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| Mr. Chidi I.N., CEO Princess Bookshop |
The winner of the 2008 “Best Bookshop Manager in Nigeria Award,”
Mr. Chidi I. Ndupuechi, upon receiving on Monday 30, 2017, some copies of Literary Communication In Mass Communication
(Critical Writing / Reviewing & Drama / Documentary Production) and other
books published by Bulkybon Publications Company, praised the company’s effort
for producing a book that would help to improve the knowledge of Mass
Communication students in Nigeria and other countries worldwide.
On the occasion, Bulkybon
Periscopes asked him what it takes to successfully manage a big bookshop like
Princess Bookshop, which he now owns as the Managing Director. He offers that, “First,
you have to be honest. When you sell someone’s books, you have to pay the
person.
“Once a person or publisher’s book is no longer on a bookshop’s
shelf, it means it has been sold, and his money should be remitted into his
bank account. With that, the publisher will have confidence to supply more
books.”
Another salient point he raised is that of having a good
relationship with your customers. In this vein, Ndupuechi posits that, “If you
don’t have good relationship with your customers, your business will fall. You don’t
have to be hostile or bluff your customers by diverting their money into
another business and keep them waiting endlessly for their money.
“When you divert their money, they lose confidence in you and
look for other reliable outlets to sell their books.”
Commenting on Literary
Communication In Mass Communication textbook while opening the pages one
after the other, he smiled and said, “I like the neatness of the printing. The packaging
is very okay and the pages are machine sewn. It is a good book that will be
very useful for Mass Communication students. As a bookshop manager for decades,
I know a book that students will appreciate by looking at the topics in it and
how it is well arranged.”
Recalling his tenure at the University of Lagos Bookshop, he
said, “Publishers can testify that their money was not withheld as soon as
their books were sold. The thing they usually receive even without calling to
ask whether their books have been sold, was bank payment alert.
“Many are still supplying books to me. As you can see the
whole shelves are filled up with different types of books for every course in
all departments you can mention in human academic pursuit and general
knowledge.”
The level of the University of Lagos Bookshop’s indebtedness
to publishers and authors has become very embarrassing to the image of the
institution after Ndupiechi’s tenure. Bulkybon
Periscopes asked why it has become a trend since he retired. He enlightens
that, during his era as the bookshop manager, he did not allow the use of money
made from publishers’ books sold, to be used to buy stationeries for supply to
departments of the university. He said that is the reason no publisher was owed
a dime throughout his tenure.
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| The 2008 Best Bookshop Manager Award |
In retrospect, Ndupuechi who was the most outstanding among
other managers of the University of Lagos bookshop until he retired many years
ago, won the Nigerian Education Times ‘Best Bookshop Manager in Nigeria award’
in 2008, for his exemplary accountability and administrative expertise in
bookshop management.
The award was presented to him at the occasion by the guest
of honour, Chief Lateef Jakande, a noteworthy and commendable former governor
of Lagos state. Ndupuechi says, it remains one of the most memorable days in
his life as his hard work and honesty were recognized by the authority of The Nigerian
Education Times magazine.
END
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