Story Of Sam, Rihanna & Ope As Told By Emmanuel Mercanti A Previous Worker Of Piccini Construction Company Now Director Of Engineering Of Grand Hotel Djibloho
In 2012, during the construction of the Grand Hotel Djibloho, a tale of camaraderie and compassion began to unfold. A manager from the constructing company, Piccini, formed an unexpected bond with the people of a local village near the construction site. Known for his undying love for animals, the South African manager found kinship with the villagers who cared for a multitude of animals.
One Sunday morning, on his routine visit to the village, he chanced upon a new addition to their animal family—a baby chimpanzee who was abandoned nearby the villagers’ farming site. The manager, moved by the creature’s plight, offered to the villagers to take it under his wing. The baby chimp, christened Sam, became a part of the construction company’s family.
As time passed, the villagers entrusted the manager with another young chimpanzee, who they named Rihanna, after the manager’s favorite musician. The hotel, still under construction, then decided to allocate a dedicated space within its landscape for these baby chimpanzees to thrive and grow together.
Sam and Rihanna quickly became an integral part of the hotel’s team, leading to another local family to entrust their baby chimp, Ope, to the hotel to have the same priviledges as Sam and Rihanna. Acknowledging the need to ensure the animals’ safety and wellbeing, the hotel expanded its team, bringing in animal management professionals, a personal trainer for the animals, and even one of the country’s few veterinarians for regular health check-ups.
Today, nestled amidst the lush African jungle, the Grand Hotel Djibloho stands as a contemporary oasis a perfect gateway to the undiscovered beauty of Equatorial Guinea. Yet, at the heart of it all, remains the tale of Sam, Rihanna and Ope— a testament to the hotel’s commitment to harmony, humanity, and the environment.
