Okechukwu Ofili: What triggered my campaign against Silverbird Bookstore

by Okechukwu Ofili

Sadly, I realized that If I publicly expressed how I truly felt about this situation my books might never appear at those bookstores ever again.

I am probably going to regret this article I am about to write. But I have to write it because I am sick and tired of getting robbed by Nigerian bookstores. Bookstores who take your books, sell your books and then give you the run around for your own money…frustrating you to the point that you succumb to their bureaucracy and forget about your books and payment. [go to full article]

In reality forgetting about the money is what I have considered doing for a while. Which means ignore my anger and act as if everything is ok…but everything is not ok! I am sick sick sick. Sick and tired of scratching recharge cards and calling bookstores only to receive stories such as madam is not around, call back in 2 weeks (which occurs exactly 2 weeks after being told that same phrase), our manager just got fired, our manager is not around or the classic: I thought we had paid you already. [go to full article]

I have heard so many excuses, that I am half waiting for a book titled: THE EXCUSES: How To Steal Money From Nigerian Authors By Creating Stories. written by ________ bookstore!

Sadly, I realized that If I publicly expressed how I truly felt about this situation my books might never appear at those bookstores ever again…but then I realized that If I didn’t speak up, they would continue with their silent robbery and keep stealing from authors, while living under the false pretense that they are doing us a favor. And then I can imagine that little girl with dreams of making a living as an author having to deal with the whole bureaucratic nonsense all over again. So I decided to step forward and [go to full article]

Why Businesses Should Allow Customers Charge Phones

How many times have you walked into a restaurant or airport with your cell-phone battery almost drained only to be told with obvious disdain by management that there are no charging outlets or chargers available. Even from the way the answer comes out, you can tell that management is tired of the nuisance of being asked to charge phones for customers. [go to full article]

I mean why can’t customers charge their phones at home? Don’t they know how expensive and cumbersome it is to be asked to charge a phone? I mean is electricity free? How dare a customer ask such a question? [go to full article]

But I beg to differ. Because what often starts out as a persistent nuisance to management often is a true customer need and a serious business opportunity. But rather than embracing the customers needs and harnessing the business opportunity, management instead works to push against it. Some restaurants often intentionally ensure that no charging outlets are placed within customer reach. Some even go as far as [go to full article]

How You Can Help Authors: If you feel strongly about this issue and want to help authors in Nigeria. Just visit the Silverbird page here and fill out their contact form at the bottom with the subject “Pay Our Nigerian Authors” along with your thoughts or you could simply tweet this newsletter with the hash tag #SilverbirdPayOurAuthors.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

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