Imperial Processing was barely three weeks old when the first counterattack landed.
A Lagos-based conglomerate, one of the biggest players in packaged foods, suddenly flooded the market with discounted tomato paste and canned pineapple—prices so low they were clearly taking a loss just to choke out competition. Their sales reps were offering traders "buy ten, get five free" deals that left Imperial's distributors calling Ireti in panic.
"This is a siege," she told Chinedu over the phone. "If we cut prices, we lose margin. If we don't, we lose shelf space."
Chinedu listened in silence, the hum of machinery in the background. The decision wasn't just about prices—it was about signaling to the market that Imperial was here to stay.
"Hold the line for now," he said finally. "But increase radio and market activations in the East. We make them fight on ground they don't know."
Two days later, the media caught the scent of the battle. A popular business blog ran a headline:
"Imperial Farms vs. Industry Giant — Can the Newcomer Survive?"
The article dug into Chinedu's rapid rise, quoting anonymous traders, old photos from his early days at Imperial Farms, and even hinting at his "mysterious betting windfalls" without naming sources.
It was enough to get people talking. More importantly, it was enough to make competitors nervous.
In the middle of this turbulence, Chinedu received a short, encrypted message from the governor's secretary:
"Sir, His Excellency suggests now may be the best time to revisit our earlier conversation. The airline is moving toward a sale. Others are circling."
It was not a request—it was a warning. Opportunities like this didn't wait.
Chinedu's mind went to Temilade's lawyers and the draft holding structure sitting in his study. If he moved on the airline without Imperial Holdings in place, it would be messy—assets scattered under different companies, tax liabilities everywhere. But if he waited for everything to be perfectly structured, the airline might be gone.
That night, in the quiet of his home office, Chinedu sketched two columns on a notepad:
Move now.
Wait.
Under "Move now," he wrote:
Control routes and cargo capacity
Immediate Eastern fleet integration
Leverage governor's reelection interest
Under "Wait," he wrote:
Fully structured Imperial Holdings
Lower long-term tax exposure
Stronger legal shield
The pen hovered. He knew this wasn't just about an airline—it was about the pace of his ambition.
And deep down, he sensed something else: storms were gathering, both in business and politics. And when storms came, only those with solid walls survived.