Woodie Butler Bio 2016

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Who is Woodie Butler? For the past years, Woodie Butler (from Little Rock, Arkansas) has been living in Sulima, Sierra Leone, West Africa. This is a feat, that in this remote Chiefdom (100+ miles from closest town), no western investor has ever duplicated before. In fact, he is lovingly referred to as “American Woodie” by most of the citizens of Sierra Leone from Freetown to Kono to Kenema to Sulima and all villages in between as a testament to his strong patriotism (the American, Arkansas, and Arkansas Razorback flags are proudly displayed at his house and at his mining sites). To the residents of his home village Sulima, as well as all citizens of the Chiefdom, he is simply known as Woodie Zombu, adopted son of Paramount Chief Zombu and now has also been adopted be Paramount Chief Fangawa of Wandor Chiefdom. This is the first time a foreigner has received such an honor twice, and this sign of respect given to Woodie is a testament to the goodwill and trust he as established in the Chiefdom. This title alone opens doors for him that other companies could only dream of. From mining and agriculture to any of number of other opportunities for economic growth, Woodie has only to ask for the best and largest tracts of land or logistical support from the people and it is given to him. To see Woodie, the only American man within a good 100 miles, in his camo tank tops displaying large arm tattoos, matching hunting boots, and with a Peter Grimm cowboy hat on a head taller than most local men, and a 12 inch Bowie Knife on his side, one can understand why his name and legend has spread like fire across this wild country. Any foreigners that meet Woodie always describe him as a “Wild Indiana Jones” or “American Crocodile Dundee”, with no fear of adventure, and immediately ask why they are not doing a television show about his life in the bush. Any given day, Woodie’s house looks more like an exotic pet store than a mining compound with monkeys, crocodiles, sloths, bush deer, chameleons, and various other species roaming the compound or in cages. On a daily basis a large scorpion or cobra is killed within a hundred feet of the house. And all the children of the village have adopted him as their “uncle”, with no less than a few hundred passing his house to and from school everyday yelling “Mr. Woodie, Mr. Woodie” over and over again.

Transcript of Woodie Butler Bio 2016

Page 1: Woodie Butler Bio 2016

Who is Woodie Butler? Forthepastyears,WoodieButler(fromLittleRock,Arkansas)hasbeenlivinginSulima,SierraLeone,WestAfrica.Thisisafeat,thatinthisremoteChiefdom(100+milesfromclosesttown),nowesterninvestorhaseverduplicatedbefore.Infact,heislovinglyreferredtoas“AmericanWoodie”bymostofthecitizensofSierraLeonefromFreetowntoKonotoKenematoSulimaandallvillagesinbetweenasatestamenttohisstrongpatriotism(theAmerican,Arkansas,andArkansasRazorbackflagsareproudlydisplayedathishouseandathisminingsites).TotheresidentsofhishomevillageSulima,aswellasallcitizensoftheChiefdom,heissimplyknownasWoodieZombu,adoptedsonofParamountChiefZombuandnowhasalsobeenadoptedbeParamountChiefFangawaofWandorChiefdom.Thisisthefirsttimeaforeignerhasreceivedsuchanhonortwice,andthissignofrespectgiventoWoodieisatestamenttothegoodwillandtrustheasestablishedintheChiefdom.Thistitlealoneopensdoorsforhimthatothercompaniescouldonlydreamof.Fromminingandagriculturetoanyofnumberofotheropportunitiesforeconomicgrowth,Woodiehasonlytoaskforthebestandlargesttractsoflandorlogisticalsupportfromthepeopleanditisgiventohim.ToseeWoodie,theonlyAmericanmanwithinagood100miles,inhiscamotanktopsdisplayinglargearmtattoos,matchinghuntingboots,andwithaPeterGrimmcowboyhatonaheadtallerthanmostlocalmen,anda12inchBowieKnifeonhisside,onecanunderstandwhyhisnameandlegendhasspreadlikefireacrossthiswildcountry.AnyforeignersthatmeetWoodiealwaysdescribehimasa“WildIndianaJones”or“AmericanCrocodileDundee”,withnofearofadventure,andimmediatelyaskwhytheyarenotdoingatelevisionshowabouthislifeinthebush.Anygivenday,Woodie’shouselooksmorelikeanexoticpetstorethanaminingcompoundwithmonkeys,crocodiles,sloths,bushdeer,chameleons,andvariousotherspeciesroamingthecompoundorincages.Onadailybasisalargescorpionorcobraiskilledwithinahundredfeetofthehouse.Andallthechildrenofthevillagehaveadoptedhimastheir“uncle”,withnolessthanafewhundredpassinghishousetoandfromschooleverydayyelling“Mr.Woodie,Mr.Woodie”overandoveragain.

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Ifoneentershisvillage,theyareboundtoseeanumberofArkansasRazorbackst-shirtsorhatsonthelocalyouthsandChiefs,aswellas,hisyoungwifeanddaughtersportingsafaristylehuntingshirts.YoumightevenhearsomeonecallthehogsintheirbrokenEnglish.Woodie’sunfailingcommitmenttohisminingeffortsandthepeoplehasledhimtocontractseverejunglerash,severeboils,TyphoidFeversixtimes,Malaria20times(fivetimesverysevere),andhospitalizedfortwoweeksbeforereturningtotheU.S.fortreatmentofHepatitisB.Heasweatheredmanyathunderstorm,heatwave,andbeenborderlinemalnourishedandhaslost60poundssincemovingtothe“bush”.Butinhiswords,“Iwouldneverchangeitfortheworld”.Mostpeopleinthelargertownsandcitiesthinkheis“absolutelycrazy(or“toocraze”increole)”forlivingintheseconditionsandcommentthatevenSierraLeoneansdonotgoouttheretoliveorwork,withnoelectricity,drinkablewater,foodstores,orsewagesystems.ThemainreasonhiscompanieswillflourishandsucceedisbecauseWoodieistheoneoftheonlyforeignminerswillingtolivewherethe“realvirginmining”isstillavailable.Becauseofhisexperience,credibility,integrityandhumility,WoodiehasestablishedhimselfastheAmerican,thatthepeopleofSierraLeone“wanttodobusinesswith”whichisexpressedbythemanytribalchiefs,businessmen,MuslimandpoliticalleaderswhoapproachWoodieonadailybasis.Woodie’sfaithinanddeepseededloveforhisfellowmanhasalsocalledhimtolookbeyondonlythebusinessopportunitiesthatpresentthemselvesinSierraLeoneandrecognizetheobvioustorelationshipbetween“theproduct”and“thepeople”.HisabilitytoforgequickandlastingrelationshipsisvisiblethroughhisdailyinteractionsfromthesmallestchildonthestreettodirectaccesstoTheHonorable,EarnestBaiKoroma,PresidentofSierraLeone.WoodiealsoenjoyspersonalfriendshipswithmanyParamountandlocalChiefs,andvariousotherMinisterswithintheSierraLeonegovernment.ProbablyWoodie’sdearestandvery,veryinfluentialfriendshipiswiththemostfamouscomedianinSierraLeonebythenameofSaraDGreat.With25+filmstohiscredit,SarahasbeeninstrumentalinspreadingWoodie’s

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namethroughoutSierraLeoneas“theAmericanman”totakeminingopportunitiesanddiamondsto,andhasgoneasfarastoco-starringWoodieashimselfinanupcomingfilmcalled“LostDiamond”.Withthisrelease,“AmericanWoodie”willbecomeahouseholdnameinSierraLeone.SaraisthemostrecognizedfigureinSierraLeoneandisresponsibleforWoodiemeetingorbeingtalkedabouttonumerousMinistersofParliament,prominentbusinessmen,aswellas,HisExcellencythePresidentofSierraLeone.WithonefilmoraninterviewSaracanswaypublicopinionfortheentirecountry.HeisconsideredthefavoritesonofthePresidentandisinWoodie’sopinionanationaltreasure.Whenthismanspeakspeoplelisten.SarahasmadeitknowntotheentirecountrythatWoodieishis“brother”andhaspublicallystated,evenonnationalradio,thathewilldowhateverittakestoensureWoodie’sbusinessendeavorsinanysectorsaresuccessful.ToseeSara’scaravanofSUVsenteranytownorvillageislikewatchingtheRollingStonesenteraconcertvenue,andifWoodieandSarahappentobetogetheritbecomestotalmayhem.ItisinWildDiamondsbestinteresttosupportandassistSarawithmovieequipment,vehicles,andfundingassponsorsofhismovies.And,lastbutnotleast,WoodiehasaMendewifenamedNancyfromanearbyvillage,whohasunclesrangingfromtheChiefofvillagetoChiefImamofaMosque.WoodieisadoptingNancy’s9-year-oldsister,Mary.Woodieandshehaveababygirl(theonlyAmericanCitizenborninSierraLeoneduringtheEbolaoutbreakasfaraswecantell),andaptlynamedher‘Diamond’.Soinallreality,Woodiehasalreadyfoundthemostpriceless‘Diamond’hewilleverneed.