Joop Berkhout was an incredible human being, a work horse and impulsively generous. What a man, what a life!
I was a fresh graduate when I met Chief – as many of us called him – on the day of my interview as an editor in Spectrum Books in 2004. The interview went according to script until in my rather ‘youthful impetuousness’ I did the ‘unpardonable’ – I disagreed with Chief. The issue in contention was the US invasion of Iraq the previous year, which President Bush declared as a ‘just war’. I stated that there was nothing ‘just’ about US aggression since the perquisite for a just war as described by theology was not met. In addition, the US unilaterally engaged in this campaign without a nod from the UN Security Council.
It was only when I was through with my argument that I realised the import of what I just did. Here I was seeking employment and having the audacity to ‘respectfully’ disagree with my prospective employer. But Chief’s reaction was unprecedented. He heard me out and responded that my views were reasonable, and he had to change his earlier stance on the ‘just war’ argument by US.
But this was Chief Berkhout – the larger-than-life colossus who dedicated almost half a century to knowledge production by ‘placing worthy books in worthy hands’. He was a teacher who taught without making a fuss about it. However, he insisted on that the lessons must be learnt. In Chief’s world view, excuses are mere placebos that changed nothing. Chief had a penchant for excellence and nothing, but the best could ever satisfy him. This was evident in the number of ‘little’ errors he discovered in books after they came out of press. To boot, Chief will never let it pass – it either was totally rejected and sent back to the printers or where the malefice was more substantial, the editor may have to be kicked out.
It may sound so harsh but Chief Berkhout’s fastidious meticulousness or eyes for details was one of the greatest lessons he bequeathed to many of us his children. He equally transmitted this infectious love for books to a generation of Nigeria publishers who passed through him in Evans Brothers Nigerian Ltd, Spectrum Books Ltd and later Safari Books Ltd. No where in Nigeria was too far for Chief to haunt down an author or their manuscript. How many times did Chief get a manuscript for publishing or convince a prospective author to write their story. The venue was immaterial – during a funeral, on a plane, during functions of any kind. Once Chief focuses on you, he will either extract a manuscript or a promise to get one in future.
The net effect of this is now part of history. Spectrum Books Limited, established in 1978, expanded book publishing with over 600 educational titles, general reading books particularly autobiographies, biographies and memoires. However, the most outstanding contribution of Spectrum Books was the creation and popularisation of the author financed publishing category. The Ibadan-based publishing imprint filled the gap created by civil war and military dictatorship with the decline of traditional publishing by encouraging wealthy Nigerians to fund their book projects. Chief Joop Berkhout, founder of Spectrum Books orchestrated special publishing in Nigeria. Taking advantage of his octane network, Berkhout convinced Nigerians of high standing to publish their biographies or autobiographies. The authors sponsored the book production and later recouped the cost by having an elaborate book launching event. This singular intervention by Chief Berkhout, kept book publishing in Nigeria alive after the civil war.
In addition, Chief Berkhout was a generous man. I recall an event when I had to attend a course as a staff of Spectrum Books. I explained my predicament to Chief. He understood and paid for the course – in a personal capacity. However, being the sticker for law and order, he insisted that I still followed the official channels and request for a leave of absence. I did and he replied, this time in official capacity as the Chairman of Spectrum Books that since my appointment has not yet been confirmed, that I can take a leave without pay.
Nigeria has lost a one of her most significant heroes of the twentieth century. This Ijebu-Dutch made this country his home. Without flinching, he took up the enormous task of keeping the book alive.
Chief Joop Berkhout, OON, Okunborode of Ile-Ife, the 90-year-old Dutch who has spent 54 years in Nigeria has gone the way of all mortals. May he shine brightly forever, in material immortality of his luminous legacy. This is no exaggeration but there will be no book publishing industry in Nigeria without Berkhout. A whole generation of us ‘are’ because he ‘was’. On his broad shoulders, he carried the burden of book making, holding on the mast of hope and illuminating the way for us – a generation of Nigerian book publishers. He bore these sacrifices on his back, so that we may stand tall on his shoulders.
Thank you Chief for everything!
English (US) ·