In 2021, with just ₦1,000 in her pocket and the world still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, Modupe Isola Olanrewaju — fondly called Oroki — began making pap (ògì) in her small kitchen in Osogbo, Osun State. Today, her brand, OrokiFoods, has grown from a humble, home-based hustle into an export-ready enterprise supplying supermarkets across Lagos, Ibadan, Osogbo, and even reaching customers in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.
Her rise is a story of grit, creativity, and determination — from using a pressing iron as a makeshift sealing machine to sealing international deals.
The Spark
The idea for OrokiFoods took root during Modupe’s Master’s Degree programme at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Inspired by her supervisor, a professor who balanced academics with multiple side businesses, she began to think differently about her own financial future.
“At that point, I had nothing bringing in money except my teaching job,” she recalls. “I thought, if someone with a good career is still finding ways to earn extra income, how much more me, who had nothing?”
That thought sparked action. With ₦1,000, she bought a Congo of corn and sorghum from Alekuwodo market, packaged her first products using nylon and her old pressing iron, and designed her own labels after teaching herself basic graphic design online.
One Congo at a Time
Her first batches sold via WhatsApp and Facebook. Within two months, she moved from buying one Congo to five. “I was laughing on my way home that day,” she says. “From one Congo, now five — I thought I had arrived!”
From there, production grew to 10, 20, 30, and eventually 200 Congos, each step a testament to persistence.
From Kitchen to Factory
Making pap is labour-intensive , soaking, grinding, sieving, and packaging. Modupe often carried heavy containers from Dada Estate to Awosuuru for processing, working late into the night.
“If I hadn’t been determined, the stress could have made me quit,” she admits. “Some people wondered why someone doing a Master’s at OAU would sell pap, but I knew why I was doing it.”
That determination led to a factory, a broader product line — millet pap, ginger pap, banana pap with custard-like taste, strawberry pap with ice-cream appeal, pure sorghum, and clove-infused varieties — available in both wet and powdered forms.
Going Global
Today, OrokiFoods products line the shelves of top supermarkets in Lagos, Ibadan, and Osogbo, with distributors across Nigeria. International customers in the UK, US, and Canada order her unique blends, making OrokiFoods an ambassador for Nigerian agro-processing potential.
Changing the Narrative
For Modupe, the brand’s success isn’t just about sales — it’s about proving that with small capital, smart strategy, and relentless effort, even a simple local staple can compete on the world stage.
“I want young people to know they can start small and grow,” she says. “OrokiFoods started like a joke, but here we are.”
She credits her family, friends, and staff for their support, and acknowledges the role of the Made In Osun CEO spotlight — where she was named the second winner — in boosting her visibility.
From ₦1,000 and a pressing iron to a thriving factory and global customers, Modupe’s journey is proof that great things can grow from the smallest beginnings.
OrokiFoods is located inside Aiyegbaju Market, Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo, Osun State. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok: OrokiFoods / OrokiPap. Call or WhatsApp: +234 703 561 6879.
