Interview: Meet The Alumna

How Bookshop Owners Lament in Alimosho

With the proliferation of bars, the problem of illiteracy and poverty, and the advent of e-learning world, what is the fate of bookshops in the Alimosho community, Bernard Victory writes.

On a blue native, he sat down in his bookshop. His fair face looked towards the fore sky as he pondered, expectantly waiting for passersby to halt at his shops, walk in, and buy one or two books. 

On that day, 2^nd of July, 2016, rain shattered down on the surrogated iron sheets of many Alimosho houses; and Mr. Chuks had to welcome up to four men who desired a shelter from the rain. However, they did not buy books- none of them did.

For a very long time, this has been the base for Chuks’ survival. Hailing from the Delta State, he decided to open up a bookshop on New Era road-Alimosho, which he anticipated would yield him bulky income. Though he knew he would face few challenges such as gaining his target customers. He never expected more.

“There are so many problems facing bookshop sellers in Alimosho. I just thank God that he has kept me.” Chuks said sympathetically as he sucked the lime in his hand.

THE WORLD OF E-BOOKS

“The challenges we face as bookshop sellers is unlimited. Many things have changed. We are in a new age. People read books online nowadays and that has really affected the rate at which people buy books. People don’t rush down to buy books as before and this is not too good. Reading has evolved from the traditional to electronic means.” Chuks stated.

According to him, the fact that the world has become a global village was a serious threat to bookshop sellers. However, he confessed that there was nothing anybody could do about it.

Another bookshop owner, Mrs. Ojo T.O. Ambra Royal Bookshop at Iyana Ipaja, said that many students had taken advantage of their mobile phones to get any information that they needed. She lamented that it was so unfortunate that bookshops would have to bear that.

An author, Miss Sandra Tochi, said that with the advent of modern technology, traditional reading is fast fading. “Traditional reading is fast fading away due to the advent of modern technology where e-books seem to be the norm and have taken over paperbacks.

“Personally, I love buying books but due to the nature of my job, I read more of e-materials and I rarely go to the library. But for record purpose, traditional books can be left as reference for generation unborn. Books have longer shelve life that e-books considering mechanical failures, viruses and other factors that affect computers now but I see a future where e-books will take over the traditional books.

“People still read, but the number of people who actually go to a bookshop to buy books has continually dropped considerably and the number will continue to drop. Why buy a book when I can just download it?” the e-book enthusiast said.

In an article written by Charles Abah, titled, Beer palours and boutiques displace bookshops, a university teacher, Prof. Ayodeji Olukoju explained that the rise in e-learning was a major threat in the declining of bookshops. He said, “Until the rise of e-learning, the Internet and global system of communications, the physical books occupied a central place in Nigerian homes and educational institutions.”

Clearly e-books have become a cog in the wheel of bookshops. What pains Chuks now is that there are more.

POVERTY AND ILLITERACY

Still speaking Chuks said that another challenge that bookshops in Alimosho faced was the factor of poverty. According to him, poverty had made a lot of the citizens not to go to school.

“The lack of finance by the members of the public did not allow citizens to see school as a way out, consequentially, reducing the rate of purchase in the libraries.

“Take Dangote for example, can you see his children not going to school? Can you see his children on the streets? No, you can’t because the money is there. They can go to school at any level but those who are poverty stricken cannot go to school to get adequate education.” Chuks said.

He blamed the lack of finance on the economy and the laxity of individuals.

He further added that the level of poverty was enough excuse for people not to go to school and that apathy to school led to a more disastrous factor- Illiteracy.

“Illiteracy is a product of poverty. When people are not going to school because of poverty, illiteracy will come in. A large chunk of individuals are illiterates because they refuse to go to school. How then will they buy book, not to talk of reading?” Chuks noted.

PROLIFERATION OF BARS

For the purpose of business, beer parlours have multiplied and outnumbered the number of bookshops in Alimosho.

Confirming this, Mrs. Ojo, who is also the owner of one the leading bookshops in Alimosho, Ambra Bookshop, noted that even the least in the society nowadays know what Chelsea, popularly known as dry gin is. “In the olden days, it was a taboo for children to handle alcohols.” Concerning matured people, she said, “How can they be taken it what is going to affect them? How can they be patronizing death in installment? They should take in books.”

POOR READING CULTURE

For a 21st century teacher at Ijegun, Mr. Stephen, he said that youths nowadays had poor reading culture and this affected the patronage of bookshops.

“The reading culture is poor especially among the youths. Here in Ikotun, I doubt if there are up to two good public libraries for students apart from the ones in school. And even if there is, students don’t go there to read books- free books for that matter. Is it now bookshops they will go and patronize?” Stephen said humourously.

Mr. Chuks

Chuks also said, “The youths have missed it. They have lost it, most especially the females. They prefer to go to bars to mess up and suck all the money that men make, that they should use to buy books for their children and loved ones.”

GOVERNMENT’S INTERVENTION

Chuks believes that the government needs to intervene in any way it can to ensure that bookshops do not go into extinction because they are the bedrock on which any other reading platforms were developed.

He appealed to the government to build up more structures and educational institutes in the grassroots terrain in other to ensure that the value of bookshops is not undermined. He also stated that individuals had a role in promoting reading in the country.

Though the many obstacles standing in the way, bookshop owners see determination as the only way out to ensure that bookshops in Alimosho do not go into extinction and are still met by the upcoming generation; they hold an unflinching belief that where there is a will, there is a way.

“No matter the number of birds, there is space enough for them to fly in the sky. No obstacle has thrown us out of the market. With determination and passion, we will continue to exist. The world should appreciate us because we are the book keepers. We are the custodian of knowledge for the generations to come. I am passionate about what I am doing. I love my job and that’s why I am still here.

Mrs. Ojo said, “I studied Biochemistry. What am I doing in a bookshop? It is just passion hat is keeping me going because I am serving the generation.”