Lington Olayinka Fasuyi, who turns 60 today, October 25, is a very thankful man. Assistant Life Editor, TERH AGBEDEH, looks at the many reasons Fasuyi, his family and associates are thankful and why the drums that have been rolling for this epoch-making event in the life of the accomplished man are justified.
In an interview to herald his 60th birthday, Lington Olayinka Fasuyi said he is all thanks to God for the gift of life.
“I remain eternally grateful for all the blessings which are not necessarily of merit but of mercy that He has given me which enables me appreciate a good life. For the struggles He sometimes cast on me which made me stronger and helped me realise the fact that life is bitter-sweet. I remain grateful for the path which the Almighty has led me without which I won’t be where I am today. I am grateful for the inspiration and for the grace to be used as a vessel in impacting lives in my own ‘little way’. I am also grateful to him for giving me an ever supportive wife, children, beloved family, friends, staff and business associates. I am thankful that I am where I am today and happy doing what I am doing,” he said.
And that about sums up the entire celebration of a man who could have taken a road very far from the one he took that led to the thanks that he is giving right now.
The foremost private management expert is by all definitions an icon. His is a story of triumph over youthful exuberance to the shining light of excellence.
Having conquered the excesses associated with his background, being a child raised from a privileged background, Fasuyi fought through the ranks to bag three master’s degrees at a time his career was thriving in oil and gas, famous for being a sought-after industry the world over.
He was at Total Nigeria Plc when the inspiration struck him and he right away knew that it was time to do something for himself. Nothing could stop him once his mind was made up, and on July 1, 1992, he resigned his job. But not before seeking direction from God and support from his wife, Olubisi, who immediately fashioned out the adjustment pattern that helped them to take on the challenges ahead. Fasuyi then went on to start the Supreme Management Training and Consultancy Services Limited with an interest loan of N14,000 from a friend’s finance firm.
A 10 per cent interest was subtracted upfront from the loan, leaving him with N12,600 from which remittance was still paid to his former employer in lieu of notice of his resignation.
The balance of that loan became the seed in pursuing marketing and patronages for Supreme Management Training and Consultancy Services Limited.
But the question is, where has he gotten his inspiration from?
“My father, the late Chief Jacob Olowookere, and my elder brother, Mr. Olatunde Fasuyi,” was his reply.
His father, he said, was a businessman from whom he learnt the values of integrity, fairness and hard work. The same values that have greatly helped him.
“Everyone who has had cause to relate with me identifies these attributes in me. My elder brother also remains the most influencing factor in my career and life till date. He was able to re-orientate me to appreciate the importance of education, leaving a lasting impression on me to this day. He made me realise that I did not have to rely on my parent’s wealth. He encouraged me to pursue education rather than do business, which was on my mind after secondary education,” he said.
This has, no doubt, helped to keep him focused on winning the other battle of his life which was how he would handle his career.
At 60, Fasuyi has every reason to celebrate, for he has been able to strike a balance in all that he has ventured into. For instance, he branched out to establish his management consulting organisation, Supreme Management Training and Consultancy Services Limited, and later the Ibadan Business School.
That organisation is perhaps the biggest private management development institution in West Africa and beyond, and remains the only organisation to train people in all the 36 states of the federation. It has taken its know-how beyond the shores of Nigeria to other West, East, Southern African countries, to Europe, Asia, America, to mention but a few.
Today, the firm enjoys tremendous patronage because of the quality of training and human capital development services it has been rendering.
The celebrant was appointed a monitor, which is equivalent to the representative, of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), representing the world body in Ondo, Ekiti and Kaduna states.
But starting his own company, Fasuyi has always maintained, is the achievement he is most proud of.
“After seven years working with Total Nigeria Plc, I resigned my appointment on July 1, 1992. The oil industry was a well sought-after industry, but I made up my mind that I was going to carve a niche for myself,” he recalled.
Indeed, after going through the MBA class, he became more attentive to the environment with a view to identifying needs which he could meet and it was at that point he discovered that there was a gap in human capital development in the country. He did what came natural to him. He explored the opportunity.
“I was sure of what I wanted and was determined to hit the highest (altitude). Immediately I left the service of Total Nigeria Plc, I established Supreme Management Training and Consultancy Services Limited. To the glory of God, and being modest, Supreme Management Training and Consultancy Services Limited has not only become the biggest private management development institution in West Africa and beyond, but it remains the only firm that has been able to organise training programmes in no fewer than 500 of the 774 local government areas in the country,” he declared.
At a time in the life of our country when young people are confronted with career challenges and unemployment, the life of Fasuyi is a reference. His story is a guide in directing the youths on the course of courage and assured hope that the comfort may not be in the present task. No matter how comfortable it seems, there is the need to launch into the deep and unknown.
His words: “We have been able to take our services beyond the shores of Nigeria to other West African countries and continents. Today, we enjoy tremendous patronage because of the quality of training and human capital development services that the company has been rendering. I have also been privileged to be appointed a monitor by UNDP in Ondo, Ekiti and Kaduna states.
“Four years ago, precisely August 11, 2011, Supreme Management Training and Consultancy Services Limited gave birth to Ibadan Business School, a vibrant institute that is specially focused on addressing the human capital development requirement of not only Africa but all the developing countries of the world, where we pride ourselves to be the only Business School that responds to the immediate gap which militates against our development as a society.”
For Fasuyi, whose philosophy is that God never leaves His own and destiny can only be delayed but never denied, he didn’t just get here in one day. “I was a good follower, a good employee and that prepared me for my later adventure in life. A good follower/employee will make a good leader/boss”.
It is by all accounts that Fasuyi is not just a good boss, leader and family man, but he has also kept good and quality company and will continue to be a good example for an army or protegees he has enlisted since going into business on his own. The change he has made over the years will no doubt make a great difference not only in the country but also resonate around the world.