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.

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

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.