Introduction
His name is Rotimi Odewale and he lives in Ibadan. He is in his
forties and runs his own businesses. Although he graduated from the University
of Ibadan with a degree in computer science, he is a self-taught manufacturer
of industrial ice making machines (ice makers). From the construction-shed he
built in his house, he supplies customers in far-flung cities like Kaduna,
Calabar and Bauchi; and he almost always has a backlog of orders. What I found
most intriguing however, is that after seven years of successful business and
over 500 machines sold, the man still doesn't have an office - the kind
equipped with an executive chair and air-conditioning - instead he spends his
day at work with the machines, hammering, welding and the like. This is the
master stroke of his career, but we need to go a little back in time so you can
understand how.
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| A front-loading ice maker built by Rotimi |