•LAGOS Caterer’s 60th Birthday Interview
T uwo Pama is 60. That is the big news. For those who don’t know her, lets quickly tell you that Tuwo Pama is a big Lagos Caterer. She is well known. And she is busy too. Her services are top notch. Tuwo Pama is what many call her. But that is not her real name. It is Alhaja Kubura Oritoke Jebe. She is the CEO of Tuwo Pama International.
She is celebrating her 60th birthday right now. Its a Gold & Black affair, with Faith Band on bandstand. She is so excited about her new age. She does not look it in anyway. She has kept her trendy look intact. How does she feel at 60? “I feel happy, I feel great,” she says. “I am happy I will be celebrating it with my children and family and my friends.”
How did she build Tuwo Pama into the big and well-known brand it is today? “I thank God for that. It is God’s doing. It is the wish of Allah. I give Allah all the praise.” How did it all begin? How did she start? “We thank God for the success story. It is almost 20 years now. Its is almost 20 years that I went into it, that I started. I took it over from my mum. It is my mum’s job. I was born into it. I am a Lagos person. I am from the Kosoko family. I am Omo Morohunfolu. The job has always been with my mum for decades, at Isale gangan, around Onala in Isale Eko. I am using my mothers name. She is Tuwo Pama. That is why I took up the name. I use to bear the nickname Pamu Pamu, Jigi Jigi, Omo Kosoko. My brothers are called Pama, Pama. My mum and our other wife used to be called Iya Pama. Our other mum (Iyale mama mi) sells rice. My mum sells Tuwo.”
They have been doing this for very many years. When she became aged, her children said she should rest. All my elderly ones asked her not to stress herself again, that she should take life easy. I took over from her. When I took over, I decided to commercialise it into a party thing. I started taking it to parties. I take it to parties, all over and I thank God, I started with Tuwo. I thank God, he blessed my efforts. Olorun fi alubarika si. Alubarika toh poo. We continued and at some point people started asking for Amala and I began to add Amala to what we serve. We began to add Ofada to what we serve. We started adding the variety of food they are asking for. We kept managing all of it and God was answering our prayers.”
“Now, I do all the food you can imagine. From serving Tuwo, I added Amala, Rice. Some bring their cows and we prepare it for them. I do all foods. I do diverse food. And God has blessed us.”
What has been her staying power? “Amala & Tuwo have taken me far. That is what many know about me. I also used to introduce Ofada, and other food to them. I can say that in Lagos today, when you talk about Amala & Tuwo, I am No 1. I thank God for the success, I have recorded. People like my Amala & Tuwo. People love me. And God loves me also”. Suddenly, Amala has become popular at parties. How did Amala become what everybody now goes to eat at parties? “Yes, Amala used to be home food and not party food.”
“When I first started Tuwo, it was my mum who started selling it. But when my mum stopped, I took over. Someone’s child wanted to have a wedding at Moshalasi Jimoh, Mama Alaso, at the gate of Iga Kosoko. That is how they came to meet me that it is Tuwo they want. They said their child is going to marry Hausa, that their in-law to be, is Hausa. They said I should come and do Tuwo for them. I didn’t even know what to do. They brought all the foodstuff like Panla. So, I cooked what they wanted. When I was going, I printed a Business Complimentary card that I took along with me. When I got there I saw a lot of celebrities that I know, who know Mama. They all wanted Tuwo Mama. They said give us Tuwo, that is what they all kept saying. Some one said I should take Tuwo to Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde’s house in Okota, he said Haa! Adijat. Is this Mama’s Tuwo? So, you have taken over Mama’s job? I said Yes. To God be the Glory, Alhaji Wasiu likes Tuwo a lot. When Mama was still selling Tuwo, he used to send them to go and buy Mama’s Tuwo. He used to like to eat my mum’s Tuwo every night. So, when he saw me selling Tuwo, he too began to support me. When he has play, he will tell me to do 50 aside for his band boys. That is how we took off and we began to make progress and we introduced Amala and other delicacies. It got to a point when people are eating Rice and they see my boys serving Amala, they will stop and change to Amala and tell them to take the rice away. I think it is because people can quickly cook Rice at home. But Amala is very complex because you have to cook Ewedu and Gbegiri along with it. That is why a lot of people like to eat Amala a lot at parties and they always ask for it at parties.
What is the difference between Tuwo and Amala? Amala is from Isu (Yam). Tuwo is from Agbado (Maize/Corn). To get Tuwo you will find Agbado. But Yam (Isu) that has been dried up is Amala. People liken Tuwo to like taking Pap (Ogi). It doesn’t stay in the body for long. That is why majority people at parties like Tuwo, with Gbegiri and Ewedu”.
We took her back to where she was born and where she grew up.
Where was she born? Where did she grow up? “I was born in Isale Gangan, at Onala in Isale Eko. I am from the Kosoko family, at Ereko, Pamupamu, Jigijigi. My mum is from Ilorin. Her father and mummy are from Ilorin. But my mum was born in Lagos. I was also born here in Lagos at Onala, at Isale Gangan. That is where my mum was based and was doing her Tuwo business. My mum died last year”.
How did she feel when her mum passed on last year? “I felt bad. There is no one who will want his or her mum to die. I thank God for her life. I am happy I took care of her before she died. My mum benefitted from the job she did. I pray to God to let me also enjoy the fruits of my labour”.
Which states does she go to for catering? “There is no town we don’t go to. I travel round the country. I have a list of celebrities I cater for, like t he Okoya’s. I work for Glo. I do Tuwo and Amala for Otunba Mike Adenuga. I cater to them. Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila had his birthday in Abuja, I catered for him.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote also. When his daughter got married, I catered also at Eko Hotel. Senator Bukola Saraki, when his son got married at Eko Hotel, I catered. So, I catered for Dangote & Saraki. I thank God for that. I have a long list of big names. I go to every town and city. I go to Abuja, Ibadan, Ondo, Akure and many more”.
How does she prepare her Tuwo & Amala? “We do it anywhere we go to. During the Covid-19 lockdown, I got a visa to go to London to go and cater, but we could not go. We would have stormed London with this job. We would still go.
I usually take Amala to the venue. We also prepare it there. We had an event in Ogbomoso when the former Oyo Governor had a wedding for the child, I prepared it here in Lagos and took it to Ogbomoso. I prepared Amala for 500 people.”
“My sister, Sade Alesh invited me. I also cook for Oba Latris. But things have changed, we now do Onikoko. So we prepare it at the venue. Once our clients says I want Onikoko, and the hall has space, no problem, I will do it. I do that also. Alhaja Adegunwa (Bigi), I work for her every year, during fasting. Everyday for a whole month we work for her in Ijebu. I work for Awujale of Ijebuland. His wife is my sister. Once she sees me, she is always full of praise.
I work for Justice Oguntade. I work for Prince Sam Adedoyin (Baba Agbamu). Doyin Cube. I work for him. Baba Ijebu and his wife like me. I work for them. They are going to celebrate my birthday with me. It is not me ooo. It is God. And I am thanking them. God will continue to bless them and bless me. I pray for all those who do the same thing as I do. We would all continue to work together”.
What is the secret of her success, apart from God’s Grace? Are there things she does differently? “Oh yes. Gods Grace is there. Then I prepare good food. My service is 2nd to none.
And I usually warm up to them. I appreciate them. My food is good. I always like to be nice to both the young and the old. I always praise and eulogise them. A ponle ni ara nfe. You have to always be nice to people who give you jobs. I use Ma for everybody and many say don’t use Ma for me because I am older than them. I do a lot of End Of Year Party for companies”.
Is Tuwo and Amala business, her only source of livelihood? “Yes, thats what I do. I have no other soure of income. I do only Tuwo and Amala business. God has used Tuwo & Amala to bless me. I thank God for his Mercy. This big house we are in, I own it, through Tuwo & Amala. I opened it last year. I am grateful to my husband. Apart from God, he is my pillar.”
“My children have also been supportive. Whatever I want is what my children want for me. They are all involved. Atimes, we do 5 jobs in a day and we distribute ourselves.”
“Once I say today we are going for 6 jobs, they are all ready. Everybody in my household is involved in this business from my biological children to adopted children”.
“I thank everybody for patronage. I pray for thiose in front, for more business and I pray for those behind me too. I pray for more blessings. More patronage. Let us be prayerful. My husband is a prayer warrior.” “My husband is my backbone after God. After God, my husband next. He has been very, very supportive. God will let us be there for years for each other. We would receive ample benefits”.
How did she cope during Covid-19 lockdown “It is God ooo. God was there for us. My customers kept ordering food. So, I was doing home delivery. They kept ordering for Tuwo & Amala. They will order for Amala 30 and Tuwo 40. It was God. We thank God. I leave all my plans to God. He has brought me this far. He will take me to the next level. God will continue to bless my work and my children”.
What kind of a person is Tuwo Pama? She bursts out laughing “There are 2 Tuwo Pama’s. My mum and me, myself and I. I guess you mean me. I am a very simple, easy going person. I am a good person.
“But I do get angry if people offend me. But once I make noise, all my workers know, that is the end. I will bare my mind. I will tell them how I feel. You can’t be doing my kind of job and not get angry atimes.”
I don’t take nonesense from my staff. I don’t want our standards to drop.”
Send Us News, Gist, more... to citypeopleng@gmail.com | Twitter: @CitypeopleMagz
