The inability of the Jonathan government and others before and after to battle pirates has now become his albatross.
Many people in the creative industry have, times without number, urged the Nigerian government to decisively deal with pirates.
But various administrations have, at best, paid lip service to the call.
At one of the strategic meetings that Jonathan had with artistes before he left office, comedian Ali Baba had specifically urged him to help fight the goons.
But he, like other leaders, had done little to nothing.
Now that he has released his book, the pirates are swarming on it.
He has expressed disgust over the assault of online pirates playing games with the book, the way other Nigerians who have been subjected to such have always done.
…when Jonathan wanted to ‘Bring Back the Book’
The drama surrounding the presentation of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s book, My Transition Hours, has brought to memory the feast that marked the launch of his foundation, Bring Back the Book.
The former President, who made an inspiring use of Facebook in the early days of his government, had launched the project to encourage reading culture and regenerate the book industry.
The day it was inaugurated at the Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, it was like a carnival.
With Professor Wole Soyinka in attendance, it attracted stakeholders from within and outside the country.
Afterwards, the foundation, overseen by the late Oronto Douglas, who was Jonathan’s adviser on documentation and other related matters, held other programmes in different parts of the country.
Unfortunately, the bubbles fizzled out, with the Presidency giving little attention to it.
It was thus not too surprising that since Jonathan left office, he has over three years ago, he has not done anything to ‘Bring Back the Book’ – other than the release of his transition memoir.
