I Started By Hawking Pepper On The Streets Of Benin – Nigerian Millionaire Businessman, Osawaru Reveals

Joseph Osawaru

Joseph Osawaru is the owner of Exquisite Homes 2 Hotel and Lounge, situated in Benin City, Edo State. He’s also a philanthropist and has been active in youth empowerment. In this interview he opens up on his hospitality business, his plans for entertainment growth in his State and his humble beginnings;
 

How did it all begin for you?

I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I was born in the village because my parents were farmers, so when I came to Benin, I started with “Garri School “ then there was no nursery school. I did all  manners of petty trading after school hours. I started hawking from my primary school, I started with pepper, vegetables then I graduated to selling candies, biscuits and chewing-gums in the traffic. Bendel Line (now Edo line) and Ogbe Stadium used to be our preferred location to hawk. I used to trek  great distances to sell my wares. I had no option then because my daddy said that he had a lot of children so everybody should go and fend for themselves. I was paying my school fee through my petty trade but I had the belief that I had a great future.
 

Some say you’re an entertainer, some say you are a businessman while some say you are a philanthropist, who is Joseph Osawaru?

Well, they’ve said it all. When you’re dancing on the street, you cannot rate the level of your performance,  it’s only the spectators that can rate how well you have danced or not When you are good, people must know and when you’re bad people must know it and they will say it. The reason we are diversifying is to empower my people and create jobs to help ease the burden of the government and to reduce crime because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. As some of our people are working here, I don’t think they will be thinking on how to commit crimes so I’m just a partner in progress. I’m not going to stop here,  with God, we will build five-star hotel in the next two years, All these are just to empower my people at home before we expand to other states.

***