TARGETS 100 STALLS ACROSS NIGERIA IN 2
YEARS
The
Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi
Ojaja II, on Friday, September 16 2022 in Ile-Ife, Osun state, unveiled
an iconic retail outlet branded OjajaMore, a viable food-chain retail store
dealing in groceries and other consumables.
Explaining
the initiative at the commissioning ceremony held at the premises of the retail
store located at the KM 10, Ife/Ibadan expressway in Ile-Ife yesterday, the Ooni
stated that the establishment of OjajaMore is in fulfillment of his
agelong aspiration to redesign retail activities that will be gainfully driven
by the Nigerian youths with a view to creating an enduring legacy for Africa in
the global space.
"This is job creation for the Nigerian youths. OjajaMore simply means where people (consumers) can pay less and get more. It is a combination of royalty and retail to create a different shopping perspective starting from Ile-Ife The Source. The business is structured to allow personalized shopping to grow the retail business which is grossly underdeveloped in Nigeria due to reasons which include proliferation of neighborhood stores and unorganized markets among others.
"While
in Johannesburg about 15 years ago on a business visit, I saw so many retail
stores, I thereafter realized that as big as Nigeria was and still is, there
are only five (5) major malls with no single one in my hometown Ile-Ife that is
refined, classy and affordable.
"Like
we have names of people branded into companies like this in developed
countries, I initiated this project to build the confidence of our younger ones
in productive business and investment activities. Youths are the real drivers
of economic growth.
"We
have started from Ile-Ife because charity begins at home, from here we will
cover the entire South West and Nigeria with a chain of over 100 stalls within
the next 24 months. It will be the first of its kind in Nigeria and the
continent of Africa.
"Beyond
grooming young minds and serious-minded youths in a retail business, this
initiative will offer over 100,000 direct and indirect employment to our youths
across the country, thereby contributing in no small means to human development
and capacity building. That's my target" The Ooni said.
On
what Nigerians stand to benefit from patronizing the new outfit, the MD/CEO.
of OjajaMore, Mr. Benedict Orioye explained that high-powered
technology will be deployed to ensure that customers are treated with respect
and royalty as part of value for their money, beyond what is obtainable in
similar outfits nationwide.
Orioye
said,
"Our focus is to have local content as items making up of at least 70 percent
of items to be sold here, this is why we are dueling mostly on the farm market.
Everything you can think of in the farm will be sold in OjajaMore with decent
packaging in line with the global standard operating procedures for food
handling.
"Aside
from fresh and healthy farm produce, the mall will be filled with other retail
items as obtainable in other malls around the world but blended with royalty.
Our goods are going to be affordably cheap and environment friendly as we have
concluded plans to partner with the university communities around us to ease
the stress of students and other low-income earners in shopping."
Orioye said.
It
will be recalled that Ooni Ogunwusi on the day of his official
coronation in December 2015 dedicated his reign and the throne to the youth.
This has consistently seen him engage the youths meaningfully in all his
projects and programs both businesses and NGOs.
Apart
from Orioye Benedict Gbayisemore, a one-time local fisherman from
Ilaje Ese Odo area of Ondo state who was appointed MD/CEO of the OjajaMore
by the Ooni having discovered him as a well-educated and super
versatile young man with a Bsc Physics from Obafemi Awolowo University and
currently studying for his MSc Business Administration at the University of
Ibadan, the super dynamic monarch has also given an array of other brilliant
and multi-talented Nigerian youths gainful job opportunities with a lot of
performing creditably well in their various engagements.
There
are several other Nigerian youths who have benefited from Ooni's G2G platform
which he created 4 years ago to drive his Grass-To-Grace agenda for the youths.
A
graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Victor Badejo from Ile-Ife
is handling OJAJA PARK, a 25 billion naira model city
project in Akure while a 30-year-old Kamarudeen Adefajo an
indigene of Modakeke-Ife with an HND architecture
is the one in charge of OjajaMews, another multi-billion
housing estate project located at Osogbo in Osun state.
A
graduate of Osun State Polytechnic who is fondly called Engineer Fisayo
has been made to carry out several successful constructions of the Ooni's
projects like the Ife Grand Resort and Industrial Park, the 3000 seaters
multi-purpose event center called OJAJA ARENA, a 2000 bedded hostel facility OJAJA
HOSTEL at the Obafemi Awolowo University, the OjajaMore all
in Ile-Ife.
Former
president of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Comrade
Bello Shagari from Sokoto state is the MD/CEO of Royal African
Young Leadership Forum (RAYLF) a platform set up by the Ooni in 2018
for showcasing and celebrating the talented young leaders who are already great
but untapped assets for Nigeria. he studied Business Information Systems &
Information Technology Middlesex University, London.
Barrister
Habeeb Whyte from
Abeokuta, a Law graduate of the University of Ilorin is the
MD/CEO Olofin Products Ltd. an Ooni's company Packages everyday agricultural
products for sale locally and exports.
One
of the Ooni's Personal Assistants, Tomisin Olawale a graduate of
Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada was also recently appointed as Director of
Olofin Microfinance Bank, a one-time Ife Community-owned bank that has just
been succoured by the Ooni for resuscitation.
While
inviting individuals, groups, government and other corporate organizations in
Ile-Ife and its environs to join him in the daily patronage of the iconic
OjajaMore, situated at KM. 10, Ife-Ibadan Expressway, Ile-Ife, Osun State, the
African foremost monarch
admonished the government and well-meaning Nigerians to always
consider the Nigerian youth as the best partners in progress for the economic
liberation of the country, the Arole Oduduwa concluded his speech at the event
to invite individuals, groups, government and corporate organizations in
Ile-Ife and its environs to join him in the daily patronage of the iconic OjajaMore,
situated at KM. 10, Ife-Ibadan Expressway, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
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