By Anote Ajeluorou
It has become somewhat
of a given that when you want to discuss art or hold any other intellectual
discourse in the city of Lagos, the place to go is on the island, Victoria
Island, to be precise. It boosts of venues that have the right ambiences for
just such matters. And so from art exhibitions to book readings and
discussions, book launches and other intellectually stimulating discourses,
Victoria Island is the place of choice.
But this
may soon change with the opening of a new, posh restaurant, bar and lounge on
the mainland, specifically in the city’s capital, Ikeja, at one of its highbrow
areas, Opebi Road. It’s called Forks & Fingers located at Salvation Road
Junction on Opebi Road, Ikeja, Lagos. It’s an ingenuous creation, a vast, open
space set in dinning style manner, but with compartments set further deep
inside to guarantee homely cosiness that is alluring and salutary.
Founded
by commercial law expert, Mr. Andrew Akporugo, Forks & Fingers will delight
families wishing to dine out or simply hang out in a place just as good as home
and even more. Akporugo simply described his new place as a “Thinking man’s
bar, lounge and restaurant; a meeting place for business people and intellectuals.
There are books available for intellectual discourses; projectors and meeting
cubicles for meetings and seminars for five to 10 people. It’s a family place
for children as well as adults alike. There are ayo and ludo games to delight family and friends, with a wine bar that is
arrayed with assorted drinks plus food. Mark you, Forks & Fingers is not a
night club”.
The
cuisine is a rich blend of favourite local and continental dishes that are
fairly priced. It offers a special buffet on Sundays, an after-church brunch
from 11 – 3pm, where families can first digest their sermons before getting
home.
The
interior décor of Forks & Fingers speaks volumes about the artistic and
intellectual taste of its owner. On Tuesdays, Forks & Fingers hosts a book
club from 7 -10pm, where guests freely and openly discuss books and sundry
issues such as politics and businesses. On his taste for art collection that
dominates the décor, from paintings to ironworks, Akporugo said at Forks &
Fingers, “Has a mentally stimulating at ambience – from the art décor, setting
to the acquarium, bookshelves and old music tunes spilling from the Home
Theatre.
On his
passion for the collected artworks he privately holds (over 631 works of
different artists) and from which he has lavishly decorated Forks &
Fingers, Akporugo stated that he would hold an exhibition in the future to show
off some the works. Among his favourite artists are Olu Ajayi, Sam Ovraiti,
Tony Ebodaghe and Soji Yoloye. He said Yoloye is probably the master painter
soon to explode on Nigeria’s art scene on account of his immense productivity
and profuse use of colours.
Akporugo, son of latte renowned journalist who rose to the height of his
career at The Guardian as Executive
Consultant, said although he has set up Forks & Fingers, he was not
quitting law practice. Having trained and worked at the feet of Goodie Ibru at
his Goodie Ibru & Co law chambers for 20 years, and headed the firm for 10
years, Akporugo indicated he could never have had a more fulfilling law
training and practice than he did at Goodie Ibru & Co law firm.
He
noted, “Ibru has been training me to offload me into the world. I had
absolutely no problem with my mentor for leaving; it’s just a mutual agreement.
He’s my boss for life. Even in this restaurant, I’m in the line of what my oga (Ibru as owners of Sheraton Hotel & Towers group) is doing;
learning more from him how to manage a service delivery firm. Don’t forget, my
late father, Akporugo, a first class journalist, was a close associates of the
late Dr. Alex Ibru”.
ACCORDING to Akporugo, what makes the difference
between success and failure in any endeavour in life is the amount of details
put into it. That is why at Forks & Fingers, he has taken special care not
just to tastefully make the place homely with the décor, he said the amount of
care put in place to serve customers was something to cherish. In businesses
today, he noted, “The difference will be made for people who go for details.
How much attention do you pay to details? I’m committed to details. I look at
how the drink is served to a customer, how a customer is handled. Everything I
do is with details both as a lawyer and restauranteur.
“You
see, in Nigeria we are wealthy without having class. We have too many wealthy
people who don’t know how to do simple things like handling cutleries. We need
finishing schools for a majority of Nigerians to get the simplest things right.
So, at Forks & Fingers, we want to connect people with class.
Unfortunately, most Nigerians think class is expensive; it’s not. For instance,
people don’t know that Sheraton Hotel is the most affordable place to eat; it’s
not, especially food.
“So,
what you find is that there are a lot of beer parlours springing up everywhere
in dark places without class. This should not be so. At Forks & Fingers, we
combine class with moderate pricing”.
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