Nigerian Newspapers
‘In a country where the business environment is hostile, the only leisure you enjoy is social outings’
Otunba Dele Ajayi-Smith knows the business terrain of Nigeria like the palms of his hands. He has been doing business in Nigeria in the last 30 years. Ajayi-Smith is a member, Membership and Welfare Committee of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is the CEO of Hammersmith Projects Saolutions Limited and the President of African Citizens Development Foundation.
“I started business too early and I faced the challenges too. My first attempt at business was in 1977 and it wasn’t a good experience. Of course, I was relatively young. At that time, I was 26; that experience wasn’t there. I was working with a shipping company as a divisional account officer and I thought I could go into business. Of course, the kind of business I wanted to go into was trading. My company was bringing in cement into the country at that time. I did not make it and I had to go back to paid employment,” he confessed.
Funny enough, the man who abandoned good paid employment for a private business would not encourage young people to venture into private business early in life. He insisted that those who are interested in going into business must first of all learn the ropes. “I must tell you that the young ones just coming out of the university should go into business; it is not an idea that I share because knowledge comes from experience. It doesn’t become yours, you need to go through life and acquire a lot of knowledge. You have to experience ups and downs of life. It is at that level that you are sure that you could go into business and make it”.
Although, his first attempt at business was ephemeral, he is happy that he learnt a lot through his failure. He again went into paid job. He didn’t stay long before going back into private business and in this second attempt, he did not make any mistake unlike the first time. “I did well, it was like I had paid my price of trying to climb the rungs of the ladder too early.”
Ajayi-Smiths’ second attempt has not been smooth, but he would tell you that he is better off. “Though there had been ups and downs, but at least I have been in the business and I have never had any cause to go into paid employment. Today, I’m above 60 and I know that even if I were to be in paid employment, I would have retired by now, so that is the position.”
The ups and downs of business doing business rather than discouraging him have been the tonic that has propelled him to excel. “Well, my nature seems to be too independent. Sincerely, I would not have been able to do anything other than tapping on my abilities and talents. Those abilities must be expressed, they made me to be too independent. I cannot find myself working under people too long; so even when I went back to paid employment in 1978, I wasn’t comfortable. I was still determined to go back. That is to say that I wasn’t really discouraged.”
It is natural for some people to resign to fate after failing in an endeavour, Otunba does not subscribe to this because he knows that ‘the downfall of a man is not the end of his life’, it is an additional wisdom. When he failed in business, nobody advised him or encouraged him. He advised that when you fail, it is an opportunity to explore other opportunities.
Going back the memory lane, he said the hostile business climate has always been there, the only difference is that “it is worse today, but we never believed that it would be so because Nigeria was relatively vibrant in those days. When we started business, there were lots of vibrant businesses around. But, most of those businesses have collapsed; those that did not physically collapse have moved out of the country. For instance, as a consultant in those years, I did a lot of work for Michelin, I did a lot of work for most of these breweries. Those breweries are still there but for many of them, it is as good as they are half-operating, but you are aware that Michelin had to leave the country because of complaints of corruption and many other problems, cost of operation in Nigeria which include no electricity, high level of corruption bad roads”.
The rate at which corruption is killing business, according to Ajayi-Smith is scary. He is a victim. Narrating his experience, Smith said the education side of what he is doing right now came very late. “I was into industrial insulation, a kind of heat transfer in the industry. I quit that business in 95. Well, I didn’t just quit that business, it was because the challenges were so many. As I explained to you, the overhead cost, the younger ones we have trained they became competitors to us and there were lots of corruption in the system such that the industrial managers will prefer to give job to the younger ones because they could not negotiate the kind of cut they will do with those younger ones with you. One has grown to be contemporaries with some of the general managers, operation managers in those industries and they feel uncomfortable to do business with you. So, what they usually do was to go behind you, get your boys to give them jobs and dictate their terms, which they would not do with me, that automatically affected my company; it company went down.”
The school was established not for profit making, though not wholly free, it was set up to train future leaders. The company is also helping farmers “ because there is the need for us to assist rural farmers to get some things they would not ordinarily get; you get them get loans from banks, advocate on their behalf to do so many things to assist them. Unfortunately, while the company has been able to assist 120,000 farmers across the country, but we have been unable to provide them with the micro finance they badly need. It has been very difficult, we did for some, we set up our own farm which is largely a big farm, almost 100 hectares. The land is in Ogun State but again funding has been a problem”.
Asked him to tell you how he spends his leisure time, you are likely to get ‘what is wrong with you’ look from him. “Well, all of these slangs don’t apply to Nigeria. If I were to be a director of a multinational or chairman of a big company, I can be talking about my leisure time. I know of course that even if I’m busy, I know something good will come out of it but in a country where you are a businessman and your business is not doing well, you are struggling day in day out, you cannot even pay your staff. When do you remember your leisure? Except you are lucky, like the Yoruba will say, it will not finish with a prince, without some honour left.”
In all these, he still creates time for social outings because, “whether you like it or not, someone will invite you to attend a wedding or to go for a burial or to go for this or that. Those are the times you enjoy your leisure; otherwise, you are thinking about your business at the verge of collapsing. ‘What do I do? How do I get things done? Who do I meet to remedy it? This is a country where no matter how you have been in the business, government doesn’t care about you. There is no safety net. Nobody will ask you, did you do it well? Are you having some difficulties? There is no hospital that will tell you, we want to check your health.
“Each time I’m in the United Kingdom, it is free, even though I don’t stay there, as a senior person, when you are 60 and above, you get virtually everything. If you go to the US, especially if you are 65 and above, everything you do, every transaction, they give you a discount”.
Otunba Ajayi-Smith, looking forward to a brighter future for the country, concluded: “Things will definitely change one day; it will change when you don’t expect”.
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: The Nation Newspaper
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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