As a public analyst and social critic, I think the Ibadan
Shoprite (or “sop-rice”) train is trending too much for me not to drop my
opinion. I am a VOICE, and I deserve to be heard.
People be like Shoprite opens in Ibadan, 102,000 residents
visited, 35,000naira sales recorded. While that is kind of poor, there are
lessons to be learnt if we will pay keen attention.
I did some growing up in Ibadan so I can authoritatively
claim to understand the terrain. Yes! Our people can be so crude. They are so
used to their GBAGI market that shoprite looked out of place to them. There was
no ‘Iya eleja’ (Local Lady fish merchant), “Iya ologi’ (Local Pap seller) and there was no store for Iya mufu to sell hot pap
and Akara. For all they care, a market without all these is not worthy being
called one. The Ibadan market is a peculiar one. It takes being able to mix
TRENDS and TRADITION to harness such markets as Ibadan’s. Ibadan people are
TRADITIONALISTs; they will do more than anything to preserve their way of doing
things. We all already know by now that there is an Ibadan way of doing things,
or saying things. Instead of Shoprite, the average Ibadan man will say
“sop-rice”. He’s not being local, he’s sincerely just being himself.
The challenge is now up to you; other entrepreneurs who are
looking to expand into Ibadan to understand that what sells in Lagos might not
sell in Ibadan and understand the individuality of every market and tarrain.
102,000 people didn’t just walk into Shoprite to take a tour with their arms
folded. They were actually there to buy stuffs. Maybe, I guess, they couldn’t
find what they came looking for.
Imagine Madinat (part of the crowd in the above picture) who stays in the back side of Ibadan walking
into Shoprite, or sop-rice as the case may be.
She’s probably coming in to buy beans cake (Akara), Yam powder (Amala)
or Ewedu (a vegetable used to prepare an
Ibadan delight). She comes in to find burgers, flakes and chips. She’s going to
be like: “Ewo ree oooo, eyin eeyan egba mi” (The Ibadan way of expressing shock
and surprise). The sales persons she will be dealing with will look totally
different from the kind of people she had always been dealing with all her
life. No tribal marks, no buba , Iro or gele. And you want her to be
comfortable? Like seriously? Duh!
Now we can begin to draw our lessons. Every terrain is different, and should be
treated as such. Trend in itself cannot create the complete blend that will
connect with the minds of prospective buyers. People are very emotional about
their beliefs. This in itself is a lifeline that can help you connect with them
on a deeper level. Striking a balance between trend and tradition create the
emotional connection that your business needs.
People will quickly identify with businesses that can identify with
them.
Big brands make small mistakes, but they still manage to
cover up. Some of us who are coming up cannot afford to makes such mistakes as
this. It is imperative that we learn little lesson like this and build on them.
(c) 'Dimeji Mudele
@cutemude
27AE5829
All rights reserved.
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