MONDAY RANDOMS - SAVE SMALL BUSINESSES X RUMENS REMAINS

What is the hope of Entrepreneurship in Nigeria? Today’s Monday Random topic is one that really concerns all of us as a nation and it is really hurting me. Just last week, there was a devastating news and video making rounds on Social media, it was a disheartening video, showing the demolition process of Nuli Juice Company, Nuts about cake and some other small businesses around it in Rumens at Ikoyi Lagos Nigeria. Nuli  and Nuts about cakes may have appeared to be the worst hit, because they leverage on the use of social media for advertising as opposed to very expensive Radio, Bill board and TV advertising rate.

Remains from Rumens Demolition

Just as I was starting to celebrate the fact that in this part of the world, Natural and healthy living is now the order of the day, and that small businesses can thrive with the help of good publicity and Social media, Just a month ago after being tagged on instagram to one of Nuli’s post by a friend asking me to checkout the place and do a review, she kept on gushing about their juice, only for me to see on instagram that Nuli branch at Ikoyi has been demolished without notice. What breaks my heart is that they claim to have been given just an hour notice, that the landlord had an issue with the government over 40 million naira, and that some of the tenants already paid rents a week before demolition. I couldn’t watch the video more than once, because equipment worth millions of naira went down, in the presence of 4 armed police men, who supervised the whole process as the bulldozer bulldozed the building, on lookers, staffs and owners of the businesses were sad, there was tears and gloom.

My question and curiosity is : 

Why didn't the government intervene? Why didn't the rightful landlord just buy and take over the building instead of demolishing someone’s blood, sweat and money? How can there be such destruction in this recession? 

There is no light, Dollar rates have increased, we have bad roads, there are no proper funding for other sources of generating national revenue, there are painful and unreasonable government policies that wont allow businesses thrive  

If our government and affluent influential individuals wont provide jobs or sources of income in Nigeria, then why demolish or kick people out of their own Jobs that they created for themselves?

What is the hope for future Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurship in Nigeria?

Why destroy a legitimate business and then claim to help tackle unemployment?

What is the reward for hard work? Does the government understand the impact and role of Small and Medium Scale Businesses?

Not to even talk of selfish people who will only invest in your business if they will take 50% off your proceeds.

Impunity and lawlessness by armed security and unarmed law enforcement officials must STOP! 

The world must hear this! Our good leaders must come to our aid, let us #SaveSmallBusinesses . I contribute this write up as my voice to the voice of every affected and concerned individual.

I am very happy that Nuli and Nuts about cakes still delivers despite the demolition and most of their staffs haven’t lost their Jobs, thanks to the founders of the Social media platforms that have allowed us share our voices, use our hashtags and promote our businesses.

QUOTE: You can only demolish a persons building, but you can never steal their dreams, passion, vision, ambition, hardwork, tenacity and drive - Tara Fela Durotoye