I Produce Original Local Gin, Ufofob For Export – Awai

…Offers Free Training For Youths 

By Our Correspondent

In an era where politics, white collar job, desire for job at multi-million companies and quest to migrate to urban centers are the order of the day, others are toiling inside forests to make ends meet, empower others and contributing to the society. The entrepreneurial spirit of Mr. Okon Joshua Awai, and indigene of Asong Ukwo community in Esit Eket local government area caught the attention of the media recently because of the unique activities carried out inside the forest in Ikwe village, Onna local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

Ikwe village is next to Odio village in Eket LGA that empties itself into Atlantic Ocean that leads to the Republic of Cameroun. Ikwe, though small in land mass with a growing population of about 250,000 from the 2006 National Census figures and a-one-ward community is the country home to some distinguished Akwa Ibomights and Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their chosen careers such as Elder Ezekiel Umoh; Barr inyang among others. The community, apart from its natural ecosystem is blessed with good soil and arable lands for planting of crops, fishing settlements, human and natural resources, green vegetation and natural habitat for monkeys and other animals including some endangered species.

The migration of Mr. Okon Joshua Awai to this community to settle for business for the past 30 years was necessitated by the friendliness of the citizens and the natural endowment of the area. Married to Mrs. Sarah Awai, who also hails from Ikwe community and the marriage, is blessed with six children who are also part of the family business from its cradle to consumption.

The adventure of Mr. Awai to Ikwe community for the production of local gin, popularly known as Ufofop or Ogogoro from palm wine trees that are found in abundance in the community and its environments as well as beyond the sea shore where he taps the palm wine tree, after extraction, the sap is boiled to form steam, which subsequently condenses and is collected for consumption. Ogogoro is a form of local gin distilled from fermented palm wine. It carries both cultural and economic significance in virtually all parts of the country and is an essential part of many religious and social ceremonies.

According to researchers, Palm wine begins fermenting immediately after tapping. Within six hours, fermentation yields a wine of up to 2% ethanol content, whose concentration can rise to about 12 % within four days. Palm wine contains yeast, predominantly saccharomyces cervisiae, which is responsible for the fermentation process.

Mr. Awai with the aid of his six children, wife and six paid staffers produces the product in large quantities, sells them in drums, rubbers etc. to his ready buyers who throng the place in large numbers on a daily and weekly bases to purchase the produce to other parts of the state and country.

Aside the production of the local gin for middlemen, Mr. Awai also opened a drinking spot within the locality where he sells not only the local gin but roasted bush meat and fish of all kinds, local delicacies as people from Onna, Eket, Ibeno, Uyo, Ikot Abasi and their environments troop in for relaxation.

Though some chain consumers of the local gin nickname it as ‘ofon akan garri’ (Ogogoro is better than garri); its usefulness transcends drinking as it could be used as local hand sanitizer especially in this era of coronavirus, it is used in social gatherings, libations, has economic importance, and most importantly, Ogogoro is used in the preparation of herbal concoctions called, roots, herbs stems etc.

Mr. Awai however commended the cooperative disposition of Ikwe people and support for his endeavor, called on the government and other spirited individual to come to the aid of the community in providing them with access road and assist him financially to expand his business and operate in in a better, most modern and bigger dimension as according to him, through the business, employment is created to young people.

Speaking to Century Newsfront, a former Secretary of the Ikwe Youth Council, Mr. Cyprus Emmanuel Udo and other youths of the community extoled the sense of industry exude by Mr. Awai, his generosity and contributions to the socio-economic growth of the community. They decried bad state of roads, lack of market and explained the need for government to open up a fishing port for economic good of the area.