05: Afịa ọ́ma n’élé onwe ya

great products still sell themselves...sometimes

“Afịa ọ́ma n’élé onwe ya”!

Have you heard that one before? Let me break it down for you.

• Afịa – Market

• Ọ́ma – Good

• N’élé – Sells

• Onwe ya – Itself

If you put it together, here’s what we have:

“A good market sells itself” (ergo, much advertising is not needed)

Come close let me tell you a short story.

Story story? Story…

Emeka’s mother, fondly called Mma Emy, was renowned for making the most delicious *Akara in town. Her food stand always had a long line of customers eager to taste her freshly made treats. But one day, the Ministry of Works demolished her stand to make way for a road widening project, forcing her to relocate to an obscure, barely accessible street. Many doubted she would thrive in such a hidden location.

A Visual Representation of Mma Emy’s Plight (according to Chat GPT)

However, within weeks, Mma Emy’s reputation worked its magic. Her loyal customers found her, word spread, and her Akara became the talk of the town once more. She sold out daily, even before other vendors in more strategic locations could make significant sales.

Curious about her success, Mr. Okeke from Daily Newspaper visited to interview ‘The Most Popular Akara Seller’. He asked, “How do you manage to attract so many customers, even from such an out-of-the-way spot?”

With a hearty laugh and a proud smile, Mma Emy replied, what can I say, Oga reporter?

This Igbo proverb holds much weight, both in marketing, business, and life in general.

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🔔 Reminder: Just as a good market attracts buyers, excellence attracts recognition.

📖  “Do you see a man skillful and experienced in his work? He will stand [in honor] before kings; He will not stand before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29 (AMP)

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What are you doing to make sure that you fry your Akara like no one else?

What’s ONE thing that you will work on doing better this week? Let’s keep it simple, ONE THING! One thing that in 6 months to 1 year you want people to know and recommend you for?

Think on it, then act…fast!

This piece is an excerpt from a soon-to-be published book by Jisike Culture. If you’d like to know more, then let’s talk.

Keep Breathing

Jisike.💪🏾

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*Akara - a popular west African food made from peeled, ground beans, mixed with spices, then deep-fried into small, round balls or fritters.