Bushmeat Billionaire

Ichie Ifeanyi Gabriel Adione, popularly known as Ikeotuonye, told me the story of his life: “I was born in 1957 in Oraukwu town, Idemili-North local government of Anambra State. I had my primary education in my hometown before setting off to learn the textile trade in Nnewi. I left Nnewi to Lagos towards the end of 1979 to engage in motor spare parts trading at Idumota market. I got married to Cecilia Azuka Chikodi Adione in 1984 and we were quickly blessed with three children, Tochukwu, Ikenna, Obinna, all boys.  I left the young children in the care of their mother in 1988 and journeyed to Asia, living in Taiwan and China, in search of greener pastures. My wife sold pap, akara, rice and such things in Ikate, Surulere. When I returned from abroad to reunite with my family, it all started as a small scale business in a mechanic workshop in Oduduwa Street, Ikate, Surulere. Later we set up shop in the nearby Onibuore Street before moving to Olusesan Adetula Street, near the famous Kilo Hotel, making good money through selling bushmeat and other local delicacies. We depend on local farmers in Ogun State to supply the bushmeat. I bought a bus for the farmers and built a house for them where they can relax watching satellite television, football, DVD. It is now time for investors to invest in botanical gardens for the growing of grasscutters, otherwise known as bushmeat. Now bushmeat restaurants only depend on hunters in the bush. But if there are grasscutter farms, the yield of bushmeat will be plentiful. I have the patience to wait for the establishment of the grasscutter farms. I don’t like what ends quickly. Since I believe the business will survive the long run, I am thinking ahead to acquire more land and to engage foreign investors. To start crying is difficult. I believe that bushmeat is what I will use to be a man. I am seriously involved in the training of my workers as catering schools happen not to be popular with our people. My company was incorporated as New Deal Foods Ltd and it grew until it gave birth to a sister company known as Fadaland in the FESTAC village, Lagos. The Lekki establishment, along the Lekki-Epe Expressway beside Aja Police Area Command, is now the latest deal. The Lekki place is an international standard restaurant that serves all the dishes. The ground floor is known as the Food Plaza where all the dishes of Fadaland such as bushmeat, nkwobi, isiewu, chicken peppersoup are served alongside Efik delicacies from the kitchen of Mama Calabar. The first floor is reserved for the Chinese restaurant, continental dishes and the coffee bar. The second floor is the place for standard suites made up of eight rooms. All my achievements would not have been possible without the support of my beloved wife, Azuka. From the day I married her, my mother-in-law told me that she’s full of talent, that she inherited her cooking prowess. She started the selling of akara and akamu such that she is still affectionately called ‘Iya Akamu’ by our landlord then and some neighbours. She also sold Jollof rice, akpu, ofe-onugbu and so on. It was because of my success in the food business that my people back home in Oraukwu gathered and chose me to be their representative, the highly regarded Ichie in the traditional ruler Igwe’s cabinet. The big ceremony took place at the Igwe’s Palace on Easter Monday, April 13, 2009. I salute God that my people have love for what I do. My promise to them is to develop the human infrastructure of our place. Four of our sons and daughters will be trained to study Law and Petro-Chemical Engineering on my scholarship from the date of admission to graduation. My motto remains: ‘That my people will see more light.’ The miracle is not that we do this work, but we are happy to do it.”