2019 EDITION OF NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR THE BEST EVER -EXHIBITORS , ORGANIZERS, TRADE VISITORS REVEAL

BY ERIACY CONFIDENCE OBA

The 18th Edition of the Nigeria International Book Fair has been adjudged the best ever in the history of the fair by both the organizers and exhibitors.  The event which began on Monday 6th May  is currently ongoing at Jelili Adebisi Omotola Hall, the University of Lagos and is expected to end on  the 11th of May 2019.

According to the Executive Secretary of the Fair, Mr  Abiodun Omotubi, this year's event has witnessed the influx of more participants than the previous editions, stressing that their goal of bringing books closer to the people for better education and self improvement has been achieved.

Speaking to Eriacy Confidence Oba of Coneri Magazine, the  Executive Secretary said:" This year's edition is the 18th in the series of the fair and we have a lot of new programmes. Number one, the international Conference we had yesterday wore a new look because we changed the design and  pattern in the way people used to see it and a lot of people have commended us for it. Number two, we have had a program yesterday organized by Association for the development of education in Africa. It is designed to produce books in African local languages.

And again, we have more participants this year than our previous editions. We have more local and foreign exhibitors, trade visitors and partners. And people have been commending us for this"

When asked about how to curb some of  the challenges faced by exhibitors in the course the fair, the international education promoter said" It's unfortunate that we have power outage. Although we are not the landlord of the venue. It is owned by the University of Lagos. But we have made efforts to see how the challenges identified are tackled. In the issue of light I can assure you won't be a problem again until the end of the fair.Secondly, we had issue with water and we have tackled that head on.

Lastly, on Monday, a unit in the University called guards responsible for promotion and publicity came and took away all the banners of the Exhibitors but by the grace of God, it has been resolved and they are going to return all the banners and they will be displayed again.

In a chat  with Dimitris Missailidis,  the Account Manager of Express Publishing, one of the exhibiting  companies at the fair based in the United Kingdom and his colleagues George and George, Conerimedia.blogspot.com was made to know that the Book fair has provided opportunities for foreigners to visit the country as the Britons confessed they would not have come to Nigeria if not for the fair.

In another development, The Marketing Manager of Shanghai KS Printing Co.,Ltd, a Chinese printing company,  William Fang has revealed that the fair is one of the best in the world.  According to the Shanghai based businessman, out of all the books fairs he has attended, the Nigeria international Book fair stands out.

Meanwhile  Mrs Eucharia Nzeribe of Africana First Publishers has called on the organizers to step up in the area of power not to discourage  exhibitors from attending the fair next year. Stressing on the importance of uninterrupted power,  the regional Manager of Spectrum Books Limited, Mr Caleb Ajubiga said the organisers should intensify effort to ensure there is constant light for activities to thrive at the fair.

Conerimedia.blogspot.com is the official blog of Nigeria International Book Fair