Orok Duke, commissioner representing Cross River State at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has called on the Federal Government to reduce or eliminate import duties on books and printing equipment, warning that rising publishing costs are making reading materials increasingly unaffordable.
Gatekeepers News reports that Duke, a former deputy speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, made the appeal on Thursday during the public presentation of five books he authored in Abuja.
The books, collectively titled Readings II, are Welcome to Uyo, Treasures, Whororoing, Dances on the Plains and Oluchi’s Journey.
He said the high cost of printing and publishing books abroad, alongside import duties on books and printing equipment, was discouraging writers and limiting Nigerians’ access to affordable reading materials.
Duke noted that publishing a book outside Nigeria could cost at least $20 per copy, making it difficult for students and other readers to afford locally available titles.
“I would like to say that for you to have your works printed outside the country, published outside the country, you will be talking about a minimum of maybe $20 a book. And our children, those in school here, may not be able to afford those books,” he said.
The former lawmaker recalled a period when bookshops such as Ife and Abiola made books more accessible and encouraged wider reading through affordable publications.
“Once upon a time, when we had the Ife and Abiola bookshops, books were cheaper. More books were published. And now you can hardly find all these old books in good quantity within the country,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to review import duties on books and printing equipment to support local publishers, reduce production costs and promote reading across the country.
Duke also disclosed that electronic versions of his books were available online for download and purchase in naira.
Duke urges Nigerians to document their history
Beyond the challenges facing the publishing industry, the NDDC commissioner called on Nigerians to preserve their personal and collective histories through writing, warning that failure to document their experiences could allow others to control their narratives.
“So it is simple: if you don’t tell your story, another person will take the glory. It’s bad enough that we don’t tell our stories. So the stories about our collective hunt will always be written by another person,” he said.
He explained that he chose to write in English to ensure his works reached a wider international audience.
Duke also recalled writing poems during the 2014 National Conference, some of which he dedicated to colleagues and elders who died between his first public reading in 2017 and the latest presentation of his works.
He cited the United States Library of Congress as an example of an institution committed to preserving written works and historical records.
Speaking at the event, Nasir Kura, a former delegate to the 2014 National Conference representing civil society organisations, particularly Basic Rights Action, Kano, said Duke’s books documented aspects of the Nigerian Civil War and the cultural heritage of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.
The books were reviewed by Ismail Bala, a poet, and Effiong Johnson, a professor at the University of Calabar.
The reviewers described Duke as a storyteller and researcher but expressed concern over the declining reading habit among Nigerians, noting that many people purchase books without making time to read them.
Gershom Bassey, former senator representing Cross River South, formally unveiled the books and commended the author for his contributions to literature and historical documentation.
Eteng Williams, senator representing Cross River Central, also attended the event on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who was the special guest of honour.
