President Bola Tinubu has expressed sorrow over the death of Chief Joop Berkhout, a renowned publisher and Dutch national who lived in Nigeria for over 60 years.
Chief Berkhout, 94, a naturalised Nigerian, made Ibadan, Oyo State, his home and dedicated his life to advancing Nigeria’s publishing industry.
In a press release signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu eulogised Berkhout for his love for Nigeria and considerable contributions to the publishing industry.
Berkhout was Managing Director of Evans Brothers and Spectrum Books Limited in Nigeria.
Even after retiring in 2008, his passion endured through Safari Books Limited, a publishing house he founded and chaired until his death.
The President said: “Chief Berkhout lived a remarkable life in Nigeria. He was a doyen of publishing for over 50 years, shaping the industry and inspiring many Nigerian writers.
“He immersed himself in our culture and tradition such that he bagged a chieftaincy title as Okun Borode of Ile-Ife. Though he hailed from the Netherlands, his heart belonged wholly to Nigeria.”
The President commiserated with Berkhout’s family members in Nigeria and the Netherlands, as well as the literary community in the country and worldwide.
He said, “May his soul find eternal rest, and may his family draw strength from his legacy.”
