Author of Against the Run of Play, Segun Adeniyi, has lamented that the online edition of the book was hacked into and millions of copies sold online, thus denying him some money.
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Adeniyi made this known in a statement he released to clear the air on report that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan denied some statements credited to him(Jonathan) in the book, claiming they were distorted by the author.
On the hacking of online edition of Against the Run of Play, Adeniyi wrote:“I am aware that hackers have succeeded in breaking the code to the online edition of my book and are already circulating the book online. I have received it from different sources, even on WhatsApp.
“Though sad, it is a familiar story for me. In the case of my earlier book, ‘Power, Politics and Death’, it actually went viral on the day of presentation. So, that I enjoyed three days of grace this time is a bonus.
“While I feel pained losing the revenue that could have accrued to me from online sales, I wrote the book because I believe it is an important story that should be documented and widely read.
“I have a feeling this book will be widely read, though at my expense and that of my publishers. But I am comforted by the fact that we are succeeding in dispelling the myth that Nigerians do not read. Nigerians do read. It is our task to write on what will interest them and present and package such in ways they will find appealing.
“That said, however, I am more worried for people in creative arts and sciences, especially those in Nollywood, who are practically at the mercy of hackers and pirates. The authorities should do more to protect their works from the antics of people who reap where they do not sow.
“When creative people in both the arts and sciences cannot be guaranteed the legitimate benefits of their sweat and investments, they lose the incentive to take the risk to create and innovate.
“And when that happens, the whole society loses. Protecting intellectual property is therefore good for all of us, not just for the artistes and the inventors. We will all be the better for it.”
