Mazi Odera before he became "The Pen of the gods,before he stepped into the labyrithal hocus-pocus called politics, he has a life but that will be discussion for another dawn.. Just moving on and I so declare...
Having lived most of my life Overseas, traveled the world on vacations , shopped at World exquisite Malls, then I can tell the difference between a Supermarket and SUPER STORE,judging with Western standard and not most of Geisha and bread shop we call Supermarket in Nigeria, which is understandable because everything about Nigeria represent our Government, sometimes I wonder if truly the gods are crazy only in Africa?
We have in our lands all the Mineral resources which the West tap and made wealth, in return they bring back particles and exchange our senses with it even our Leaders will applaud.
After applauding they Will manage to carry our money to them, store same in their banks out there and came back home to watch us impoverished.
I am even happy that today the EFCC by Magic of the Witches will invade a house with Money Counting machines, break down the doors and start recording how the hauled money from Safe or buried in Sewage and it never occurred to them that we are not that stupid to realise that it all looked like Bollywood not even Nollywood. But come with me for a different whistling with the gods.
In America they have Cosco as Super Store because it deal on retail and Wholesale and they make you believe with price that fits .
Wall Mart is a retail outfit, so is South African SHOPRITE who came into Nigeria and suddenly every Mgbeke and Mgbeorie finds succour going to buy one bottle of Coke or chewing gum in there and snap pictures as patrons of SHOPRITE, which in actual sense they shop wrong by occupying space where customers would've used but I digress.
The first time I visited the Cream of NIGERIAN SUPER STORE located at JAHI close to BANEX JUNCTION ABUJA , I smelt dexterity in organized business.
The Aroma of the MANNA they bake which we call Bread is enough to take away the Hunger in you and replace it with Multivitamined air, they bake bread like no other and I can bet you, if you have eaten their bread and not hooked, then see the gods in your village to give you back your route taste .
The spacious siting is not only Waooooo, but the serene is something you get if you have street smartness and add crude sense to it (Natural intelligence) .
Not just expnase of land, but creative placing and authoritative structure.
I saw combination of South African setting, American stuffing and ONUICHA flair, that was what gave the place a touch of SHOPPING GIANT,we are talking about NEXT SHOPPING MALL "THE DREAM OF RIGHT SHOPPERS" .
Well, I went into doing my job about it "Investigative Journalism " to understand what makes the place thick, then I discovered they have high volume of turn over and fast sales which makes it impossible to have "about to Expire products" which other places, say Supermarket will call SALES or buy 2 get 3,in all with serious discount to attract patrons that will evacuate the products .
It is only when products are approaching expiration level that the marketers will knock off prices and targeting to get it off the counter, into your homes at discounted prices.
In cause of doing my sniffing around, I also noticed that many agents of darkness enjoy creating difficulties just to tarnish image of the place or cause impediments, I saw a case where a customer came in with CONSUMER PROTECTING AGENCY Personnel and they were red eyed, so when the manager stopped by and wants to know what's the Hullabaloo, it was explained that the customer bought a Ceiling Fan, then forgot the blades in the Shopping Cart, instead to go back and plead for replacement or ask how to solve it, she went to her In-law who is official of the Consumer Agency to complain that NEXT is selling Ceiling FAN without blades, and they went to paint an Evil picture of the Super Store .
I was happy when the Manager ask the Agency surrogate if he asked the customer how she lost the blade and if she have reported to NEXT management or consult them at all over the matter and the issue wasnt resolved ? .
As the Customer and the man he brought opened mouth without answers coming out, to suit the embarrassment, the manager ask the Staff to give her another blade but this time Fix it for her, so she won't come back and explain that it doesn't fit.
Moving on..
I started digging to know why such Investment won't be sited in IGBOLAND, ANAMBRA to be precise and what I discovered shocked me..
The company has Bought on two occasions expanse of Land at ONUICHA to build a beffiting SUPER STORE that will make ONUICHA the Cynosure of all Shoppers, but only to have catalog of troubles while trying to develop same ,both Locally made and state made.
The Company with powers of making Shopping easy and Fun has set up another at RIVERS STATE and it was possible because the state Government got involved in making the deals successful.
This one is sitting at over 11,000 Square meters in PH.
The Rivers state Government made it possible by granting access road, and business friendly condition to NEXT INTERNATIONAL which is what other states should do to attract such business.
States should not worry about investing, just encourage them by giving conducive environment ,if they ask for money they should go into Cow grazing business, just plain friendly conditions like we gave to foreign Stores.
NEXT INTERNATIONAL started with Mr Peter GREGORY OBI, an astute money making genius.
Who has talent to make money but not to spend it.
He started making money in breath taking fashion from Secondary school days, then optimized it in his University days, where he maximized the act of making money from leisure of other students at UNN .
He owned Campus Taxis as a student, build and own Banking building (Standard Bank was his tenant) and control fashion that trends.
After graduation, he set up NEXT in ONUICHA to become a future Global business solution, from ONUICHA he moved it to Lagos .
NEXT introduced BRANDED ownership in West Africa, they went into consolidation of Branding which gave them over 330 GLOBAL BRAND they control including HEINZ, BEVRAGES like OVALTINE, they are No 2 Company that control WINE in Africa.
PETER OBI when he ventured into Politics, he handed the business to his wonderful and Trail Blazing brother NDIDE OBI who is the current CEO, who also understand that money should be enjoyed.
PETER OBI as we know is one of the most talented Billionaire in Africa, and on Board of so many reputable companies, both in Nigeria and Abroad.
Even though Mr Peter is not active in business but the dividend of his wise investments still fetchs him Billions per annum.
As we speak, NEXT has step up in the World, now they have gone into millennium money making enterprise called SUPER STORES and from the look of things they seem to be ready to go Global with this business.
In few months time, the Port Harcourt branch which is one of the largest Shopping place in Africa ,the largest in West Africa will become operational.
The numbers of workers that will be employed, and casual workers as well hit Tens of Thousands.
I think it,s time the state Government of ANAMBRA, ENUGWU, EBONYI, ABIA will reach out and make sure that this BRAND comes home after all what we seek for in South Africa is here with us and will benefit ALAIGBO 24/7 .
NEXT INTERNATIONAL is currently managed by Ndibe OBI as the CEO , hails from Agulu and a brother to Mr Peter OBI the former Governor of Anambra state (FOUNDER OF THE COMPANY) who has taking Vocational approach to teach and preach THE REDEMPTION and Redifying of Great Governance in Africa.
He made his Epoch Intro into the world of Public speaker when he held the World in a Spell bound speech he had at PLATFORM,ORILE IGANMU ,televised LIVE by Channels TV .
Outside that , he has gone to YALE, HARVARD, UN, COMMONWEALTH, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS both home and abroad to preach the Redemption Gospel and he was ordained EDUCATION AMBASSADOR by Lord Bishop of Ijebu Ode Catholic Diocese.
Thumbs up for investors that invest in Nigeria at large and IGBO LAND in particular, the benefits are end to end..
This is Pen of the gods snooping around at NEXT MALL in PH, acting like a big Buyer.
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