Ganduje hosts book fair

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje will on Tuesday, April 26, declare open the 2016 edition of the annual Northern Zonal Book Fair, as the ancient city of Kano plays host to the annual Book Fair for the first time ever.
In a statement signed by Sanusi Abdullahi Nassarawa, who is the Northern Zonal Coordinator, the week-long book fair, organised by the Northern Zonal Book Fair Committee, one of the three regional affiliates of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust, is scheduled to hold from Sunday, April 24 to Friday, April 29 at the North West University, Kano.
“Prior to now, four editions of the book fair were held in Abuja between 2007 and 2011 when it was rested to allow for re-constitution of the committee and re-packaging of the book fair for better accomplishment of its primary objectives which covers the entire 19 Northern states and not just Abuja and her neighbouring states,” he said.
This year’s edition is the first in the series of the re-packaged activities of the book fair set to address salient national issues relating to the standard of education and the roles that the book industry have to play in it, Nassarawa explained.
His words: “Apart from the primary objectives of bringing books, publishers, book-sellers and library materials closer to the people through the week-long exhibition at affordable prices, the Kano Book Fair will feature other activities as drama competition by secondary schools in Kano, debate among tertiary institutions, the Nigerian Library Association roundtable session, and an award night in recognition of contributions to the development of the book industry in the Northern region,” he stated.
He said the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, would be the special guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the book fair which has Prof. Mansur Usman Malumfashi, Librarian, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, as keynote speaker.
Scheduled to receive awards at the book fair are Governor Ganduje, Dantata and Sawoe, Manasara Press and the Department of Library and Information Science of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
Nassarawa assured that the Northern Book Fair is back and better.
“We shall ensure its continuation across the constituent states annually. Though we are the youngest of the three regional franchise, but we have learnt enough to be able to make valuable input into the standardisation of our education and the book industry. It is our hope that the book fair will move round the 19 Northern states yearly, depending on willingness by relevant institutions to partner with us.”