JohnNgene:
Everybody please help me say thank you to Uncle Baroba. I received N10,000 from him this afternoon. Chukwu gozie wu sir.

I now have more than enough money to roof my village container but I've decided to take Chiwex' advice to concentrate on one business before doing another. I want to grow the Agbani shop and the vegetable farm before opening the village shop.

Although to be honest, the real reason I'm putting the village business on hold is that I realised that making my little cousin the manager as I had initially planned won't be wise. Why?

1) He's rude and disrespectful to me, his elder brothers and even his mum. Remember that day the wind brought down our palm tree? I sent him to get me their own sharp cutlass so I'd use it to cut something, the boy stubbornly stood his ground and said to me, "I can't go back to the house again o!" Can you imagine that? A boy I'm older than with more than ten years. Under normal circumstances, I would've reset his brain with a thunderous slap. Lol. But he's suffering from diabetes and could've collapsed if I did. That day I thought very deeply. If my little cousin can't run a simple errand for me how do I expect him to handle my business? What if he extends his rudeness and disrespect to my village customers?

2) I noticed that he steals little things from me.

3) I read Peter Okoye's explosive interview about his fallout with his elder brother. It made me realise that family is best separated from business.

4) I'm not paying rent on the village container. The land belongs to a member of my extended family whom my grandfather did a lot for. They even refused to take the wine I bought to thank them. Lol.

5) The goods I've bought (cds, electricals and phone accessories) do not expire.

6) The N35,000 that Uncles Ken, Krucifax, Nwa Orlu and Baroba have donated to me can be used to stock up my Agbani shop.

7) My future wife can run the village business for me. Lol.

Please what do you people think about my decision?

best. decision

A very wise decision,may God Almighty continue to strengthen and see you through in Jesus mighty name...Amen

Here is a picture of my village container this morning. As you can see, there are now three containers. Mine is the red one with a green tapolin covering it. The blue one belongs to the man that wants his wife to run her salon there. While the one at the back belongs to a woman running a beer parlour.

The beer parlour has taken off and the salon will soon take off. The ironic thing's that John was the first to site his container there but John will be the last to start business there. Lol.

Well, I'm happy to be a trail blazer. Na me first disvirgin the place com open them eye. Lol

JohnNgene:
Here is a picture of my village container this morning. As you can see, there are now three containers. Mine is the red one with a green tapolin covering it. The blue one belongs to the man that wants his wife to run her salon there. While the one at the back belongs to a woman running a beer parlour.

The beer parlour has taken off and the salon will soon take off. The ironic thing's that John was the first to site his container there but John will be the last to start business there. Lol.

Well, I'm happy to be a trail blazer. Na me first disvirgin the place com open them eye. Lol

bro..I really like your commitment and all but I feel you would have made a better business move if you invested your total funds into agriculture, with what I have read so far,you seem to be good in that field,with the way things are going on in the country i really doubt if you would have gone wrong investing all your funds in agriculture, like you said,your family got a parcel of land,make a research on what is needed in the market and with your charisma am sure selling your produce won't be difficult..just my two cents.

JohnNgene:
Omoteamac, radiokilla, pavore9, enterpro, vanndubi, gowaga68, platinumventure, mujeebmuhsin, samyj247, abidex35, chiwex, ferhyntorlah, 1money, bitingcool, sweetboiy, spyder880, chidekings, sunsewa, sonnie10, henrimoto, krucifax, momcherry, whirlwind7, moshoodn, layzie, bigx, naijacutee, darkenkach, grandstar, ewizard1, bre, lukinguy, cova, chumachuchu, drjeckyll, phranseeqz, jakpayen, donifez, dadebayo1, cyberterrorist, weselion, atlanticbreeze, highestpopori, initialize, jamela, asids55, egunmogaji, zillionglobal, tbliss22, cooldipo, demainman1 and every other silent reader, come and eat o! Food is ready. Lol.

If you're wondering what that whitish stuff on the jollof rice is, it's mayonnaise. It makes the rice taste as if there's salad in it. I don teach una new style. Lol.

You people should just better say "John, thank you. Enjoy yourself!" because I can't feed fifty-something Nigerian mouths with this my small plate of rice anyway. Lol. Or there's another solution. I can give you guys one mbembe each. Mbembe is what we call the velvet tamarind (Didn't even know it had an English name. I learnt it on Nairaland last week. Lol) icheleku (Igbo), awin (yoruba), licky licky (pidgin) here in Amurri.

I wish all of you a happy Easter holiday in advance.

Thanks and wish you same in advance.

I made a short video of me showing you people my vegetable farm this morning. The video's not up to one minute and not up to 1mb. I dey try save my free mb abeg. Lol.

I tied that cloth around my head because of the disturbance of houseflies and pishipishi (sun-flies). Though I thank God the sun-flies have not come out yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare work on the farm bare-chested. Or else, them go use my blood do rituals. Lol.

Here's the link for anyone who wants to download and watch it:
http://www.datafilehost.com/d/4cc3ad13

Hmmm... Asids55, I should've invested the whole N300,000 (three hundred thousand naira) on agriculture? No way! Abi you wan make hunger kill me? Lol.

If I had say N600,000 (six hundred thousand naira) as startup capital, I definitely would've been courageous enough to invest N300,000 on a fishery. There are so many beer parlours here in my village and none of them currently serves point-and-kill. That fishery is a goldmine waiting to be tapped here.

That reminds me. My father informed my cousin and I that he wants to sell his land that's beside Obe road. He planted palm trees there many years ago. I think he had a vision of making it a palm plantation but my old man desperately needs money now. Lol.

It's a thing of mixed feelings for me. I'm sad because as his first son, I'm supposed to inherit the land in the future and integrate it into my agricultural vision. I'm happy because if he sells it, he'll have the funds he needs to rejuvinate his struggling business and meet up with other financial demands of the family.

Nevertheless, I'll be happiest if an agricultural firm or a palm oil enthusiast buys the land. That'll be like killing two birds with one stone.

Mr John,
I really commend your effort. By Gods grace, I might come and visit you @ agbani after my exams.

You are going places bro!

Yes sir your "wife" will be a better manager....... Guess wedding bells will ring soon? All the best sir.

Mr John nice one... I think you should greatly consider doing business inside ESUT. The students are very viable customers and majority of them are consumers. You can cash in on that.

Everyone, please help me thank Aunty Naijacutee for the Superdry watch and two Hawes & Curtis shirts she gave me. God bless you ma.

My friend collected it from her contact in Lagos since last Friday. Anyone who's interested in buying it from me should please call/whatsapp me on 09095000603.

Talking about Lagos, I should be in Lagos next week. I wanted to go there this Thursday but I reasoned that some of the sellers may have travelled for the Easter holiday. I'll stay with my friend at the Ikotun axis for three days at most. Wish I could enjoy agege bread and ewa agoyin for one week but I don't want my vegetables to miss me too much. Lol.

Within those three days, I'll storm the markets to buy goods for my Agbani shop. A big thanks to Uncle Ken, Uncle Krucifax, Uncle Nwa Orlu and Uncle Baroba for the N35,000 I'll be using. (I go mention una real names when CNN go come interview me o! Lol)

I must wow my customers when they get back from this Easter break.

dadebayo1:
Yes sir your "wife" will be a better manager....... Guess wedding bells will ring soon? All the best sir.

Surprise! Surprise! You missed the wedding!

Na lie o! It's not my wedding. That's me carrying my cousin on her wedding day back in 2009. I never chop belle full talkless of to marry come dey feed wife and pikin. Lol.

Marriage is Vision 2020 for me. At least by 2nd November 2018, I'll be 30years old. Thirty-two is not too late to be a millionaire and to marry, right? Unless someone can donate a working-class wife for me here too. Lol.

27. 28. 29. 30!!! Blood of Jesus! I don dey old o! Obi is no longer a boy o! Lol.

Happy Easter to you John.
Jisike, u will surely be a millionaire if u continue with ur work ethics.

I think u re meant to wear the shirt though. At least keep one.

Ekaro o! This is Lagos! Lol.

Yes, I'm in Lagos right now. I left Enugu on Thursday morning. I'd planned to take a Libra bus straight to Ejigbo but I had to make do with Okeyson's when I couldn't find Libra park. They charged me N3,800 which was lower than what I had budgeted for considering this present fuel scarcity. Thank God!

As soon as I dropped at Cele around 5:30pm, I stormed the evening market there. No time to waste time. Lol. The next day, I equally stormed the Katangowa morning market. All these business secrets I'm revealing here, una go pay o! Especially the clothes sellers here. Lol.

I'd planned to return to Enugu this Saturday morning but I got an additional N20,000 loan from my model sister. So it definitely makes sense for me to storm more markets to buy even more goods. Doesn't it? After all, the more goods I buy, the more the transport expenses is spread across the the goods. Make I give small example because of some people wey be olodo. Lol.

E.g. If I spent N10,000 on transport to and fro. Then I buy 20 items, the transport expense on each item will be N500. Add my profit of say N200. The end result is that my wares will be too expensive. But if I buy 50 items, the transport expense on each will be N200 thereby increasing my profit margin. I dey feel like one Charles Soludo now o! Lol.

I took this picture when the bus parked at Ore for the usual 10-15minutes food/toilet break.

I'm back home in Enugu. I got back here around 11pm yesterday night. My late arrival was caused by the fuel scarcity. Our bus had to queue for about one hour at a filling station. Then our driver had to stop at another filling station when we got to Onitsha around 8pm. We eventually got to the HolyGhost park in Enugu around 10:30pm. If it was the private park of the transport company (E.Ekesons) that I took, I would've slept there. But when I looked around the park, I saw many other transport company buses and knew that it won't be a safe place to spend the night with my goods.

I eventually boarded a taxi N1,000 to Agbani. The taxi only agreed to carry me for that price because he was already carrying two other passengers. Meanwhile, I'd already called my cousin to come pick me up at Agbani as soon as I arrived there.

When our taxi got to Amaechi road, we were stopped by some policemen at that point where a signboard reads "OBEAGU UNO". One of them ordered the driver to open his boot. He then ordered me to open my Ghana-must-go bag. I told him it's the clothes I sell at my shop. He raised one of the clothes, smelled it and...

Policeman: This is okirika. Na contraband!

Me: It's not contraband sir! I bought them in Lagos.

Policeman: Okirika is contraband! We will burn all these clothes here. (Dragging my bag to another seated officer)

Me: Sir, how can you call this contraband? I didn't buy them from outside Nigeria na! I bought them in Lagos. And there are some new clothes there.

Policeman: Show me the new clothes!

Me: See them sir. (Showing them to him)

Policeman: Where's the receipt?

Me: Sir, this is not contraband. I'm just a young man trying to survive. My shop is at Agbani. I'm not a armed robber or kidnapper.

Policeman: Even if you be kidnapper, this AK47 na for you.

Me: Sir, but this is not contraband.

After many minutes of grammar, deaf ears and delay.

Taxi driver: Bros, na you dey delay us here o! Cholu ha obugodulu five naira ka ha hapu gi.

Me: You mean five hundred naira? (I had to ask him cos I was scared he meant FIVE THOUSAND NAIRA. Lol)

Taxi driver: Yes!

I eventually had to settle the policemen N500 as the taxi driver had suggested. As we continued on our way to Agbani, the taxi driver told me that he once sold ladies' wears like me. He adviced me to always produce receipts for any clothes I buy. So that if the police ever tries to harass me, I'll simply hand them my receipts.

Wow! I really learnt a useful business lesson yesterday.

Nigerian police sha....

Awww...well done John. I followed your storyline and it was indeed a nice read.

I commend your determination, persistence, hard work and doggedness. Jisike ezigbo nwanne m.

May God bless your efforts. I'm inspired. I suggest you rent out your village container for now, pending when you will get a capable hand that will manage the business for you.

Mr John. I'm greatly inspired by your efforts. May God reward you immensely. I have a suggestion to make about getting your goods. You need not waste much money on transportation getting goods from Lagos. Why not try onitsha? It's closer and you can get many varieties too.

I have read your story. Really nice spirit you have and it is obvious you are natural-born entrepreneur.

I suggest you publish a book when you make your millions.

I might not be able to continue following your story but I read up to this point and salute your courage.

Daaaaaaamn John, back at it again with the work rate.

Lol I usually don't go through pages on here but u had to go through all yours. Really outstanding and inspirational.
Keep on doing what you're doing cos you sir, are on the right track. You'll get that major breakthrough truss

Police-wahala plus the malaria I was battling with made me forget to gist you people about how my Lagos business trip went.

The first good news is, I collected the watch and two shirts that Aunty Naijacutee donated to me. One of my friends bought the two shirts from me. Thank God!

The "Superdry Lumbergirl watch" is still posing in my showcase now waiting for a buyer. Lol. That's it in the picture. I'm offering it to any lucky lady for as low as N10,000 (ten thousand naira). The watch is actually worth £70 or N25,000 (seventy pounds or twenty five thousand naira). Google am if you think sey I dey lie. Lol.

The second good news is I was able to buy about 110 items (which includes jumpsuits, leggings, jeggings, trousers, three-quarters etc) for N46,100. My transport totals about N12,000 when I add the unexpected taxi (N1,000) plus police egunje (N500). Lol.

Bro, no matter how small your business is you should have an online presence.

Create a Facebook page for your shop, the name should be the name you intend giving your business.

Spend some money on Facebook adverts to reach people within your area. The outcome is rewarding depending on how good you do th is things.

I made a major move today. A ¥20,000 (twenty thousand yuan) move. Una know sey dollar no dey reign again na. Lol

I just rented that small room you can see in the picture this morning for N20,000 (twenty thousand naira). It's in the same compound as my shop. So now, I've rented both a shop and a room from the same landlord.

I decided to take the room for the following reasons.
1) If masquerades block the road, I'll run and hide at my Agbani room. Lol.
2) It'll serve as an extension of my very small shop. I can keep goods there and customers can also change there if they need more room.
3) It'll save me from transportation stress and expenses.

"How did you get the N20,000?" you may be asking. Remember that money I said my model sister lent me? I actually didn't use it in Lagos. Well, I asked her to send me her account number on Saturday so that I'll pay her back. I know my darling younger sister. I knew that her intention is to dash me the money. But I had a backup plan in case she refused to send me her account number. I'd send it to my second sister's account to give it to her. Lol. That was when she explained to me that the money is part of the charity money mapped out by her boss at his NGO/foundation that she works for. Her explanation made sense to me.

Me: I hope your boss is not Dasuki or associated with Dasuki o!
Her: No way! My boss is legit men.

Lol. So I thanked her and told her to thank her boss for contributing to my progress.

If that receipt is for 1 year payment, it should read April 18, 2016 - April 17, 2017.
The recipient has lost one month.

whirlwind7:
If that receipt is for 1 year payment, it should read April 18, 2016 - April 17, 2017.
The recipient has lost one month.

Thank you so very much for the observation. You must be a lawyer with such attention to details. I didn't even notice it in my excitement. I went back to the landlord with the receipt immediately I read your comment.

Me: Sir, you made a mistake in this receipt o! (showing it to him) It should be April 18th to April 17th.
Landlord: January 1 to December 31st is what?
Me: (thinking)
His little son: One year!!!
Me: Sir, that's one year. But this is eleven months.

The argument ended when we brought down a calendar and actually counted it one by one from April 18th, May 18th, June 18th till we got to April 17th of the next year before he finally agreed and corrected his mistake. Lol.

I have regained my lost month. Thanks.

I'm not a lawyer. I just pay attention to such details involving money and transactions.

When I was in the university, I rented a shop to start a small business, and something exactly like this happened. After I pointed out the error to the landlord, he argued that it was 12 months. I told him to count the months and confirm my claim. You need to see how he counted with his fingers and toes just to be certain I wasn't trying to pull a fast one on him, while I looked on with a bemused expression on my face.

After several moments of counting back and forth, he called his son to confirm his arithmetic. The son did, and a new receipt was issued to me.
As I was leaving, I heard him mutter "umu akwukwo ndia sef......."

John, if you will have your customers change in that room with some of your goods in there, what plans do you have in place for lost management? For example, some people could just go in there and hid some stuffs in their bag or underneath their clothing.

I did some weeding of my vegetable farm this morning. It rains every two or three days now so I don't do watering anymore. I had to change from my usual sleeveless into a longsleeve when I noticed that pishipishi (sun-flies) were devouring my arms. Lol. I might have to find a trouser very soon to protect my legs from them.

The ugu is doing very well. The green on other hand is under serious attack by millipedes/centipedes, caterpillars and grasshoppers. I wanted to use Sniper pesticide to fight the pests but I'm scared that it might poison my vegetables.

As for the cucumber, most of them have wilted and died. So I've replaced them with corn. The egusi is growing. Did you know that cucumber and egusi are crawlers/climbers? I no know before o!