Japada: “In Nigeria, you must avoid any business that is power dependent. We don’t have uninterrupted power supply in Nigeria. Industries have collapsed and are still collapsing because of this power handicap. The environment here is not designed for your success but for your frustration, exploitation and failure. As a first-time investor, avoid any business that will involve too much collision with Customs, Police and FRSC. These institutions are not meant to help and drive your success but to harass and fleece you.”
By Taju Tijani
Ayo Alakija has gone to town for Chief Bode Fatoyinbo. He has prepared a working dossier for the chief. Within the two months specified by chief, AA had been to MFM Prayer City to seek the face of Baba God in his search for direction in Nigeria. His life was built around spirituality after all. His dad was a member of MFM around Herbert Macaulay in Ebute-Metta. He loves the church and was a member of the East London branch. Still, the direction of what he was supposed to do was not clear to him. God still delays a clear direction of what he is supposed to do in Nigeria.
Within the two months AA had visited real estate owners, poultry farms, fish farms, daily need provision suppliers, stationery suppliers, book sellers, online marketing sites, phone accessories merchants, POS operators, solar power operators, cement dealers, second hand car dealers, car hire operators, shop builders, perfumery, land sellers, jewellers, fashion designers, cake makers, bakery operators, commercial transport owners, brokers, sand dredging business owners, barbers, hoteliers and herbal drink sellers. He documented his experiences in a thick file for Chief Fatoyinbo. There was excitement on his face as he whistled to the bathroom.
His Toyota Highlander was with the mechanic. He called Bolt, a local cab hailing firm, and booked a trip to Alaka Estate. This time there was no agbada. He was in jean, a trainer and a baseball cap. He clutched firmly to a file that contained his two months field research on businesses in Nigeria. Things were becoming clearer by the day. The experience was like a touchstone to him. He needed that research as a cushion against investment disaster in Nigeria. The chief was right in his advice to him to be patient and not force things.
“Chief, I am at your gate sir,” AA announced.
“Samson! Samson! go and open the gate for Ayo.”
Ayo dissolved into effusive greetings on seeing chief. “A ku ojo meta sir. A ku orun yi o. Se alafia lewa sir?”
The chief returned with a satisfied smile. He nodded his head without saying a word. He motioned to AA to proceed to his expansive study. AA was dumbfounded. He had never seen such a sea of books in his life in anyone’s study in Nigeria. They were in thousands. Family pictures blacked out the available walls in the study. At one angle was a six-foot picture portrait of Chief Bode Fatoyinbo in full resplendent agbada with a pink ofi cap.
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“Ayo, make yourself comfortable. I will join you in minutes,” chief said, as he climbed the stairs to his bedroom. Samson came over with a tray of iced bottled water and two organic cucumbers with knife and fork.
“Oh, thank you,” AA appreciated.
AA was like Alice in Wonderland in the study. It was a relaxing, cool and studious environment. He saw some newspaper cuttings of past interviews the chief granted to journalists when he completed his last estate investment in Mowe in Ogun State.
“AA, the retiree, pele, bawo de ni?, the chief teased. “Did you do what I asked you to do or not?”
AA brought out a bulky file containing his two months business survey across Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States. He placed it on chief’s reading table and was silent.
“What is this?”
“That’s my field findings on various businesses across three states,” AA said looking at the chief’s reaction.
“Oh, I see. I see. Have you settled for any business yet? Anyway, before we go into that let me say this again. I need to get you prepared mentally,” the chief said.
“In Nigeria, you must avoid any business that is power dependent. We don’t have uninterrupted power supply in Nigeria. Industries have collapsed and are still collapsing because of this power handicap. The environment here is not designed for your success but for your frustration, exploitation and failure. As a first-time investor, avoid any business that will involve too much collision with Customs, Police and FRSC. These institutions are not meant to help and drive your success but to harass and fleece you.”
The chief adjusted his reading glasses. He called for Samson to fetch his favourite wine from his mini cellar in the living room. He poured a glass of wine. He brought out a bag of walnut he brought back from the UK and a bar of dark chocolate. Samson remembered that AA preferred beer. He went down and returned with two bottles of Star beer for AA.
“How dare you? You come from a sane country of law and order, superb infrastructures and accountable government and you want to invest in Nigeria in your sixties? Anyway, you are mad! Those who follow this route are mad. Very mad. It is beyond the logic of comfortability in life. People want to gravitate to where there is rule of law, equitable justice, zero bureaucracy and institutional support for businesses and not a jungle like Nigeria. AA are you mad? I am serious!” the chief pronounced as a matter of fact.
“But sir, God’s own time is the best. But you were in your sixties too when you started. I did not see any difference sir. I am mature now. I have a thick skin to take risk. I have my house. A car. I am getting my pension. What is missing is just that business that will give me a daily income. Yes, those hot side hustles. I realised what I am letting myself into. But I have gotten to that tipping point of no return. I can’t just be spending money without any side income coming in sir. Of course, I am mad to have left a relatively safe country for a mad, sad and bad country of poor infrastructures like Nija but at least I am brave enough to want to confront its challenges head on,” AA defended.
The chief stood up and clapped for AA. His steely determination and potential resilience won Chief Bode Fatoyinbo over. He went upstairs and brought down a document. He had said all the harsh things about Nigeria as a test to weigh AA’s preparedness to weather any storm of adversity in Nigeria. He had been looking for die-hards like AA. Those with the genetic inscription of NO GOING BACK written all over them.
“Check that document. Can you handle that project for me in Ibadan? That massive building is a shopping mall. The owner is a politician. It is a one point five-billion-naira project on completion. Apart from executing the project, the politician also gave me concession over four shops at completion. I will give you a car. I have a flat at Oluyole that you could use while the project is going on. You need this experience to know if real estate or developmental projects are your forte. I could feel your enthusiasm to break into business in Nigeria. Your energy marvels me. Your preparation also inspired me,” the chief said, looking at AA as he flipped through the document.
AA was shaking with excitement. He could not believe what he was hearing from the chief. He gave the chief a long, unbelieving look and sighed loudly. AA stood up and prostrated with visible humility.
“Oh no, common get up. You are the kind of Nigerian I want around me. You are the Nigerian this country needs. I tried to discourage you by saying horrible things about this country. You were unmoved. I gave you two months assignment. You returned with a bulky assortments of different business models. You showed availability, determination to learn, vision, success ethics and that ability to risk. You won me over,” chief said, acknowledging the qualities he found attractive in AA.
AA stood up and embraced the chief. A bit of tears of joy in his eyes.
“Thank you, sir. Ha, ese sir. God will bless you more sir. You are God sent sir. What do I need to bring in sir…my CV, my degrees or my ID?” AA said, as he adjusted his baseball cap.
“Come off that. I am a British-trained project administrator. They don’t care for your paper degrees. They care more for your attitude, enthusiasm, skills, experience, determination and willingness to succeed. You have demonstrated those qualities in the last few of months of our meeting. You will need to come back on Sunday to meet Mr Idowu Animashaun, one of the project leads.”
“Ok, sir. Ok sir, thank you sir. Ese sir. Mo mo lore sir…Ah, mo mo lore sir.” The local Bolt cabman had been waiting to take AA back to Maryland. In the cab he made a call to a friend. “Bosun…Bosun…I beg come to Maryland in the next one hour. My guy, gist dey. I don hit Baba Ijebu bad, bad….I don hit lottery of a lifetime. E be like say that prayer wey I go pray for Prayer City don work o…..,” AA said laughing with joy.