I’m saddened to hear about the passing of Joop Berkhourt, a big and consequential player in Nigeria’s domestic publishing scene.
For three decades, Berkhout’s Spectrum Publishers was a publishing dynamo, introducing readers to memorable literary titles as well as important books in the social sciences and humanities. He also steered Evans Publishers and his most recent venture, Safari Books. Originally Dutch, Berkhout adopted Nigeria as his home—and lived there for close to 60 years.
In 2017, I had the honor of visiting the publisher at his residence in Ibadan. A gregarious man who relished the company of writers, intellectuals and book people, he hosted a sumptuous lunch for a group that included the poet Niyi Osundare and the publisher Bankole Olayebi. I was fascinated to learn that the late poet-extraordinaire, Christopher Okigbo, had once lived in the tastefully designed home.
May Berkhout’s legacy endure, and may his soul find peace.
