By Richard Abu

At a press conference yesterday in Lagos to herald its four-day book fair, which begins tomorrow at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church, Government Reserved Area (GRA), Ikeja, CBAN Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chairman, Mrs. Adebola Jaiyeola, said the fair was aimed at promoting knowledge because "knowledge destroys ignorance and produces freedom".

Besides giving visitors to the fair value for their money through the sale of books at cheaper prices, Jaiyeola explained that they would be exposed to varieties of Christian books and other works that would enable them develop mentally and spiritually and become more productive in their professions.

Jaiyeola said that CBAN is committed to encouraging Christians to own well-equipped libraries in their homes and offices; playing an active role in the Federal Government's fight against piracy and bringing to knowledge of the public the authentic Christian booksellers so that piracy could be defaced.

Similarly, the association's National President, Mrs. Esther Aworinde, said that readers are leaders, stressing that if both the led and the leaders were knowledgeable, the development of the country would be facilitated.

Aworinde gave CBAN's working relationship with the copyright commission as ensuring that its members are not allowed to patronise pirated works and the rejection of all pirated materials and music at its regional and national book fairs.

The CBAN chief equally said its anti-piracy drive was made easy by the presence of officials of the NCC at all its book fairs so that pirates do not beat its arrangements at such events.

On how to prevent pirates from its fold, Aworinde said all potential members of CBAN are only registered if they have been ascertained to be true Christians, affiliated to a church with an approval from the pastor and three other guarantors.

She said that the 25-year-old organisation, which is affiliated to CBAN International, has the approval of several foreign authors to reproduce their works.

To enable local authors reap the benefits of their works, Mrs. Aworinde said that the association encourages them to produce quality books, direct marketing of such products and also create general awareness for them.

Chairman of the Western Region of CBAN, organisers of the Lagos book fair, Pastor Samuel Tawia Assiamah, said the association has a membership of 500 nationwide with 100 of them from the Western chapter with headquarters in Lagos. The fair, which will feature 30 exhibitors, begins at 9.00 a.m. daily.