commended the company for prioritising the production of educational materials at foundational levels rather than focusing solely on high-profile publications.
He described the relationship between the Ondo State Government and University Press Plc as mutually beneficial, noting that while the state patronises the company’s books, the company reciprocates through initiatives such as the recent donation.
