aghaibiam:
Your thread is so lovely and enchanting. Its an inspiration for so many.Your days of humble beginnings will soon be over. How are your vegetables doing?

ehinome4hushM:
Nice one dearly beloved. Pls can you help a sister find out the cost of palm oil in Enugu,I need some supplies here in Lagos. Thanks

JohnNgene:
You people, come and see what I just killed inside my house o! A small scorpion! And a small mouse (or is that a baby squirrel?) with a furry tail.

I saw something on the sitting-room wall. I was about to dismiss it as the usual harmless wall-gecko. Thank God I flashed my rechargeable lamp and saw it was a scorpion instead. I got a broom and struck it down. Then I walked around to check if I'll find another one. That's when I saw this small mouse crawling on the wall of the passage. I struck it down too.

This house feels like National Geographic Channel this night. I hope the brothers and sisters of these animals I killed won't come for vengeance while I'm sleeping. Lol. God forbid!

I'll take necessary precaution tomorrow. I'll make sure I sprinkle Sniper all over this house in the morning before I leave for Agbani. I'll also buy aki-inu (bitter kola?) and throw it around the house to repel snakes.

JohnNgene:
I regret to announce that my village container is now up for sale.

I've decided to sell it after what happened yesterday. As soon as I got home from Agbani, my little cousin approached me. He said that Aunty (one of the members of the family that gave me the space to site my container) gave him an ultimatum on the container. I thanked him for giving me the unbelievable breaking news.

I bathed, warmed the beans I'd cooked in the morning, downloaded it with garri as usual and then walked to the Aunty's compound to confirm what my little cousin told me.

Me: Aunty good evening o!

Aunty: Ehen, I'm giving you two months to start your business or else I'll remove your container and give the space to another person.

Me: Aunty why are you talking like this?

Aunty: I've told you o! Two months!!

Me: Aunty wait let me explain something to you. The money I'm using to do business is money I borrowed from my friend. My father didn't give me one kobo. When I started, the economy was not yet this bad. Now, I'm struggling to run my Agbani business and this one here. The business I want to do here needs light. Our village-NEPA said I must pay N10,000 before I connect light to the container. Even my cousin that I wanted to help me manage the business is sick.

Aunty: (acting concerned) What is even wrong with him?

Me: Diabetes.

Aunty: What I'm saying is, people are interested in renting that space. Even the woman behind you there paid me N20,000 for her space. In fact, next year I'll tell her to leave or pay me N30,000 if she wants to continue there.

Me: Ah ah Aunty! How can you compare me to that madam? Her space is much bigger than mine. Besides, I just roofed my container few weeks ago. If I wasn't interested in doing business there, will I roof it? Remember that it's when I brought my container there that all these people suddenly knew that that place is a nice site for business o!

Aunty: No! Our original plan was to build shops there.

Me: Hmmm...

Aunty: Next year, we might tell everybody there to leave so we can build shops.

At this point, I quickly thanked her, ended the talk and went home. I felt so angry. I knew she was indirectly trying to tell me that I'm going to pay rent next year. I instantly regretted accepting their rent-free gift. I regretted not insisting on paying this year's rent when I still had the money. The worst part of it is that when I gave my little cousin an update of my discussion with her, he told me how she'd confronted him PUBLICLY complaining that afterall we're not paying her for the space. How can my so-called extended family member treat me like a stranger? I made up my mind to sell the container to avoid any future wahala.

I've made calls this morning and put word out that the container is for sale. I hope to sell it for at least N90,000 (ninety thousand naira) or N110,000 (one hundred and ten thousand naira) at best. The buyer can then approach the Aunty to discuss the rent he'll pay her.

I'm sure my father will say "I told you so" if he hears the story. On Monday, he advised me to sell it. His reasons were:
1) For me to avoid quarrelling with our village people when they start owing me debts.
2) That as a business-starter, it won't be easy for me to handle two shops at the same time.

By the way, did I tell you people that I sold a record-breaking TEN ITEMS on the 17th? I didn't make much profit from them but I was so happy that most of the items were old stock. Lol. That 17th was the same day that my father came to my shop for the first time. Is it a coincidence or what? He briefly prayed for God to bless my business and for God to give me more connections through the shop.

Me: AMEN!!! Thank you sir.

JohnNgene:
I travelled to my village at the end of December after Christmas to minimize spending on beer, outings and other flexing. Can't play with my capital abeg. Lol.

Here are some of the things I counted as assets or advantages or encouraging factors of establishing my business in my village.
1) I had N300,000 capital in my account to do business. God win! Lol
2) My father has a big house that's mostly empty from January to December.
3) My cousin had already moved to the village from Lagos few years ago is doing well.
4) There now light in my village and a borehole sited near our house.
5) We have some lands for farming. Cassava and palm fruits are the main crops grown in my village.
6) I'll add more if I remember. Lol

igweross:

Is it possible to get 3 truck full load of palm kernel on a daily basis... I have a proposal to that effect

kentochi:
yes but not in one market day
Note this my mum's business before we lost her last 3 months ago
Her oil cans just dey one side.
Mummy good night I still miss you.

igweross:

So sorry for your loss.. I wish you grace and strength.

So, how can we make it happen. Can I get your number, talk on whatsapp?

JohnNgene:
You will hear people saying "Igbos should leave Lagos and develop the East." Well, I went to Lagos in May 2015 to start a business with my friend. We searched for a shop at our area and beyond. No way. I then decided to move to my village in Igbo land. Thank God my friend agreed to lend me money. So I had N300,000 to begin my business move from Egypt to the promise land. Lol.

rayblings:
did you notice two guys (twins) on abani road. We dey fire our car (honda baby boy) like airplane in 2014.. People knew us especially me with my rough driving...

JohnNgene:
Honeychild, thanks. It's an honour to be your first.

IgweRoss, I know a place at Enugu road here (near my shop) where they buy palm kernels from villagers. I used to sell ours to them years back when my paternal grandma was still alive. They're still in the business.

VickyChuk, you're too funny. No be small Keeping Up With John. Lol.

Rayblings, I think you're talking about Agbani road that's at Gariki or Enugu town. I'm at Enugu road at Agbani. Hope you're no longer a fast and furious driver so that you won't end up like Paul Walker o! Lol.

JohnNgene:
Honeychild, thanks. It's an honour to be your first.

IgweRoss, I know a place at Enugu road here (near my shop) where they buy palm kernels from villagers. I used to sell ours to them years back when my paternal grandma was still alive. They're still in the business.

VickyChuk, you're too funny. No be small Keeping Up With John. Lol.


Rayblings, I think you're talking about Agbani road that's at Gariki or Enugu town. I'm at Enugu road at Agbani. Hope you're no longer a fast and furious driver so that you won't end up like Paul Walker o! Lol.