BAN President fetes veteran bookseller, Orimalade

BAN President fetes veteran bookseller, Orimalade

By Ada Anioji

The President of the Booksellers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Oluwadare Michael Oluwatuyi has lauded the veteran bookseller, Mrs. Oluronke Orimalade on her outstanding contributions to the practice of bookselling in Nigeria and Africa through the years, pointing her out as a most worthy role model for others in the industry to emulate.

Oluwatuyi, who made the remarks in a tribute to mark the 80th birthday celebrations of the veteran bookseller went down memory lane to recount Orimalade’s notable contributions to the practice of bookselling and the development o the book trade in Africa.

The full text of his tribute reads:

‘Tribute to a dogged champion of the book trade

By Oluwadare Michael Oluwatuyi, President, Booksellers Association of Nigeria, BAN and MD, CSS Bookshops Limited

Our distinguished celebrant, Mrs. Oluronke Orimalade is indeed a bookseller’s bookseller and grand champion of the book trade in Nigeria and Africa.

A past President of the Nigerian Booksellers Association, and Co-founder, Trustee and Council Member at the Nigerian Bookfair Trust, NBFT, she has been actively involved in a lot of the positive developments in the Nigerian book scene for very many years.

At the continental level, she has also served as President of the Pan African Booksellers Association, PABA.

At a personal level, it has indeed been my pleasure to know and work with Mrs. Orimalade for over two decades. From her time at the University of Lagos Bookshop to serving alongside her at the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Booksellers Association, NBA-Lagos between 1994 and 1997, it has indeed been a quite rewarding time for me.

Dogged and enigmatic, this natural leader of women and men has also been one of my very helpful advisers in my current tenure as President of the Booksellers Association of Nigeria, BAN. Each time I call on her, she is always and ever ready to speak to the issues I bring from the benefit of her vast experience and profound insights. I heartily celebrate with her on this most auspicious occasion of her turning 80 and wish her many more years of healthy and fruitful service to the bookselling sub-sector, the book trade and the nation and continent.

More blessings madam!’

Mrs Oluronke Orimalade, veteran African bookseller