(Chairman/Founder, Specimen Builders and Orchid Hotels; Sept 17, 1958 – March 18, 2024) Life‘s providence arranges for how we meet one another, but what transpires afterward is up to the individuals involved. I was introduced to Rev Jon Odega, by Doron Umansky, a friend and customer of our shop Colours in Africa, who like many expatriates, saw an opportunity in Nigeria’s hospitality industry and other sectors of the promising economy. Rev Odega an Engineer, who had studied Building Engineering at the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, also sensed this.
He was already an established property developer who had already been successful flipping real estate but was looking to broaden his business portfolio, beyond short-term real estate transactions. He had established a construction company, so he comfortably turned to hotels. His first property was in Asaba, where Doron was contracted for the fitted kitchens, while I was to provide all the furniture in the new building which was about to be completed.
This project was the first of that magnitude that our factory had undertaken, a challenge that we relished. What I saw then was a young-looking entrepreneur with the zest and drive of someone with great dreams and fortitude, which was very inspiring. The project was completed successfully, and the Orchid Hotel Asaba was established.
It’s safe to assume that 15 years later, although Asaba has as many hotels as there are streets; Orchid still hosts a significant number o.