The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Business

  • Enhancing business communication with correct tense application(2)

    Last week, we said when we talk about any form of verbal communication, the issue of tenses is very important because tense is any of the verb forms relating time to action. We said there is actually a problem when we cannot accurately relate time to action and use the appropriate tenses in a given business situation.

    We discussed types of tense. We explained that Simple Present Tense refers to habitual or permanent actions, e.g. “I read every day”; “I go to the office every day”, etc. As for Simple Past Tense, we said it is used for expressing an action that took place before the present time, e.g. “I went to school yesterday”; “I saw him in the morning”, etc. We educated that Present Continuous Tense is structurally formed through combination of any of the auxiliary verbs or verb “to be” (is, am, are, etc) and the present participle (-ing) form of the verb involved. We explained that Past Continuous Tense is used in a situation where one past action was completed while another was still in progress.

    Present Perfect Tense

    This is formed through the combination of has or have and the past participle form of the verb involved, e.g. “I have written the note”. This tense tells us about a completed action with present relevance. The past participle form of a verb is its third form. For instance, a verb such as “Go” has “Went” as past tense and “Gone” past participle. For “Write”, we have “Wrote” as past tense and “Written” as past participle.

    Different forms of each verb are written against it in the short forms “pt” and “pp” in the dictionary. You also have these different forms of every verb at the end (or beginning) of any standard dictionary. Present Perfect Tense is a form of present tense, especially that it does not mention the time that the completed action took place but only expresses its relevance to the present time. Note that when you mention a specific date or time in the past, you cannot use present perfect, e.g. “I have seen him in the morning”. This is wrong. The correct form should have been “I saw him in the morning”. However, it is possible to say “I have seen him this morning” if we are still in the morning time.

    Past Perfect Tense

    This is the past form of the present perfect. It is formed through the combination of had and the past participle form of the verb involved. This tense is otherwise called pluperfect, remote past or past before past. It is used for the earlier of two actions that took place in the past, while the simple past is used for the one that happened later, e.g. “I had gone before he came”. Like the present perfect, past perfect tense is not used when a specific date or time is mentioned in the past. However, this rule is broken, especially if two actions took place in the past with one happening earlier, and the speaker wants to emphasise the date or time of the earlier action.

    In this type of situation, commas are usually employed to separate the area of time, to make it look like an intrusive element, that is, something that can be removed. An example of this can be drawn from preface to the first edition of Roget’s Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Betty K. MA: “…Conceiving that such a compilation might help to supply my own deficiencies, I had, in the year 1805, completed a classified catalogue of words on a small scale, but on the same principle, and nearly in the same form, as Thesaurus now published….”

    Journalism

    It is common in (Nigerian) journalism to misuse past perfect tense. Look at this sentence, for example: “President Goodluck Jonathan had on Tuesday confirmed the matter”. If it is the case that the president confirmed the matter again on Wednesday, it is correct to use past perfect tense like this for that of Tuesday that was earlier. Similarly, if the president denied the matter on Wednesday, then we can use this statement like this, but commas will still be required to separate On Tuesday.

    However, if it is the case that the president only confirmed this on Tuesday alone, without re-confirmation or denial after this day, it is wrong to write the above expression in past perfect tense. Instead, it is more grammatically correct to use simple past tense and change the position of “On Tuesday”, e.g. “President Jonathan confirmed the matter on Tuesday”.

    *Note: it is “You had better do….” not “You had better done”. This is because “Had” here means “Should”.

    Simple Future Tense

    This tense is used to express simple futurity. Here, the first person singular pronoun I and plural “We” make use of the modal auxiliary verb “Shall” to express simple futurity, e.g. “I/We shall go today.” However, second-person singular and plural “You”, third person singular pronouns “He”, “She” and “It” and third person plural pronoun “They” use “Will” to express their simple futurity, e.g. “He/She/It/You/They will go today.”

    In spoken English, it is “Will” that is more commonly used for all persons. But the implication of this indiscriminate use of “Will” is that a listener may not know whether a speaker is expressing simple futurity or expressing a promise, especially when Will is used with “I” and We.

    The reason being that when it comes to expressing a promise, I and We make use of “Will”, while other pronouns employ “Shall”. Another way of expressing futurity is by using “going-to” with an infinitive. This is called Future of Intention, e.g. “I am going to see him tomorrow.”

    Future Perfect Tense

    This tense is formed through the combination of simple future tense and present perfect tense. It tells us about an action that will be completed by a particular future date. Here, the assignment of “Shall” and “Will” is just as applicable in simple future tense. A lot of people wrongly use “Would have” for all persons while using this tense, even in the present-tense case, probably because the phrase is phonetically pleasant. The standard way of using this tense is: “By next month, I/we shall have worked here for five years”; “By next month, they will have worked here for five years”, etc.

    •To be continued

    PS: For those making inquiries about our Public Speaking, Business Presentation and Professional Writing Skills programme, please visit the website indicated on this page for details. Till we meet on Monday.

    •GOKE ILESANMI, Managing Consultant/CEO of Gokmar Communication Consulting, is an International Platinum Columnist, Certified Public Speaker/MC, Communication Specialist, Motivational Speaker and Career Management Coach. He is also a Book Reviewer, Biographer and Editorial Consultant.

     

    Tel: 08055068773; 08187499425

    Email: gokeiles2010@gmail.com

    Website: www.gokeilesanmi.com

     

  • Employing more staff for your business

    If you have reached a point where you need to employ more people for your business in order to remain competitive and become more empowered, you need to understand that extra manpower entails a whole new string liabilities, expenses, paperwork and even of legal obligations before bringing just anyone on board. Research shows that hiring mismatches can result in high turnover, absenteeism, higher healthcare costs, workplace violence and theft, which mean huge costs to an organisation’s bottom line as well as corporate reputation.

     

    Precautions

    In the course of your hiring process, you should take precautions and ensure you make informed decisions, while staying within legal and ethical boundaries. One of the things you must not do in the hiring process is to trust your instincts. According to Erika Welz Prafder, a human resource management expert, “Whether your new recruit will be filing reports or configuring computer networks, realise that criminal, under-qualified, and emotionally unstable minds hide in all uniforms and job titles.”

     

    Unwanted behaviour

    Another thing is to screen for unwanted behaviour. Depending on the position you are trying to fill, there are supplementary screening options available. Psychological testing, handwriting analysis, skill and aptitude tests and even lie detector tests are additional assessment tools that business owners exercise today to help them select the best job candidates. Prafder says such profiling allows you to select people who have the skills and the temperament needed to succeed in your business.

     

    Personal knowledge

    Personal knowledge of a candidate is one of the ways to a successful hiring process. Martin E. Davis, a human resource management expert educates that the best candidates are usually not hunting for a job. He adds that they may be people employed by one of your customers, your competitors, people in the same industry but not in the same line of business, or people in other industries who have exhibited the talents necessary for the job. Experts say if the selected candidate works for a customer, it is appropriate to contact the customer and let him know that his employee is a candidate for your position.

     

    Paying the price

    Paying the price constitutes yet another strategy in the hiring process. If the first approach could not provide a candidate, the next best avenue to getting the right candidate(s) is a toll road. A search firm or a highly reputed employment agency is a good but expensive route. The value of an outstanding employee is more than what you may want to pay. Your agreement with the search firm or agency should include the right to reimbursement if the hired candidate does not work out within a reasonable time period, perhaps six months and one year. This may be negotiable with each individual firm. This avenue is most often appropriate for higher-level positions and not entry-level jobs. The search firm or agency should do all preliminary screening, which often includes intelligence, personality, aptitude and skills testing, the cost of which should be included in the agency’s fee.

     

    Hiring additional employees

    After the initial process of hiring employees for your new business, you may also need to bring more people as the business continues to grow. One challenge that business owners normally face here is when and how to hire additional employees. David Javitch, an organisational psychologist, internationally-recognised author, keynote speaker and consultant says as a business owner, one of your most important tasks is workforce management.

    It is your job to make sure you have the right people—and the right number of people—to keep your company running smoothly. Javitch adds that if your business is growing and you are sensing you need to hire new employees, there are common clues to guide yourself.

     

    Persistent complaints

    One of the clues is persistent complaints from your hardworking employees. Complaints of this nature are common, but your task is to determine if they are legitimate by talking to your employees and asking them to validate their concerns of being “overworked”. Then look at attendance and productivity indicators to substantiate their claims. If what you find confirms their feedback, then you might decide to re-organise and restructure roles and responsibilities to better deal with the workflow. Javitch says you could use your new knowledge as a guide to hiring additional employees.

     

    Growth curve and new set of skills

    Another sign that you need to employ more people is when the growth curve for your products or services is increasing, and you identify that as a positive trend that you need to get additional people. Javitch illuminates that when you determine that your employee’s existing job skills and knowledge are fine for your company’s current level of productivity, but to expand, you will need either increased skills and knowledge or a new and different set of skills, then it is a clue for you to get more people.

     

    High profitability

    Finally, when revenue is at or above target and you project it to continue; other than financially rewarding yourself and/or your employees, you wonder what to do with the increased revenue, then it is time to empower your business with more hands.

     

    Last words

    When it comes to actually choosing the best candidate for a job, hiring someone simply because you need an “extra body” is not wise as this inevitably results in poor performance, decreased productivity and decreased morale. Ensure that you hire only people who actually fit the job descriptions you have created when employing people for your business. You need to emphasise skills not fruitless experience in your job advert.

     

    PS: For those making inquiries about our Public Speaking, Business Presentation and Professional Writing Skills programme, please visit the website indicated on this page for details. Till we meet on Wednesday.

  • Hassles Nigerian businesses face

    Hassles Nigerian businesses face

    The Federal Government holds the view that the nation’s economic outlook is positive, but the World Bank and majority stakeholders in the manufacturing and allied sectors say there is room for improvement as the business climate is still hampered by difficulties, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

    Nigeria’s business climate leaves nothing to cheer about as the country still struggles with critical issues of power supply, among other challenges which hampers productivity and competitiveness of enterprises.

    This was the submission of the Country Director, World Bank, Nigeria, Ms. Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly recently, just as a similar survey by the world body ranked the country 147th out of 189 countries in the world, based on a report focusing on initiated policies that make doing business easy in their countries.

    She gave this verdict during the launch of the World Bank’s Investment Climate Assessment, ICA, Report in Abuja.

    She said there was need for the country to improve its business environment in order to maximise the hugely untapped investment opportunities that exist across the country.

    “For me, while we say the country’s current investment climate could be better in terms of providing electricity, access to finance and other things, you should also look at the huge opportunities for investment in Nigeria.

    “The basic lesson from the World Bank Assessment Report titled “Nigeria, An Assessment of the Investment Climate in 26 states” is that there are critical constraints in Nigeria that impede the development of the non-oil sector.”

    The newly released survey, known as the ‘Doing Business 2014: Understanding Regulations for Small and Medium-Size Enterprises,’ noted that “Nigeria already implements some of the global good practices in the areas of Doing Business.”

    Living in denial

    As to be expected the World Bank’s scorecard on Nigeria didn’t go down well with the Federal Government, who declared that assessment by the World Bank was in bad faith and not correct because Nigeria’s business climate remains one of the best in the world as can be seen in the foreign direct investments (FDIs) that she attracts.

    Jonathan voiced his dissent to the assessment of the Breton woods institution, said the fundamentals on ground in the country speak of the opposite of the ranking by the World Bank.

    He made his feeling known while speaking at the 18th Annual Conference of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) which opened in Abuja with the theme: “Deepening Financial Sector Development: The Contribution of the Financial Accountant.”

    The President was represented by the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Lawal Ngama.

    Jonathan maintained that Nigeria has performed far better in terms of growth compared to all the countries listed in the ranking.

    “If you look at the list, Nigeria is ranked 147 out of 185. While all the other countries listed are having negative growth, which means that all their businesses are going down, Nigeria is among the fastest growing economies of the world,” Jonathan said.

    In a related development, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, recently revealed that over $20bn (N3.2tn) Foreign Direct Investment entered the Nigerian economy in the last three years.

    Okonjo-Iweala, who was addressing journalists in Abuja at a world press conference about the 24th World Economic Forum on Africa slated for Nigeria next year, said the N3.2tn invested in the Nigerian economy within the last three years represents 10 per cent of the entire African continent’s FDI.

    Apparently reacting to the World Bank’s report, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, while delivering a keynote address in Abuja titled “Reforming Nigeria’s Investment Climate”, said his ministry had already embarked on far-reaching investment climate reforms to improve the county’s competitiveness ranking and attract more Foreign Direct Investment into the country.

    Aganga stated that his ministry was partnering the Ministry of Power on the provision of uninterrupted electricity to nine industrial cities by the first quarter of 2013.

    He said, “Very soon, most of our SMEs will start to feel the positive impact of our Investment Climate Reforms Programmes, which we have embarked upon.

    “In terms of electricity, we are working with the Ministry of Power to ensure that nine industrial cities have access to uninterrupted power supply by the first quarter of 2013.

    “But in terms of improving our doing business and competitiveness ranking, it will take at least a year for the reforms we are implementing to reflect because samples have already been taken in June last year before we began the reforms.

    “In order to make Nigeria the preferred destination for investment globally, my ministry has already commenced an Investment Climate Reform Programme in October 2011 with support from the World Bank and DFID.

    “We are currently working with the Corporate Affairs Commission, to reduce the number of days it takes to register a business, the processes and the cost. In addition, we are working to ensure that business registration can be done from the comfort of homes and offices.

    “As a pilot, we are also working with the Ministries and Agencies under the Lagos State Government to reduce the cost and time of obtaining construction permits, registering property and enforcing contracts.

    “We are working with the tax authorities at both the Federal level and in Lagos State on how to reduce the time and cost of filing taxes.

    “The Doing Business and Competitiveness Committee and the Investor-Care Committee have been revived and have recently inaugurated their technical committees. The Doing Business Report Monitoring and Review Committee will regularly monitor, review and recommend improvement on existing policies and legislation that govern the act of doing business in the country and other day-day issues faced by the industries that are barriers to enhanced productivity.

    “The After-Care Committee will handle the deluge of complaints from investors on account of apparent irregularity and inconsistency in the implementation of some Government policies.”

    Speaking during the launching of the report, the Governor of Anambra State and Vice Chairman, Nigeria’s Governor’s Forum, Mr. Peter Obi, said that foreigners’ perception of Nigeria was at variance with the true situation in the country.

    Obi said, “The perception of Nigeria by foreigners is far worse than it is in reality. The truth is issues about Nigeria are usually over exaggerated by foreigners.

    “The South African Brewery in Anambra, which will be commissioned this month, is the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa. But if they show you their report and perception about Nigeria before coming to build their plant in the country, they wouldn’t have invested in the country. For instance, if you look at Heineken’s global income, 11.5 per cent of their income is from Africa and Middle East.

    “Out of this 11.5 per cent, six per cent comes from Nigeria. Today, Guinness derives 6.1 per cent of its global income from Nigeria. In fact, Guinness sells more in Nigeria than its home country.

    “This will tell you that despite the challenges we have, which the Ministry of Trade and Investment is working state governments to address, Nigeria still remains the best investment destination for genuine investors across the world.”

    Stakeholders’ verdicts

    In the assessment of stakeholders in the manufacturing sub sector, truth is, government needs some explanation to give for the growing level of disaffection in the land.

    A cross-section of those who spoke with The Nation were unsparing in their criticisms.

    Professor Sherifdeen Tella, a professor of economist, who is of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, while sharing his own perspective, said: “The World Bank survey is not based on the economic growth rate of the country. It is based on ease of doing business, registration of companies and the processes involved. The government is always denying the ranking by saying that the economy is growing at eight per cent. Understanding the business climate is very important to know how long does it takes to register businesses in Nigeria for a start up as well as existing businesses.

    “Operators in the country are still facing some level of difficult in terms of doing business in Nigeria. For instance, if you want to register a business and you are not ready to bribe your way through chances are that it may take you up to two to three years to get it registered and vice versa.

    “The Federal Government can say what it likes but what the World Bank report says is the correct thing because many in-country experts were involved in the survey so it not as if they (World Bank) manufactured them from outer space. What expect the government to do is to carry out a research in order to ascertain the true state of things by determining whether or not there are factors impeding business in real time.”

    Mr. Fola Soetan, Chief Operating Officer, PESTOS Nigeria Limited, manufacturers of insecticides and allied products, is also on the same page with others.

    “My own candid opinion is that manufacturers are still faced with inherent challenges. There are several operating social factors, in terms of getting your materials to the destination. So many bottle necks like multiple taxation, arbitrary charges from multiple agencies of government hit into your profit such that if you are the type that took loans externally it may difficult to meet up with repayment as a result of this incidental expenses not factored or unscheduled into the normal course of business, in the first place,” he stressed.

    “In Lagos for example, you find so many regulatory bodies whose actions become rather too burdensome on the manufacturers. The councils will be chasing you everywhere for all forms of levies all in the name of some revenue drive. Disposable income is not circulating it may be circulating among the top. Honestly, if the power sector is completely reorganised and we are able to have more hours from the electricity grid, it will be of advantage to the manufacturers.

    “Before now, the fixed charges we pay monthly is N25, 000 while actual consumption is about N35, 000 totalling N60, 000. But in the last few months it has increased. Now we pay about N45, 000 as fixed charges whether we used light or not and additional N75, 000 as actual consumption.

    “At the end of the day, there is no improvement in the economy. The issue is if the number of hours we are able to have light is okay, with about 60-70 per cent production capacity, we know we can still breakeven but we are just able to produce at 25 per cent capacity. The situation is that it is very unmeasurable.

    “It has been on the decrease. A at last month we were averaging at least five hours usage in electricity but it has dropped to two hours. On the average we used to spend over N200, 000 on running diesel but it has also increased as we speak. There is no improvement in the power sector.

    “On paper we could be reporting growth but it is not reflecting on the welfare, purchasing power of the people so we cannot say that is growth in real terms. Government should spend more on social welfare packages that will improve the standard of living of the common man out there.”

    In his own assertion, Mr. Tony Isiani, Managing Director/Chief Executive, School Development Support International Limited, Atunrase Estate, Gbagada, Lagos, while acknowledging the fact that there is some level of improvement in power supply, telecoms network, banking services unlike before. But we still have challenges in terms of bureaucracy, frustration is too much. The issue of transparency has been thrown overboard now because more than ever before you just have to bribe your way through in most government offices whether at the state or local government level.

    “In Lagos particularly you are required to pay for all kinds of charges like hackney permits, etc. Unlike Nigeria, doing business in Ghana is much easier in all fronts. For instance, if you are already producing in Ghana, it is as if you’re in your father’s house. You follow the same rules as every other person. Power is stable and taxes are limited. You get things done very swiftly. The only thing, however, is that the market is not that large compared to what obtains in Nigeria. But around here, there is a lot of discrimination against certain people in business.”

    In his assessment, Mr. Ken Ukaoha, Secretariat President, National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) said: “There is need to consider the socio-economic impacts and or implications of misgovernance approach’ to the nation, and behold. We have only seen negative tendencies towards perhaps monopolizing the economy of the country and possibly enriching a few at the expense of the generality of the population who are rather daily drifting towards the pallets of poverty.”

    Dr. Austin Nweze, a political economist in the Department of School of Media Communication at the Pan -African University, gives a fresh perspective.

    Justifying the World Bank report, Nweze said: “In doing the survey of ease of doing business, the World Bank relied on a set of criteria which they used in measuring the indices. So I don’t think the Federal Government should be crying foul.

    “I recalled that when in 1990, India was declared technically bankrupt by the World Bank the Prime Minister then, Raul, called the Minister of Finance at the time, Singh, who is the current PM as to how to address the problem. India was ranked somewhere in the bottom. I think India’s reserve was somewhere around the region of$9m or less but today it is the same India giving over $5billion in aid as grant to Africa. To register a business that used o take one year it is now a matter of days. They worked very hard and today everything has changed for them. What that tells you is that where there is a will, there is a way.”

    Expatiating, he said: “Agreed in Nigeria, business registration has gone digital but it is not yet uhuru. There are still people within the system that are very anachronistic, who are resisting change. I think that there should be attempts to reform the minds of the people. Even in Human Development Index, we didn’t fare any better. The quality of life here is still bad. Power is still a major issue. Agreed Nigeria telecoms sector is said to be the fastest growing but there is still a problem in terms of penetration, broadband problem, among others.”

    Rather than living in denial, Nweze said: “What I think the government can do is to look at those elements and set targets as to how to mitigate the problems identified. This should energise the government to take action and stop playing politics. That is the way to go.”

  • ‘Why clerics, business owners must collaborate’

    The International President of Fellowship Covenant Ministries International (FMCI), Dr. Philip Goudeaux, has canvassed for strategic partnership among church leaders and business owners.

    Such partnership, according to him, will foster the gospel and create mutual benefits for both partners.

    Goudeaux made the call at a two-day regional conference of the body in Lagos.

    He said the body exists to make such synergy work, saying, “It is an international collaboration of pastors, teachers, and businessmen and women created to build and improve the leadership and business management skills of leaders in the body of Christ.”

    The American blamed ignorance on why priests and kings must complement for the rising injustice and corruption in countries.

    He debunked the notion that most preachers in the country are living fat on members.

    According to him: “I don’t believe that pastors should be poor but I hold on to the fact that they must live and lead by examples.

    “The church of Christ was not established to fail but to succeed and for it to succeed, these two must come together.

    “You see, the connection between kings and priests is powered by the anointing. That is why we also refer to FCMI vision as two anointing for one vision.”

    The Senior Regional Director for Nigeria and Africa for FCMI, Prince NnanyereNwachukwu, said the challenge with some pastors is that they do not develop or educate the kings on their responsibilities and anointing.

    He said: “The church of Jesus Christ does not belong to the priests alone or the kings. God’s purpose is that kings and priests work together because if you separate any one from the bond, there will be no church.”

  • Why we established Ibadan Business School – Ex-Head of Service of the Federation Prof Afolabi

    Why we established Ibadan Business School – Ex-Head of Service of the Federation Prof Afolabi

    Professor Oladapo Afolabi, one-time Head of Service of the Federation, is the Chairman, Board of Advisors of the newly-established Ibadan Business School (IBS). He spoke with reporters recently on the vision and character of the school

    What is the vision of IBS?

    The IBS is out to focus on development needs of public sector being the drivers of the economy in the developing world and address the capacity needs of micro, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs who represent the agents of sustainable growth in any economy.

    Are there peculiar attributes that distinguish IBS from other business education institutions across the globe?

    Yes. There are four distinct features of IBS that make it appeal to the prospective market.

    About 75% of its courses would be run online through electronic learning (e-learning). This provides both convenience and access to many who have longed to improve on their capacities, but were unable to do so due to busy schedule, geographical consideration and even costs.

    Two, IBS prides itself on being the first business school in Africa to provide a double platform of e-learning for its students. Apart from the use of laptops, desktops and tablets to receive lectures, students would also enjoy the rare convenience of also being able to receive their lectures on-the-go through their mobile phones, such as Nokia, Samsung, Blackberry, Tecno and so on. With these technologies, no prospective student should have any excuse, based on convenience and access, not to improve on his or her human capital potential.

    Three, is the universality of IBS faculty. Prospective students would have the rare opportunity of benefiting from the immense wealth of experience of its resource persons who are domiciled in various parts of the world.

    For instance, a Nigerian resident student in our programme could receive lectures from lecturers located in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore, United State of America, Ghana and so on. This unique feature offers every enrolled student to benefit from contemporary best practices and experiences.

    Four, all our courses are market-driven. The various courses we would be running are identified through market needs analysis. This would make the school attractive to all who sincerely desire to better their human capital capacities.

    Who are the promoters of IBS?

    A 21-year old Supreme Management Consultants Ltd (SMC) is the chief promoter of IBS. SMC has been a foremost management institution with operational network that cuts across all the seven continents in the world.

    A critical body of promoters of IBS is also found in its Board of Advisors that is made up of very distinguished and accomplished Nigerians and expatriates, namely:

    Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, former Head of Service of the Federation, Chairman; Chief Wole Olanipekun ,

    former National President, Nigeria Bar Association, former Chairman, Governing Council, University of Ibadan, V/Chairman; Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, former President, Nigeria Institute of Management, Member; Prof. Pikay Richardson, Leading Faculty Member, Manchester Business School,Member; Mr. Bayo Jimoh, Group Managing Director, O’dua Investment Company Limited,Member; Dr. (Mrs) Sally Adukwu-Bolujoko , former President, Nigeria Institute of Management, Member; Mr. Yinka Fasuyi, foremost management consultant,President

    What is the operation profile of IBS?

    Basically the board provides the policy direction for the school through regular appraisal of global business environment and its consequences for business education requirements.

    The school would also rely on the global tested skills of its president who has earned his respect in management consultancy both in Nigeria and outside.

    The day to day operation of IBS, however, resides with its Registrar who doubles as the Chief Operating Officer of the school. The school is blessed to have a foremost and tested administrator , Chief Mojisola Ladipo, as its Registrar\COO.

    The Registrar/COO, who is a former two-term registrar of the premier university in Nigeria, University of Ibadan, is expected to leverage on her international network and exposure to make IBS a foremost business education institution of first choice.

    Does it mean IBS would not run a face-to-face, conventional classroom system at all?

    What I said was that a large percentage of our courses would run online, while about 25% of the programme would still employ the conventional face-to-face approach.

    From the third quarter of 2014, most of the face-to-face programmes would draw participants from sub-Saharan African countries whereby participants would enjoy the benefits of sharing contemporary experiences

    How adequate are IBS infrastructure facilities to meet this goal?

    The taste of the pudding is in the eating. So also is the validity of the old adage that says: “Seeing is believing.”

    I am happy to share with you that IBS has a world-class infrastructure facility located in a very serene environment, most conducive for learning. The standard and features of the learning rooms, syndicate rooms, plenary halls, library and parks can conveniently match those of its contemporaries anywhere in the world. Even in spite of its existing infrastructures, the school still keeps expanding its infrastructures ahead of its future needs.

    The general belief of the public is that business schools are desirable but expensive. What is your reaction to this?

    Anything that is desirable certainly has value.

    Ignorance is far more expensive in terms of socio-economic implications to individuals and the organisations they represent, compared to what it costs to empower.

    In answering your question, I think the issue you should consider is cost vs benefit,and not cost in absolute terms. Inasmuch as the value the participants derive from the course in terms of benefit outweighs the monetary cost, then such resource spent or expended on the programme is both effectively and efficiently utilized.

    In the case of IBS, what we have done is to pass the savings made from costs of logistics you incurred in a conventional face-to-face programmes to a reduced course fee for online participants.

    In the case of face-to-face programme, you have to factor the cost of meals, training materials, venue, training aids, physical transportation of faculty and so on into building your cost template.

    But in the online courses, participants do not have to pay for all these, hence the savings made from this is transferred to the participants. So the average course fee of N19,900 for a one-month online course is as a result of this. Payment of N19,900 to receive lectures from renowned professionals and experts across the world is certainly a welcome relief for all prospective participants who genuinely desire to enhance their human capital capacities to meet their respective business challenges.

  • ‘How cooking fired my interest in business’

    ‘How cooking fired my interest in business’

    Jumoke Omojuwa, the  MD/CEO of Spices Confectionery Ltd, is a graduate  and  chartered accountant.He is a  beneficiary of You Win Platform, a grant from the Federal Government of Nigeria . In this interview with GBENGA ADERANTI, she talks about her  business and why her business continues to grow despite odds, among other issues.

    You are a chartered accountant, why did you go into private business?

    Time. I had to weigh the time for my young family as I lost our first child after delivery.

    What were you doing before you started your business?

    I was working with a media outfit as an Assistant Manager in the Finance and Administration Department before I resigned. After resignation, I was at home for a few months. Being a very active person, I was bored. I thought I could start doing something while waiting. I had always loved cooking and going the extra mile to get a very tasty meal. I , therefore, went into confectionery .

    What were the challenges you faced when you first started?

    It was hard to convince people to buy my products. The supermarkets that eventually agreed to sell our products got them on the sale on return basis. The loss was much, but I was undeterred.

    How much did you first invest in the business?

    I started with a mixer bought at N2,000. I supported this with other tools from my kitchen.

    Your expansion has been tremendous; how did you raise the capital to grow the business?

    Initially, it was my husband that gave me some money and I had some savings. I later started leasing some equipment. I love to lease because it keeps me on my toes as regards finances. The recent finance we got was a grant from the Federal Government through the You Win Platform.

    How many workers did you start with and how many do you have right now?

    I started with one – myself. I was the production manager, sales representative, marketing officer, purchasing manager and so on. We now have six permanent workers and four casual ones. We are to add four permanent workers and four casual workers under the You Win programme.

    What is the secret of your success?

    God and dedication to quality products and excellent services are the pillars of our business.

    You have been running a free programme for people who want to know about confectionery; what do you want to achieve with this?

    We are located in the boundary between Lagos and Ogun states. I saw a lot of women around their houses during the day idle. A lot of women I came in contact with often complained they didn’t have money. So I thought in my own little way I could help ignite their passion to become entrepreneurs. I have always believed that an investment in a woman is an investment in the nation.

    You are a beneficiary of the SMEs programme; how did you emerge as one of the beneficiaries?

    God was in our support. I got to know of the programme through a family friend. I put in, and with the support of my husband I successfully went through all the stages. The programme is transparent and professional.

    Have you ever felt like quitting business?

    Yes. There was a time I took up a job, but after two months, I knew I wasn’t meant for office work. Any time I went into office work, I would always come back to my business. At last, I resolved never to go back again.

    Would you have fared better in a job paid ?

    I don’t think so. I can’t imagine the routine lifestyles of people in paid jobs. My business gives me room for adventure.

    What are the necessary qualities you have to possess to do business in Nigeria?

    You must first be resilient. You must be focused, disciplined and be a person of integrity.

    How do you relax?

    I must confess I hardly have time to relax. People often beg me to slow down, but with a preferred future in mind, I have to keep moving. When the time for relaxation comes, I will know.

    Would you say your growing-up has something to do with your entrepreneurial acumen?

    Yes. I’m very restless. As a student at the Yaba College of Technology, l was trading. You know that ladies like clothes, so I cashed in and made good profits.

     

     

     

  • Enhancing business communication with correct tense application

    When we talk about any form of verbal communication, the issue of tenses is very important because tense is any of the verb forms relating time to action. This time is basically divided into past, present and future. There is actually a problem when we cannot accurately relate time to action and use the appropriate tenses in a given business situation.

    Tense and aspect

    Aspect refers to the verb form, which relates activities to the passage of time. In a way, aspect is a restatement of tense. According to the dictionary, there is an aspectual difference between “I saw him cross the road” and “I saw him crossing the road”. What this means is that “cross” used in the first sentence is a simple past tense though without “-ed”. Verbs used in this form are called bare infinitive, that is, infinitive without the preposition “to”. And being an infinitive, “cross” does not need “-ed” to show past.

    It is an intrinsic or implicit past. In the second sentence, “crossing” is a present participle, an -ing form of the verb. At the notional level, the first sentence means that the first person saw the other person complete the action. That is why “cross” is used. But in the second sentence, “crossing” is used to show that the first person only saw the action halfway, he did not see the end of the action of crossing the road by the other person.

    Simple Present Tense

    This tense refers to habitual or permanent actions, e.g. “I read every day”; “I go to the office every day”, etc. The third person singular pronouns (that is, “He”, “She”, “It”) take verb-”s” when used in the simple present tense, e.g. “He/She/It eats every day”. So it is not the case that it is a plural {pro}noun that uses a verb that has an “s” .

    Note: “It”, a pronoun that is used for inanimate objects and non-human creatures, is grouped with third person singular pronouns because it is also used for a baby or child, especially when the sex is unknown, e.g. “This is Bola’s baby, what sex is it?” If you use “He” or “She” in place of “It”, then you do not need to ask about the sex of the baby again since you have already made a conclusion about it.

    Reinforcement

    It is said that the verbs used with the third person singular pronouns take an “s”, but we still hear the expression “God bless you”, despite the fact that the noun “God” is equal to a third person singular pronoun. The reason for not using “Blesses” is that this expression is an elliptical or cut-off one. So at the deep-structure level, what we have is “May God bless you”. But the modal auxiliary verb “May” disappears at the surface-structure level.

    The simple present tense is also used in (football) commentary. It can be used to express certainty in the future time, e.g. “The plane lands in Nigeria tomorrow morning”; “The president arrives the country next week”, etc. The simple present tense is used in place of present continuous tense when an automatic verb describing reflex or involuntary action is involved. Let us explain this area. There are some verbs that are basically not used in the continuous or progressive form. These verbs describe automatic or reflex actions. They are mostly verbs of perception, feeling or sense. So instead of using the progressive or continuous tense form of these verbs, it is the simple present tense that is used, e.g. “I hear what you are saying” (or “I can hear what you are saying”), not “I am hearing what you are saying” or “He is hearing what you are saying”. You also say “I see a snake there, it is looking at me”, not “I am seeing a snake there, it is looking at me” or “He is seeing a snake there, it is looking at him”.

    Note

    Note that we cannot control what we SEE unless we close our eyes, but we can only control the direction at which we are LOOKING, so “Looking” is NOT a reflex action.

    However, we can have some of these automatic verbs in the verbal-noun form technically called Gerund, e.g. “Seeing is believing”; “Sense of seeing”, “Sense of hearing”, “Sense of smelling”, etc. The verbs here are used as nouns; that is why they are called Verbal Nouns.

    But what is being emphasised here is that they are not usually used in the progressive or continuous-tense form (that is, combination of a primary auxiliary verb such as “Is” or “Are” and present participle or –ing form of the verb such as “Seeing”, “Hearing”, etc., to form “Is seeing” or “Is hearing”. Other verbs that are not usually used in the continuous or progressive form are “smell”, “remember”, “recollect”, “forget”, “know”, “understand”, etc.

    Simple Past Tense

    This is used for expressing an action that took place before the present time, e.g. “I went to school yesterday”; “I saw him in the morning”, etc.

    Present Continuous Tense

    Structurally, this tense is formed through combination of any of the auxiliary verb or verb “to be” (is, am, are, etc) and the present participle (-ing) form of the verb involved. This tense is used for expressing actions taking place at the present time, e.g. “I am writing”; “They are singing”; “She is laughing”, etc. It is equally used with other forms of present tense in sport commentary. However, it is not commonly used in the real-life situation for actions that are shortlived, that is, actions that are not happening gradually, but start and end quickly, e.g. fall, drop, break, etc.

    However, this tense can be used for the short-lived actions if they are happening repeatedly. By extension, this tense is equally not always used for involuntary actions as already said. That is, actions that are not within the range of our control. The present continuous tense is also employed to express futurity, e.g. “We are going there tomorrow”.

    Past Continuous Tense

    This is the past form of the last tense. It is used in a situation where one past action was completed while another was still in progress. In this type of situation, it is used for the longer unfinished action while simple past tense is used for the shorter one, e.g. “We saw him when he was going to school”. It is also used in a situation where two actions were taking place at the same time in the past, e.g. “Segun was reading while Gbenga was writing”.

    • To be continued

    PS: For those making inquiries about our Public Speaking, Business Presentation and Professional Writing Skills programme, please visit the website indicated on this page for details. Till we meet on Monday.

    •GOKE ILESANMI, Managing Consultant/CEO of Gokmar Communication Consulting, is an International Platinum Columnist, Certified Public Speaker/MC, Communication Specialist, Motivational Speaker and Career Management Coach. He is also a Book Reviewer, Biographer and Editorial Consultant.

    Tel: 08055068773; 08187499425

    Email: gokeiles2010@gmail.com

    Website: www.gokeilesanmi.com

     

  • ‘No longer business as usual in the judiciary’

    ‘No longer business as usual in the judiciary’

    Looking at the reforms being carried out by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloma Mukhtar, can you say it has reduced corruption in the judiciary?

    Yes, the changes and reforms being carried out by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mariam Aloma Mukhtar is having the desired effect. And I want Nigerians to rally round her irrespective of whether you are in the legal profession or not because the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. If the judiciary is in trouble, then it affects everyone. She has proven to be a serious minded person with the sole aim of leaving the judiciary far better than she met it. She is prepared to take the bull by the horn no matter whose ox is gored for the interest of justice and for the sake of the legal profession. Many judges have been sacked while some are still under probe. Many judges know that it is not business as usual and that if you are engaged in any corrupt practices, you will be summarily dealt with. She has proven that at the end of her tenure, she will leave a landmark and only pray that these reforms will be institutionalised so that subsequent Chief Justices of Nigeria will continue from where she stopped.

     

    The President has agreed to a national dialogue as a panacea to the problems confronting the nation. Do you really think that is the forward?

    I don’t foreclose anything. I cannot categorically say yes or no because it has not come and gone. If you ask me, I think the national dialogue is rather coming late; but notwithstanding, I think we should give it a trial and see if something good could come out of it. Don’t forget, many Nigerians have been clamouring for this conference for a very long time, with the belief that the conference is the only avenue where Nigerians can discuss the continued basis of their existence as a nation. But the fear being expressed by many is, what will be the outcome at the end of the day? Will the outcome be implemented even if it is not favourable to the government? Will the opinions of the grassroots be heard? Will it really move Nigeria forward and unite all the various ethnic groups we have or will it cause the break-up of the country? I believe the President is the one in charge of the country and he is in the best position to state why he has decided that we should have the conference.

     

    Is that really what the country needs?

    As far as we are concerned, the process is on-going, nobody can stop it. So, we should just wait and see what becomes of the dialogue at the end of the day. As the popular saying goes, ‘uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’. If the country breaks during his tenure, he takes the blame and if it is more united and prosperous as a result of the dialogue, he takes the credit.

     

    Your views are different fron that of your party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) that has rejected the dialogue. Your National Leader Bola Tinubu even described it as a Greek gift. Do you also share this view?

    I just told you that the national dialogue at this point in time is rather coming too late because of its closeness to the 2015 election. With respect to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, he is a highly respected politician with full grasp of knowledge about the politics of this country. He has been a former senator of the federal republic , two-time governor and now the National Leader of Nigeria’s major opposition political party. I think if that kind of man should give his opinion on an issue, we should listen and listen well. He knows what he saw before rejecting the national dialogue. But my position is that nobody can stop the dialogue at this point because it is ongoing. What I think we should do as good Nigerians is to make our contributions to the panel and see what the outcome will be.

     

    Do you really think what we need is a national dialogue or a sovereign national conference?

    Be it national dialogue or sovereign national conference, I think what Nigerians want is result. We want anything that will move the nation forward. We need anything that will promote the peace and stability of this country. We need what will reduce poverty in the land and ensure that nobody goes to bed hungry. Nigeria is a blessed country, but over the years, we have been plagued with bad leadership which has dragged us backward over the years. So, anything that will assist in moving the nation forward is welcome. Whether you call it dialogue, conference, round table discussion or even town hall meeting, constitution amendment, or fact-finding mission where the opinions of Nigerians will be sought, all we are asking is, how will it return our beloved country to the rightful path?

     

    The face-off between the Federal Government and ASUU has dragged on for over four months. What is your solution to this problem?

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) imbroglio can be likened to that of PHCN which many people still refer to as NEPA or even that of NNPC. We keep talking about Nigeria not having a functioning refinery. But the truth is, these refineries are not spirits, so can’t they be fixed? Look at the billions of naira that has been pumped into PHCN by successive governments, yet we are still talking about power failure. Now to the issue of education, it makes my heart bleed because of the sorry state of our educational facilities. While many people have been appealing to ASUU to call off the strike, I think the government too should be able to make promise and stick to it. You see medical doctors embarking on incessant strikes because contracts were made, but a party is reneging. When this happens, the only way for the other party is to down tools or pull out of any business you have. So, it is a two-way thing. ASUU should temper justice with mercy and pity our youths and their parents who have been at the receiving end of this strike, also the government, too, should keep to their words and pay the lecturers their dues.

     

    Do you agree with the view in some quarters that the demands of ASUU are too side?

    Education should be the number one priority of any responsible government. In fact, it should have the highest vote in the budget. There is nothing as profitable as investing in human capital and you can only do that through the provision of sound and qualitative education to the citizenry. I don’t think the demands of the lecturers are too many. All they are asking for is a conducive environment and improved package to carry out their duties. When they are well taken care of, they will be more productive and motivated to carry out their responsibilities. Even the students will not be able to concentrate under an environment that is not conducive. So, the government should honour the agreement it had with the lecturers. If you promised to give them N4billion and you give them N1billion, I think that is not good enough. At least, even if you don’t have funds, give them half of that amount with a sincere promise to pay the balance. I think the government should be making plans to accommodate the remaining of that money in the new budget. If they can do that, then the society will be able to take sides with the government that they have tried and move against ASUU to call off the strike.

     

    As a strong advocate of women holding political office in the country, how would you react to the car scandal involving the Aviation minister?

    Let me state that there is no justification for what she has done. Inasmuch as more facts are still coming up everyday, we will still wait and see. But to me, what will she be doing with a car of N100million? Will this car fly in the air or what? Even if it is a bulletproof car, she can’t be in it all day long. She will still need to get out of the car to enter her office, to buy things at the supermarket, to attend a meeting and so on. Everything you need to survive as an individual cannot be in the bulletproof car.  Security is only in the hands of God; so I don’t see reason somebody should purchase bulletproof cars for their security. Haven’t we seen people walking on the road and just slumped and died? We have seen people walk into their cars and before you know, they are dead and people dragged them out. And eventually, when you leave office as minister, what becomes of you? It may not be her fault that the cars were bought on her behalf, but if anybody tells me that she is not aware of them, that person is not being sincere. As the head of the ministry, she has to take responsibility for anything that is done by the agencies under her. Look at this one, if she is not careful, so many things will be signed in her name and she will not be aware of them. We were told the then DG of NCAA approved the purchase of the cars, but  today, whose name is being mentioned all over the world? Oduah’s of course!

     

    Don’t you think the minister has created a bad image for women in government and that they cannot be trusted in office?

    Yes, I feel that way because women are known to be more prudent, compassionate, and as effective managers, so putting all these into consideration, it is expected that a woman who finds herself in any position should live an exemplary life which other women will be proud of. I am not happy as a woman that our name is being dragged into this mess. We are advocating 35 per cent affirmative action, which I think we have not fully actualise and we are even asking for 50 because what a man can do, a woman can even do better. But now, people will say, you are asking for 50 per cent, the ones you are given what have you done with it?

     

  • Power, business and politics

    The  influential  and well known Forbes  Magazine has released  its annual list of the rich and mighty  of the world  and as a Nigerian I am proud  that Nigeria’s Business  mogul,  Alhaji  Dangote at No 41 on the list,  is the most powerful  man in Africa . I  am sure that  the self – effacing  Nigerian business man who  made Dangote Sugar and Dangote Cement household  consumer  products in Nigeria  will be very amused by the categorization  which puts his assets at $16.1  bn .This   really should have made him the richest man in Africa and not the most, as even in Nigeria he himself will  be the first to admit that  he is not the most powerful, not to talk  of Africa.

    The list  has the first four most powerful persons  in the world as Russia’s President Vladmir Putin who  displaced US President Barak Obama to second place, with China’s President Xi Ping in third and Pope Francis, leader  of the Catholic Church,  as fourth. It  is my contention today that Forbes  erred in categorizing our Dangote as the most powerful man in Africa and should have categorized him as the richest and most socially responsible African,  given his public spirited philantrophy which  marks him out as a rare fish  in the murky waters of African politics and business; not to talk  of the corrupt cesspool in Nigeria from where somehow and some what, Dangote  has been successful to raise his head and those of  his many businesses above water  and  shine  globally like a million stars. I go  on to tell the publishers of Forbes Magazine that in Nigeria the most powerful man is the occupant of Aso Rock,  our presidential palace  and  it does not matter whether  he comes from Sokoto or Kano or from the creeks of the Niger Delta  or even Abeokuta or Minna  the two  towns  to have produced two former heads of state in this nation to date. The  incumbent at Aso Rock wields enormous power in Nigeria and that is what the 2015 elections is about to confirm and that does not mean the situation is right or wrong . It is plain reality  and political pragmatism which the highly influential Forbes magazine has ignored  to put  extravagant search light  instead  on a hard working Nigerian providing jobs and opportunites  for millions  of Nigerians regardless of their race, tribe or religion  by  assessing him on the wrong criterion of political power.

    Today  however  I comment on the first four most  powerful men in the world  and show why and how they deserve such honor, and my reservations, if any, on the categorization. I then sneak in some observations on the announcement by the President  Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya that he has opened a web site for Kenyans to  send information directly to him on corruption and corrupt officials in Kenya. Of course I  will  attempt a comparison with Nigeria in the light of Oduah gate  and the  Nigerian government’s approach  to the fight against corruption.

    On  the honor of being the most powerful man in the world,  let me first of  all congratulate the Russian president, especially for displacing the American president from the No1 slot. I say  this with all seriousness because no one has worked harder than the judo black belt Russian to hold on to power by all and any means and restore Soviet pride now ably replaced by Russian diplomatic power and now acknowledged globally by this Forbes Magazine recognition. In similar vein, no one  has been more assiduous than  the current US president and administration in ensuring that the US loses its premiere position or that of its president as the most powerful man in the world and the reasons are there to see even though they appear  lost in plain sight in Washington. To  me the Syrian  crisis and Obama’s handling of it after blowing hot and cold, torpedoed the US president from  the most powerful man in the world and ceded it to Russia, the nation that held the US by the balls and backed the butcher of Damascus to the hilt in spite of the use of chemical weapons which the US said several times it had evidence of its use, but could not muster  the will  topunish the culprit nation-Syria. Instead,  Russia under Putin put its feet down behind Syria and outsmarted US  foreign policy by floating a bait of  chemical weapons destruction which the US swallowed  blindly and forgot its pursuit of limited strike for the use of  chemical weapons on its own people by  the Assad Regime holed up in Damascus.

    The US diplomatic blunder in Syria has given a global boost  of recognition  to President Putin which can only magnify his hold on power and boost his popularity  at home, while making life more difficult for opposition Russian leaders who  have been encouraged to challenge Putin’s leadership in the last parliamentary and presidential elections  at US instigation and  offer to provide local support and international monitoring of violations of human rights by the Putin  regime. This categorization of Putin  as the most powerful man in the world makes his position in Russia unassailable as  this  has boosted the ego,  pride and patriotism of Russians that  now  has returned to its  pre eminent position as a rival to the US as in the Cold War  era  of the Soviet Union. Certainly  the US loss  of prestige in this Forbes categorization is Russia  and Putin’s gain indeed.

    With regard  to China’s President occupying the position of the third most powerful man in the world  I  see that as a very temporary situation indeed. In  a couple of years I see the Chinese leader occupying the No 1  slot as the most powerful  man in the world. I see him overtaking the US  president  who in a year’s time would have become a lame duck president and who right now is battling with even his allies to explain why the US National Security Authority has been bugging the leaders of friendly sovereign states –  especially Germany as revealed by the Snowden files being published at random by the European press. Again, as  if adding salt to injury the US

    Treasury Department in its latest report  this week queried the manner  and  direction of  economic growth of Germany based on exports and said that it is not good for EU growth which really was in bad taste at least in terms of timing.  On its own, in terms of global diplomacy China has been a consistent ally of Russia in foiling US attempts to act on Syria  and  is  also  the largest buyer of US treasuries. Given new Snowden files revelation that the US  asked Japan  to help it spy on China and Japan refused,  there is no limit to how low US prestige will plummet over the Snowden spy revelations especially with China. For  now China is busy making new friends with low interest infrastructure loans in Africa  especially Nigeria at a time when developing nations are shying away from IMF  loans and its never ending repayment arrangements and    socially destructive conditionalities. Yet  China  is a communist nation de facto and de jure,  with one million Communist Party of China card carrying members, lording it over a billion Chinese people. For now China holds five year party conferences to review party and government programs and changes its leaders once in 10 years  and that creates stability according to Chinese leaders. Which really is contentious but it depends on the type of democracy you want or hanker after  and its objectives and values.

    With regard to the fourth most powerful man in the world, Pope Francis, there is not much to say other than that he is certainly very different from his predecessor Pope Benedict xvi  the first Pope in 600  years  to abdicate. Benedict  XVI  fought cultural wars against gays and lesbians, abortion and insisted that the Catholic church must resist such’ fashions of the times‘ and remain  loyal  to its dogmas. But  the church  under him was plagued with the stigma of charges of child abuse  by priests and massive compensation  by the church  to avert embarrassing  trials. Pope  Francis has come in to highlight the plight of the poor and the care of prisoners like

    Francis of Assisi before him. In  addition Pope  Francis  seems to be asking for reprieve for gays and a need for married priests which may roughen some nerves in Africa  on cultural grounds. Yet  the Pope commands a lot of respect and love as his first act on being  made pope was to ask  the multitude to pray  for him. I have no doubt that he has the intellectual fibre to carry  the  millions  of the world’s Catholics with him but he certainly needs prayers  on gay rights and same sex marriage in Africa where the Catholic Church is growing fastest,  globally.

    Lastly  President Uhuru Kenyatta’s web site on corruption is a step in the right direction but Kenya should learn to respect cctv footage first to combat crime, terrorism  and corruption. This week two security operatives were  sacked  and jailed for looting during the West gate Mall nightmare in Nairobi. But  instead of Kenyan authorities acting swiftly on the clear cctv footage, they first asked the press  how it got the information and ominously  on  the use of unauthorized information. That certainly will deter people from visiting the Kenyan president’s web site to give information on corruption as no one wants to enter a  powerful security booby trap.

    It  is similar to the situation on our own Oduahgate when government‘s  first reaction was to find out  who  the whistle blower  was instead  of swooping  on the  NCAA  with security operatives. In the interim in spite of the daily revelations the Minister travelled to Israel to meet the president on pilgrimage and to sign an aviation treaty. Meanwhile  the National Assembly Committee on the matter was quarelling that the Minster had refused to meet it as requested for over 10  times which really is a grave charge if true. On  my part I

    think the Minister  should be given her day in the National Assembly when she returns from her Israeli  trip. Who  knows what spiritual transformation she could have undergone to make her explain  the reasons for the armored car purchases. Certainly if Saul  could be transformed on the way to Damascus a similar thing could happen to our besieged Minister as Israel is not far from Syria. The danger however is that modern Damascus  is under fire and going to Abuja may seem the same  to this Minister. Which  really, under the circumstances is a  great  pity indeed.

  • I started business with a chemist shop

    I started business with a chemist shop

    Sitting in his expansive and exquisitely furnished office at Maryland, Lagos, Chief Omo Aisagbonmi cut a picture of the CEO of a blue-chip company. Indeed, as the President/CEO of OMAIS Investments Group, Chief Aisagbonmi cut his teeth in the business world as an operator of a patent medicine store in Jos, Plateau State. Today, he sits atop a thriving real estate cum consultancy and property company.

    Recalling how he started out, he said: “I started as a patent medicine dealer in Jos. I was the first person to open a medicine shop at the Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies ( NIPSS), Kuru, Jos in 1984 or 1985.”

    With a step mother who was a midwife, and a store in front of their house in Jos, the lot usually fell on young Omo to look after the shop. He went on to master the trade, and soon made a decision to be a medicine seller himself.

    But as the saying goes, man proposes, God disposes. Life did not go the way he planned it. He was forced to face life rather too early than he expected as a result of break up between his parents. His mother actually left him by divorcing his father when he was just nine months old.

    He said: “At a point, my stepmother died and I had issues with my father and was forced to leave home. My mother left my dad when I was nine months old. So, I found myself starting life earlier than I thought. For instance, I rented my first house at age 14. Then the decision to go to school was deliberate, because my father’s children were in school and doing well and I didn’t want it to look like ‘oh, it was because he left home that he failed in life’. So, I got my West African School Certificate through the Institute of Continuing Education in Benin.”

    In 1989, eager to prove to the world that he could make a success of his life on his own, he sold his shop in Kuru, Jos for N9000 and travelled abroad, first to Spain and then to England. It was in England that he first stumbled on the idea of becoming a real estate developer.

    He said: “When I moved to England in 1991, I had to do all sorts of menial jobs to keep body and soul together. A Yoruba guy gave us an accommodation. He had allocation for a council flat, but he already had an accommodation, so he rented it out to us. Then we paid him rent, which he in turn paid to the Council. But at a time, the Council offered to sell to him, and he was moving to the US. So, he said we could buy, and I bought it. I refurbished it and sold it for a very big profit. So I said, yes, this is what I would like to do.”

    To him, doing business in Nigeria has not changed, but he would quickly acknowledge that the environment is getting tougher than ever. In his view, the bank crisis about five years ago hit the middle class more than anyone else.

    Since his return, he has moved straight into the real estate sector and has had the opportunity of being involved in the building of about 30 branches of a new generation bank, providing homes for the middle class in good neighbourhoods and providing malls and others.

    “Doing business in Nigeria hasn’t changed from how it was six or seven years ago. The only thing is that the environment has become tougher, because after the banks crisis of 2008/2009, it became obvious that you have to be tough to continue in a tough environment like Nigeria.

    “Here, 80 per cent of those in medium or small scale business depend on loans from the banks. But the banks had their loans recalled without prior notice in the heat of the crisis. But for us, we were lucky not to have bitten more than we could chew. I never traded on shares, and so when the crisis happened, we were relatively safe, except that the properties that we had bought plummeted in price value. But God helped us.

    “You know that when we say the economy is bad, it cannot be bad for everybody. But the middle class was the worst hit. So we had to devise a way to meet their needs too. We reengineered our products to suit and meet their demands, and in very good neighborhood. With time, we were soon fully back on stream. We built about 30 branches for a particular bank and also, the property we developed in Ikeja GRA, which was a single unit, we converted to multiple units, and a corporate client came and got it for its expatriate staff. God has been good.”

    For those who do not know, it is safer to get women involved when selling or leasing properties to people. Aisagbonhi said women are by far more conscious of their mortgage responsibility and hardly give headache.

    “Just make sure that the wife of the man is a signatory. She will be the one who will be pestering the man in the house for you. And, once the man begins to prove difficult, get in touch with the wife and she would be at your office the following day. Women are by far more conscious of their status as a house owner, and won’t want to forfeit it to court judgments. So they prevail on their husbands,” he said.

    He equally advised that the best way to get going in the business was to ensure that all modern facilities are provided in any property that one is offering for sale.

    “People buy comfort, security and class. Let your designs be exquisite, classy and full of aesthetic and beauty. Use the best of materials that will stand the test of any situation and which will last for you. Make it accessible and you will see people rushing it.”

    His latest offering is a popular mall along the strategic Obafemi Awolowo Way in Ikeja, Lagos. Aisagbonmi explained that the secret in the business is to be a step ahead of competitors by providing everything that will ensure the comfort of customers.

    “That is why at the planning stage, we simply put ourselves in the position of the customer and ask ourselves, what would you like to have in a mall such as this? So, we go for world class facilities, especially in the design, to make shopping and other business transactions a pleasant experience. There is serious consideration for security which is made tight and 24-hour surveillance through functional modern CCTV.

    “Besides, there is consideration for good health. So, every shop/space has its own conveniences, apart from the general conveniences on each floor, thereby eliminating all the possible risks associated with sharing such facilities.”

    There is no denying the fact that the chief is indeed a very busy man. His daily activities are usually dedicated to meetings and making sure that things work according to plans. However, he is also aware of the need to take little break away from his seemingly tight schedule.

    And whenever the need arises for him to relax, he goes straight for his favourite gospel music, an act he confessed helps to calm down his nerves. “I relax by listening to gospel music. The ones I enjoy most are those in my native Esan language. My favourite gospel act is Benita Okogie,” he explained.