He strikes you as one who is just calculative, however his humorous demeanor is infectious particularly as it reflects through his style of presentation as a writer and Author. Little wonder the C.E.O of Okadabooks is fast becoming a brand and a reputable force to reckon with as he continues to chart the course of Authors and readers.
It's an Exclusive on Author's Digest with Okechukwu Ofili, C.E.O of Okadabooks. Enjoy!
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E PLUS, The Storyteller: Congratulations on your step to marital Bliss..how do you feel?
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E PLUS, The Storyteller: Congratulations on your step to marital Bliss..how do you feel?
Okechukwu Ofili: I feel great. Its finally over.
E PLUS, The Storyteller: Great!
.. And not quite long you attained another giant stride when okadabooks announced its first major Writing competition "Dusty Manuscript".. Please take us through how it all started?
.. And not quite long you attained another giant stride when okadabooks announced its first major Writing competition "Dusty Manuscript".. Please take us through how it all started?
Okechukwu Ofili: It started about 3 years ago when I saw the Kwani Trust Manuscript contest and what it did for the African landscape in giving light to books such as Toni Kan's Carnivorous City and other classics. So its always been in my mind to do a similar contest here in NIgeria. The name Dusty manuscript was coined based on the fact that manuscripts that are left untouched are dusty and hence we wanted people to dust off the manuscripts and get them published.
The Storyteller: Hmmm ..quite interesting. Did you ever envisage the kind of response you got considering the overwhelming entries eventually?
Okechukwu Ofili: The thing with ideas and scopes like this is that you never know. You dream of getting 10,000 entries and ddiscovering the next Adichie. But you never really ever know.
The 1000 entries and top 20 have been exciting to meet. What excited me more are the ones that did not even make the Top anything. There is a book I stumbled upon ... actually the book stumbled upon me. I was at a conference and a lady Sandra from the PH bok club was talking about a book "Superman Yellow Sun", one of the entries in Dusty manuscript contest. It did not make the long list but was still an amazing book. This, going to show that beyond the long list, there is still talent out there in the rest 1000 manuscripts. The book "Superman: Yellow Sun"is about a guy who wrote a book based on "if Superman crashed into Nigeria during the civil war." A real Nigerian super man with dreadlocks! I read part of it this past weekend and was blown away. These books excite me about the talent in Nigeria
The 1000 entries and top 20 have been exciting to meet. What excited me more are the ones that did not even make the Top anything. There is a book I stumbled upon ... actually the book stumbled upon me. I was at a conference and a lady Sandra from the PH bok club was talking about a book "Superman Yellow Sun", one of the entries in Dusty manuscript contest. It did not make the long list but was still an amazing book. This, going to show that beyond the long list, there is still talent out there in the rest 1000 manuscripts. The book "Superman: Yellow Sun"is about a guy who wrote a book based on "if Superman crashed into Nigeria during the civil war." A real Nigerian super man with dreadlocks! I read part of it this past weekend and was blown away. These books excite me about the talent in Nigeria
E PLUS, The Storyteller: Awesome! So how would you generally describe the selection process amidst these uniqueness? Was it a tough call?
Okechukwu Ofili: I was not heavily involved in the judging process directly as I did not read the manuscripts. We simply set up the system for the judges to judge. But per conversations with them, the quality at the top to decide the top 3 was tough. But ultimately we had what we had.
E PLUS, The Storyteller: Hopefully, this project has come to stay, so when is the next competition?
Okechukwu Ofili: God willing, same time next year, bigger and better, and badder, with more awesome manuscripts to be won.
E PLUS, The Storyteller: Wow! That's good news already. Okadabooks is fast becoming one of the biggest online book store in the world and as the C.E.O, does this put you on your toes?
Okechukwu Ofili: As a CEO you literally have to always be on your toes. Whether things are going good or not and for us, we are not yet where we need to be.
We have seen 2X growth numbers year on year, but we are not done yet. We need to ramp our numbers up more, so we are always literally pushing to be better.
We have seen 2X growth numbers year on year, but we are not done yet. We need to ramp our numbers up more, so we are always literally pushing to be better.
E PLUS, The Storyteller: That's impressive. What's your motivation thus far?
Okechukwu Ofili: Nigerians have talent, I know it and I feel it. Its this belief that pushes us on. That gets us motivated to keep going. FOr a nation of 180,000,000 talented people, more people should be writing and earning a living from their writing.
E PLUS, The Storyteller: Yes Absolutely! Apart from being the C.E.O of Okadabooks,
Okechukwu Ofili is also a brand and an icon, how has this really affected you?
Okechukwu Ofili is also a brand and an icon, how has this really affected you?
Okechukwu Ofili: Its been a sort of brand clash to be honest, Okechukwu Ofili the Ofilispeaks brand was known for saying the honest truth without filter and for being a noisemaker and trouble maker on the internet but with being CEO, I have to pick my words carefully. I can't be the ofilispeaks of yesteryears. its a balancing act, one that i still struggle with.
E PLUS The Storyteller: More like multifaceted..I see.. Where do you see African Writers in a couple of years?Do you think we are break through barriers just yet?
What seem to be the limitations for African Writers, if any?
What seem to be the limitations for African Writers, if any?
Okechukwu Ofili: Our writing and thinking has to evolve. We are trying to write and sell books like westerners. Instead of trying to do it as African.The books we publish and celebrate are written for the west.
E PLUS, The Storyteller: Hmmm...very insightful..
Okechukwu Ofili: The way we sell is for the west. We don't recognize the power of our own unique stories our own unique craft. I meet a lot of authors who complain about author sales but have never ever bought a book of another author.
Okechukwu Ofili: another local author but they have bought foreign authors. Nobody will save us except us.
E PLUS, The Storyteller: Hmm..True
So, Ofili any word for those who still think they can't be good writers?
So, Ofili any word for those who still think they can't be good writers?
Okechukwu Ofili: Just write, that's all.
E PLUS, The Storyteller: It's been an interesting and insightful chat with you. E PLUS The Storyteller and every other crew here, wish you the best in all your endeavors.
Continue to soar high as you represent Africa and Nigeria well.
There, you have it readers. The C.E.O of Okadabooks, Okechukwu Ofili.
Also one of the major brains behind the formidable Writing project "Dusty Manuscript". You can always send your questions, observations or contributions to
ejirostoryblog@yahoo.com
We will be more than pleased to respond.. Thank you
Continue to soar high as you represent Africa and Nigeria well.
There, you have it readers. The C.E.O of Okadabooks, Okechukwu Ofili.
Also one of the major brains behind the formidable Writing project "Dusty Manuscript". You can always send your questions, observations or contributions to
ejirostoryblog@yahoo.com
We will be more than pleased to respond.. Thank you
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