‘Do what you believe, no matter what people say’
dubai — Growing up, Nigerian Okechukwu Ofili struggled with English and was put down at school for being called lazy and unintelligent.
Today, he’s a bestselling author with a goal to make literacy accessible to children and people through technology. An engineer by profession, Ofili quit his job to focus solely on founding and developing OkadaBooks.com, the fastest growing mobile book reading app in Africa with over 225,000 registered users growing at a rate of 5,000 users per month.
“I realised it was hard to sell and distribute books in Nigeria. While smartphones have been a growing trend, it was obvious that the platform wasn’t used to just buy books, but gave people access to literature and taught them how to read,” said Ofili, who authored the bestsellers
How Intelligence Kills and the children’s book Afro: The Girl With The Magical Hair.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), Ofili said he is currently developing partnerships with publishers to get their content on the app and give a space for people with no access to literature. “People in Africa use the app to read books and children’s stories.”
Technology has revolutionised book distribution, he said. For him, the key lies in data. “We know what people are reading with technology, which also makes books available for cheap. It isn’t a luxury anymore.”
Technology now provides more penetration for the uneducated, who now know how to use smart gadgets and educate themselves. Ofili, who challenges the traditional education system, said once books are accessible, people will
Writing is the cheapest and easiest way to get to people whether through books or audio, our stories help shape the way people believe in themselves.” Okechukwu Ofili, Nigerian writer
inevitably know how to read. “We still have students who struggle with reading and writing, both of which are fundamental to learn everything else, and that’s where the power of the Internet comes in.”
Ofili has a passion for writing to impact people’s lives, as he travels the globe speaking to youth and challenging them to think differently. He emphasises on making young people know that their talents and abilities are worth more than grades.
“Writing is the cheapest and easiest way to get to people whether through books or audio, our stories help shape the way people believe in themselves,” said Ofili.
His children’s book came to life when he noticed how girls and women in Africa didn’t appreciate the beauty of their hair and skin tone. “I thought what if Rapunzel had curly hair that grew upwards. So instead, the prince would say “Rapunzel, let up your hair.” It was easy way to get the message across and help people take pride in who they are.”
His message is clear to the youth: Do what you believe in, no matter what people have to say to challenge you.