Unemployment is bringing out the best in creative minds, shattering gender barriers, as men now take the lead in historically female vocations.
For some folks, unemployment is a mere challenge, not a hindrance, to achieve success. The wise ones are making Shawarma snacks to earn a living.
Going by the impressive profit margins, the Lebanese staple, now about the most popular street snack in Lagos, holds out an attractive employment opportunity.
The only hitch may be the start up capital of between N200,000 and N700,000 and finding a good location.
Making Shawarma
Shawarma is prepared with chicken, lamb, beef, veal, or a combination of these, which is grilled on a spit for several hours.
Lucky Onyekachi and Emmanuel Eje, both experts in the business, said the meat is placed in a flatbread (known as Lebanese bread or Shawarma bread) along with hummus, tahini, pickled cabbage, or other condiments.
The condiments may include carrot, cabbage, yellow/red pepper or green bell pepper, cucumber, chili powder, mayonnaise (salad cream), ginger, garlic, onion, curry, thyme, tomato ketchup, and vegetable oil.
These are rolled together with the meat (chicken, beef or fish) in the pita bread (Shawarma bread) and put on toaster for about 20 minutes.
Meet ‘family of Shawarma’
Real Shawarma is one of the best Shawarma spots on Otigba Street in Ikeja. This street alone, in the heart of Computer Village, hosts four Shawarma spots, all with men in charge.
Onyekachi is the brain behind Real Shawarma, where he, his wife and first son are all experts in the business. There are two trainees.
“We’re a family of Shawarma. My wife is the first person I taught the business. Also, my first son knows the business very well, and sometimes take charge in our absence.
“I taught my cousin, and my brother in-law too. We’re a family of Shawarma,” he told TheNiche.
Onyekachi said the business is worth the trouble and is glad to have his family to be part of it.
However, Eje, who also has his Shawarma on Otigba Street, perceives the business as being full of drudgery and suffering. He does not wish to have his wife (when he eventually marries) or any member of his family in it.
It is different strokes for different folks, as different Shawarma boughs insist that there can be no better business.
Onyekachi was inspired by the huge returns when he worked for some Lebanese at a shop called Gudus and realised that it was a money spinner. He spent over a year to learn from the masters of the snacks. He left Gudus to open his own shop.
“I started the business three years ago with over N700,000 and have turned over the capital three times over. The business is money spinning. In a day, you can make about N10,000 or much more depending on sales,” he disclosed.
Onyekachi urged men and women who complain about a lack of job to take a cue from him, saying the worst thing that can happen to an adult is to live without knowing where his next meal will come from.
“It is advisable that anybody entering into a business should pray to understand what business God has destined him to do, otherwise there might be set backs. I think it was the will of God that I should go into the business.
“I was dreaming of the business and when I joined I realised that it was really the will of God. And I found out that I could really make it big.”
Different strokes, different folks
Eje’s foray into Shawarma was a virtue of necessity. He learnt the business on his own for about a year before he got to know what it involves.
He has now acquired a wealth of experience, having worked for someone before branching out.
“After I had learned it and left, I went to work for somebody else. He had a different way of preparing his own Sharwama which I also learnt.
“I left the man to open my own shop. And with the wealth of experience I had garnered I came up with my own unique Sharwama taste. I can prepare four different types of Sharwama.
“I have an assistant whom I pay between N25,000 and N30,000 per month, depending on sales,” Eje said.
He has been in the business for four years.
On start ups
Onyekachi started with N700,000 capital, Eje did with about N200,000.
The machine alone costs about N150,000 (manual) and the toasting machine about N40,000 (manual).
There are electric machines, but manual ones powered with gas and are cheaper.
“At most, N200,000 is enough for a start up unless you wish to rent a shop for it,” Eje assured.
But Onyekachi set his sights on a higher level, which was why he saved up N700, 000 to start off. He acquired a roaster machine, toaster machine, grills, and rolling machine.
Now, he has other outlets in Alaba International Market, Ojo, Lagos, and plans to open one on Milverton Road, Obingwa, in his home state of Abia.
