#CNBizFair 2018: Introducing Okechukwu Ofili

Okechukwu Ofili is an author, public speaker, illustrator, a writer/blogger and a trained practising engineer. He is also the founder of OkadaBooks.com, an online publishing platform that boycotts the challenges of traditional publishing. OkadaBooks make it easy for writers to write, publish, and sell their works directly to a broader audience than those in their current sphere of influence. OkadaBook, also, ensures writers get the payment for their work too, unlike most bookshops that have an excuse for not paying up the copies of the books they’ve sold. The OkadaBooks app is currently the fastest growing mobile reading app in Africa. It won the MTN 2013 App Of The Year, for the African market. Speaking of his training as an engineer, he graduated from the University of Houston in Texas as a Mechanical Engineer. He was among the top 5 graduating students in his class, and this landed him a full-time position as a design/project engineer for an Oil Services company, where he got sent for an Expat assignment in Nigeria. After that, he took a full-time job at one of the top Palm-Oil Companies in Nigeria, all over a 12-year period, which made him knowledgeable in the Oil and Gas (Petroleum) industry, Project and Subsea Engineering, and Design Engineering. He discovered his interest in public speaking when he was still in America, after being invited to speak at other colleges like Texas Southern University. Although he started it as ‘community service’ when he organised a speaking tour to secondary schools in Lagos, e.g. Chrisland, he was able to turn it into a paid profession. At the moment, he is a three-time TEDx speaker. His writing career began in 2010, about the time he started his ofilispeaks.com blog. He was also a writer for Bella Naija and YNaija, which gave him a large following. He may not like the act of sitting down to write and edit, but he is motivated to continue writing because of the results it gives – the impact it has on people’s lives. He has written four best-selling books, of which are How Stupidity Saved My Life and How Laziness Saved My Life. Okechukwu Ofili is a versatile, humorous and imaginative writer. If you doubt it, just consider the titles and content of his books. He is passionate about making a difference especially when the odds are stacked against you. He started an organisation called Chaynge.org that gave out grants/scholarships to international students studying abroad by their creativity, at a time when he was struggling through school in America. When he came back to Nigeria, he tried to continue it as a non-profit but couldn’t keep up. Regardless, he went on to work with several organisations, giving out donations like Toyin Adesola’s Sickle Cell Organisation. At the moment, OkadaBooks has nearly 180,000 registered members with a million e-book downloads. Thereby, dispelling the myth that Nigerians or Africans don’t read as the platform serves readers and writers from the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Due to his achievement with OkadaBooks, he was also named among Venture Africa’s 40 African Innovators to watch, and was listed on the Quartz Africa 2016 Innovators list. Get ready to hear him speak at this year’s Connect Nigeria Business Fair comes up on the 3rd February 2018. The Fair spans the whole day from 9 am – 7 pm and it will be taking place at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Attendance is free, but registration is required. For more enquiries about how to sponsor, exhibit, or register, kindly log on to www.connectnigeria.com/bizfair or call 0700 800 5000.

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This article was first published on 31st January 2018

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