Abstract
Igbo as a business group have been identified as the dominant book dealers in Katsina metropolis. They specialised in supply of western school-based textbooks and other writing materials. Their emergence on the scene was not accidental. It followed a historical trend in the history of book economy in Katsina. Katsina metropolis in pre-colonial period consolidated its position as a centre of trade and scholarship which is the reason for thriving Islamic book culture. Colonial conquest ushered in a new system of education, writing and publishing. Hence, a new book culture, along western model, was created alongside the existing one. The history of Igbo participation in Katsina book economy therefore emerged from this context. For this, the paper is set to discuss the history of Igbo in the post-colonial book economy of Katsina from 1980 to 2005. It identifies the historical circumstances leading to their emergence and dominance in the market. This is because, prior to the period under review, the Hausa book dealers dominated the market in both Arabic and Roma scripts‟ print materials. Subsequently, Igbo played a major role in the development and expansion of book market in Katsina. The paper examines how Igbo become part of the forces that shaped the book history in Katsina during the post-colonial period. The study utilizes both primary and secondary sources of historical reconstruction to study the phenomenon of book economy of Kasina.
Keywords: Igbo, Katsina, Book Market, post-colonial history
DOI: 10.36349/sokotojh.2021.v10i01.007
