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Like an unwritten rule in Nigeria, it was commonplace to find only Hausa men doing suya business in any part of the country, until Felix Eden Favour came into the picture.
Felix, a final year student of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom is an Igbo youth who proudly sells suya for a living and not only has about five outlets but has a retinue of staff.
Felix said he wanted to engage in a business that was unique.Source: Original
In this exclusive interview with THETALK.NG‘s Victor Duru, the aspiring international kitchen figure and CEO of Felix’s Kitchen opens up on how he started and the future of the growing enterprise for him.
Felix started fending for himself at age 16Felix who is studying political science and public administration has been a suya seller for over five years and revealed that he has been a ‘hustler’ since he was 16. He said:
“It started when I was at the age of 16. I had the urge to go into business because my family is not financially buoyant.
“I first started a barbing saloon (because that was my father’s previous business) where I cut hair and sell home videos.”
The Anambra indigene’s barbing business was crippled twice by fire incidents. Narrating he said:
“Something however happened one day. My not-so-good generator which I have been using for a long while caught fire and this resulted in the owner of the place I situated my saloon giving me quit notice.
“After I got admission, I went to school with my clipper hoping to continue the business there. However COVID came in 2020 which meant I had to be at home.
“I got a shop in Onitsha and continued barbing but the shop shockingly caught fire again. It was hard for me even at that young age. Everything inside that shop got burnt.”
How the idea to start selling suya cameFollowing the two fire incidents, Felix said he came to the conclusion that he was done with barbing and began consulting people on the next business he could go into. He said he wanted something unique. All but an advice from his father caught his attention.
“So, I left barbing for good. I started looking for a unique business and I sought advice from my dad and people.
“But the advice that stood out was going into cooking. My dad advised I go into suya and that I should contract an Hausa man who would sell for me and give me returns.
“I heeded and did as he advised but took over the business as the Hausa man I contracted wasn’t doing the business satisfactorily and was unavailable sometimes.”
Felix said Hausa folks gave him the secrets of the businessFelix said he decided to do the selling himself but found out he was not good at cutting the meat and organising it properly. This made him seek help from the ‘masters of the business.’
He said:
“I started doing the suya myself but I wasn’t doing it well. So, when I returned to school, I got closer to the Hausa guys in Awka Ibom. There’s a place in Akwa Ibom where there is a large concentration of Hausa guys.
“These guys taught me and showed me the secrets of the business throughout my 300 level second semester and 400 level first semester till I got better.
“When I returned to Onitsha, I was doing suya well. Now I have three outlets in Anambra and two in another place.”
Felix’s plan for the futureThe entrepreneur has no plans of ditching the suya business in the future. Felix said he hopes to expand it to other states in the country and also internationally and would incorporate other local cuisines. In his words:
“My plan for the future is to have my own restaurant, kitchen or joint where people can come and have suya. Igbo suya. Suya that is done by an Igbo person.”
He also wants to employ more people and would train willing minds on the how-to of the suya business and other cuisines.
“I also have that dream to employ labour. I went into this business because of a lack of jobs but people don’t know this is a good source of earning a living.
“When I have a kitchen, I’d have a class where people would be taught how to make suya as well as other local and foreign cuisines.”
Felix says he needs money to grow his suya businessThe final year student told THETALK.NG that he desires to be an international kitchen figure, travelling the world doing what he loves most – cooking.
“I want to be an international kitchen figure. I want to travel around the world doing my kitchen work.
“I also specialise in barbecues. I can do this nationally and internationally.”
Felix said his business is not where he wants it to be and still needs money and would appreciate any amount of financial gesture from well-meaning individuals.
“I need funds which is not necessarily millions. With N500k or close to a million, I can set myself (the suya business) up properly.
“Even now that I don’t have much support because I am not good at begging people, I still need help. Any amount is something. I’d make sure I’d utilise the money if it were to be given to me.”
Nigerian builds a magnificent suya jointMeanwhile, THETALK.NG previously reported that a Nigerian man had built a magnificent suya joint and named it a university.
In a short TikTok video shared on Sunday, November 6, by Jay Mobile, the owner of the joint identified his shop with a bold signpost almost the size of an average billboard.
Boldly written on the signpost is ‘University of Suya”, and it has a company logo which completes the corporate identity of the business. Another interesting thing about the suya joint is that it is also called the ‘faculty of meatology.’
It is not known why the owner chose such interesting appellations for his suya shop, but many people found it very hilarious.
Source: THETALK.NG
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