Society of Non-Fiction Authors opens for business

Osa Egonwa flanked by Fidelia Omusopa and another official Photo

As part of activities geared towards a successful inception, the Society of Non-Fiction Authors of Nigeria (SONFAN), held its first press conference at their National secretariat on October 25, 2010.

SONFAN, the umbrella body for anyone in Nigeria engaged in writing academic and non-fiction works, was incorporated in earlier this year and began operation on October 1.

On hand for the SONFAN briefing were: the group’ss interim President Osa Egonwa; the treasurer, Fidelia Omusopa; the Executive Director, Inyang Ekanem and other officials.

About SONFAN

In his address, the president (also a professor of Art and Art History and Human Development at Delta State University, Abraka) outlined the reasons behind the establishment of the association and its aims and objectives.

“There arose the need to organise writers of academic and non-fiction works in Nigeria into an umbrella organisation that would serve their common and professional interests,” he said.

“This became even more pressing because writers in other fields have been organised and the strength of the organisation has become evident in the vibrancy of not just the associations but also in the activities they engage in,” he added.

“Consequently, SONFAN was incorporated to nurture, advance and promote intellectual endowments, aspirations and pursuits in Nigeria as well as protecting the intellectual property rights of authors locally and internationally, individually and in collaboration with governments, agencies, institutions and international partners,” Egonwa declared.

The president decried the ignorance of many writers about the importance of knowing and protecting their rights, especially in relation to intellectual properties.

He argued that it is not enough to publish a book or release an album and be paid a token amount of money. Monies in the form of royalties ought to accrue to the creator each time his work is used as a copyright material, Egonwa insisted. So the job of the association is to enlighten people that once you are an author of a non-fictional works, you have rights.

Interactive session

As he fielded questions from journalists, the SONFAN president delved into some of the key problems the association plans to tackle. The first is what he termed ‘The evil of photocopying’.

Photocopying is one of the major ways many non-fiction and even fiction writers are cheated out of the gains that should be credited to them from their works. “It is only in Nigeria that people photocopy indiscriminately,” he stated.

“In developed countries, the photocopying machines have already been programmed with information about the writers. So the monetary gains from photocopying a particular writer’s work(s) will be paid to the necessary royalty-collecting organization,” he pointed out.

Egonwa counseled that people should photocopy rightly by obtaining a licence. Plans are also afoot to enlighten and garner support from the National Universities Commission (NUC) and various universities across the country to institute the proper procedures for photocopying.

Regarding the issue of piracy, SONFAN informed journalists that they are also involved in the fight; however the NCC (Nigeria Copyright Commission) is already at the forefront of

this battle, Egonwa noted.

On their bid to inform writers about their rights, the SONFAN president expressed surprise that even some academics are not aware of the rights covering their works. In this regard, the association is already making contacts with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other professional bodies in order to create awareness.

Egonwa also shed more light on the association’s relationship with the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG), the body responsible for protecting the rights of the Print Media. It is licensed by the Nigerian Copyrights Commission to collect and distribute payments from users of copyrighted works to their owners. However, with the inception of SONFAN, REPRONIG after collecting these rights will be able to get to the

relevant authors to pay them their royalties.

Contributions in the form of grants from supporting organisations and members’ annual dues, are some of the means by which the association will be funded.

The group called on all non-fiction writers, teachers and journalists - because newspaper articles also qualify as non-fiction - to join the association, as long as they have about 150 pages of work(s) they have written.

Members of the public interested in joining the association or finding out more about it, can visit the SONFAN National Secretariat at Adedayo House, 36 Abeokuta Expressway, Cement Bus Stop, Lagos.
Source:http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/ArtsandCulture/Books/5638153-147/story.csp