Most of you must have read the trending story of Ibere Ugochukwu, former sausage hawker, now referred to as RiteBoy whose act of goodness threw him into limelight but what majority are not aware of is that he is now the proud owner of a shop in the popular commercial road of Bamgbose rd. Lagos Island, courtesy Rite Foods.
The fast rising Rite Foods, makers of Bigi drinks and variety of sausages, decided to invest over N3million into the life of Ibere Ugochukwu, an indigene of Ebonyi State, in order to encourage him and other Nigerians and to transmit the message that it pays to do good.
In a media event recently at No. 181 Bamgbose rd Lagos, the venue of the shop, the regional sales manager of Rite Foods, Mr. Joseph Adesewo, who represented the Managing Director, Seleem Adegunwa, said that “This is a reward for an act of kindness and selfless service. We want to encourage as many people as possible to always do good. God pays us back for every good work we do. It is not the first time that Rite Foods will be doing something like this. It is part of our corporate social responsibility.”
Waving airily around the very roomy shop, fitted with fans, an average sized Thermocool freezer, 100 packs of Bigi, water and fearless energy drinks, Adesewo stressed that “we are giving him everything in this shop free.”
Pointing at a big Summec fireman generator outside the shop, he noted that it was also part of the gift, “plus two years rent with effect from March 2019 to 2021. Also we are committed to giving him 100 cartons of sausages but because of the nature of sausages we shall be providing him with it as he sells. It has short shelf life unlike the drinks,” Adesewo added.
The visibly elated Ugochukwu said that he never expected to be elevated in such a big way so soon in his life. “Even in my wildest dream, I never imagined to have my own shop at this time. During all my years on the road hawking sausages, it never crossed my mind that I will one day own a shop that is almost as big as a ware house.”
In an emotion laden voice, trying not to break down in tears in front the cameras, the 27-year-old Ugochukwu from a family of 17 children said “I cannot find good enough words to describe how I feel or to convey my gratitude to Rite Foods. I give all the glory to God. I am not the only one that has ever done good; it is just that God decided to elevate me,” adding that “your good acts will always pay you back.”
Ugochukwu, while hawking sausages on September 30th along Marina CMS bus stop, had sighted a Nigerian prison van conveying prisoners to Ikoyi Prison and was moved by compassion to feed them with sausages.
As the vehicle was in traffic, the prisoners sighting the hawker stretched out their hands towards him and he started thrusting his goods into their hands. When the van began moving, he dropped the carton of sausages by the road side, grabbed a hand full of the products and ran after the van unmindful of people watching him, especially Barrister Adenike Ajitena who was driving directly behind the van.
“I could not believe what I saw. This is a sausage hawker trying desperately to eke out a living but still ready to go hungry and feed prisoners,” said Ajitena in an interview with The Nation.
She had to park and beckoned on Ugochukwu to tell her what prompted him to act that way. “Thereafter, I gave him the little money on me and posted the story with his photo on facebook. Most people were surprised we still have such people in Nigeria.”
Appreciating Rite Foods, the lawyer who works with a bank called on other well meaning Nigerians and organisations to emulate the sausage and beverage company.
Speaking with The Nation, Ugochukwu said he is always moved to help people in difficult situations because he has been a victim of a frame-up and was detained for 10 days without food in a police station on Lagos Island. “That experience made me to understand that some accused persons are actually innocent.”
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