MEET THE SOUTH AFRICAN BASED MOGUL CALLED ICHAKA : A MAN OF MANY PARTS
why he SETS UP
BOUTIQUE HOTEL,dublina iN LAGOS
cerutti osagie,LIVE REPORTS@DUBLINA
This our subject matter today is case study. From far off South
Africa, he recently established an eye popping hotel in FESTAC town called
Dublina hotels and suits, a breathtaking edifice with modern day torch
He
is neither a Politician neither does he has any iota of ambition to
play politics in the near future, yet his is known more for his nick
name," Honorable".
His
all time greatest admirer and benefactor, Chief MKO Abiola was a successful business
tycoon; he died along the way to actualizing his political aspiration of
trying to be Nigeria's President, so today Henry Mgbojikwe, also known as Ichaka,has learn from
that lesson, he supports politicians with his money, but has vowed never to
play politics.
Here
is a man that belongs to the other category of Nigerian in South,the first
category being the intellectual few, while the other are the super rich
Nigerian business men, that even the South African Government has no option
than to give honor to them, they came to South with nothing but today
they drive the poshest of cars, live in glass houses and have managed
to teach lazy South Africans the rudiment of business.
Honorable Ichaka
for short is a case study when you talk about the Successes in
Cape town and how Nigerians are faring in business and lifestyles beginning that
saw him first staring off in South Africa many years as an antique seller to
the white tourist and rich South African, Ichaka now live in grand style, has
diversified to other areas of business and now expanding beyond South
Africa, but now eying life across the Southern African
Countries of Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland,in one of his pictures
with King Letsie iii of Lesotho, he was playing tennis with the Young
King.
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24 HOURS ON THE MOVE
Today,
this young Nigeria who is 24 hours on the move now live in grand style. His
home in the suburb area of Cape Town, called Table view which overlooks the Atlantic has portraits pictures
of many African leaders and kings, even the y aught which his
property company which he runs with few South Africa whites is elf imposing,
inside is a tribute to mosaic walls depicting elephant and other African wide
life beast.
When
you talk of lifestyle of the rich and famous, here is a typical example of man that
lives it to the fullest, Our chit chat held at the closest of the newly acquired y
aught is a testimony to the rich and glamorous life
some Nigerian now enjoy in South Africa.
He
has been described as a man of three parts among several others, so naturally
when he oblige us for a drink date alongside his business partners
inside their newly acquired y aught, we went straight to
the point of what brought the meeting together.
Originally
from Idemili South OF Ananmbra State,Ichaka makes no fuse of it"I have
been in business all my life, I was born in it, I live in it
and I will die in it, right from my teenage days, I have been traveling for
my family to Lagos from the East in the name of Business,even at a
teenager I have embarked on several trips to Singapore and
Japan, bringing in electronics for those who sell on retails, at a stage, people started
calling me my a nickname of Singapore.
COMING TO SOUTH AFRICA
Ichaka
says he has embarked on a visit to South Africa in 1997 and on first
impression he fell in love with the modest place called Cape Town, I saw a
place different from all the other places I have been to, from West Africa, to
Asia;from Asia to Europe, I saw something breath taking in Cape Town where
whites that come are crazily in love with African antiques and art works, so I
went back to West Africa, Mali precisely and brought in more antiques to Cape
Town, it was a instant hit.
Today,Ichaka
has since diversified,asked of the three parts that now controls his
life,the Nigerians who is one of the biggest Electronic dealers in
South Africa says, no matter where he finds himself he will never live
the electronics business for whatever reason.
"I
am an electronics man through and through, all my life I have always dealt with
it, I am glad to tell you that if you go to the tiny Southern African Countries
you will see my presence there, I have come to be giving the nickname of
Singapore,next week I will be opening my branch in Mozambique, I know
the in and out of the trade, I have a closer and age old relationship with
the Japanese and the Asians, I have been able to maintain an age old
relationship of trust with them, I can go there today and tale goods worth
millions of dollars without paying, they trust in me, because of
my other trade name which is inter gritty, that's what my father thought us
in business while growing up.
His
comment are not empty whistle, next day he led us to his newly acquire electronic
palace he recently acquired from a departing India, he has
offered jobs opportunity to many hungry Nigerians, but was quick to warn that
he enjoys dealing with Southern African than young Nigerians" Theses young
Nigerian don't want to crawl before they walk;they don't want
to walk before they fly, they are ever in a hurry, not knowing that Rome was
not built in a day, I made my mark and paid my business dues in
Nigeria, but I came here and started on the street selling antique before I
found my electronic bearing all over, Our young boys must learn the art of patience in
business.
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Like trump like ichaka?
Not
too long ago, Ichaka made a grand entry in the world of Property as part of his
diversification plan." I am motivated by all I have read and seen Donald
Trump did, he made his money and refused to stay in one brand of business, I
think money is a tool that must be made to go round and round, I don't want
to end my life in electronics, I want to be a player in dynamic world of
property, that was what inspires me to be part of Oasis homes, one of
South Africa's fastest growing properties label
Oasis
Homes specializes in Cape Town Real Estate, but cover the whole of
South Africa, they are said to be the front name for many Nigerians top Governmental officials littering
the place with their choice brand of Properties, grapevine has it
that Ichaka has in no small way brought in many Nigerians to acquire choice
properties in the tourist City, what does he to say about that?
"I
work directly with Oasis, but by personal company is called Orion 9, I don't know
what you mean by saying I work as front for Government officials buying homes
here, I specialize in developing, re selling and acquiring the choicest of
[properties in South Africa, so If for example I have a childhood friend
that is now a politician and wants to have a base to chill a a quite City like
Cape Town and I showed him a place in my second home after Nigeria, does that
make me a front man? I think we should watch our language very well as Nigerians and cease from
using the so called yellow journalism language, can the same be said of Donald
Trump that he front for American Senators who craves for hone by the
Beach front in Miami ?
**
HOTEL FORAY
Stepping into the high street, Dublina Suites in the
heart of Festac Town, strategically located on the 4th Avenue,
by G Close, one will be forced to describe the place as an intense haven of
luxury of a home away from home
The cozy ambiance, all marble setting, simplicity
and class of the hotel is most welcoming that one cannot help but give kudos to
the inventor of the set up, in person of Henry Mgbojikwe, also known as Ichaka
Ichaka, for starters, is not your run of the mills
business tycoon. He is well traveled old hands in business in general and
hotels, entertainment and tourism in particular.
In cape town, South Africa, where he is domiciled
for close to two decade, Ichaka is known as a dynamic and astute
business man who got his life breakthrough selling properties and acting as
middle man and agent to international personalities who craves to
invest in the beautiful mother city of Cape Town, once rated as the third most
beautiful city in the world
From the world of properties, Ichaka fell hell over
hills in love with the beauty of Cape town at night, and decided to register
his presence in the aggressively competitive tourism world, where he first
started by having a restaurant for African descents and later in
2010 opened his first night club in Cape Town, called SEASONS
His love and passion for entertainment made him a
regular caller to one of the continents biggest jazz hubs in Africa, Dublina on
long stress, Cape Town, with his several white partners
His Dutch Boss, once advised him, ‘’Anytime you are
stressed with life or in need of new vigor and new mindset, wait no further or
seek no help anywhere, just talked a walk to a good place where live jazz is
being played, there you will find relieve’’
To his amazement, he tried it on one or two occasion
and it was sheer magic. ‘’I can never forget that jazz home called Dublina, it
was a massive relaxation haven, it was a place I love to go and relax and
network, it eventually paid off for me, for when my other Nigerian brothers are
eager to go to African hangouts, I always chose the white dominated Dublina’’
Ichaka confessed.
Now several years after his historic first Cape
Town, Dublina visit, Ichaka in looking for a name to call his first Nigerians
hotel, looked no further, he chose the name where the whole story all
began…..DUBLINA
‘’I want to give Nigerians’ the class, luxury and
respect that the original Dublina represents’’ he posits, ‘’ I WANT to bring
value to those who want to spend their hard earned money with dignity of
purpose
It is such desire to bring international touch to
Dublina, Nigeria that Ichaka, ever so conscious of taste decided to contract
the world famous CIRIOS HOTELS, London top manage his hotel in Nigeria.
CIRIOS, stands for seriousness in their business,
they do not compromise on excellence, they do not believe in mediocrity in
their service, such is what I want for our Country’s Dublina’’
the business czar postulated
Speaking
further, on his decision to return home to
invest after near two decades in South Africa, the Dublina boss reveled
that
apart from the urge he has to invest in his Country, he also decided to
set up
a hotel business so as to be able to create employment for the several
jobless
Nigerians that abound the Country. He however lamented on need for
Nigeria government to improve the stare of light in the country, saying
most hoteliers burn too much money on diesel to keep guest happy
Powerful write up. I am impressed. Well done Brother.
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