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Tag: professional

  • 11 ways to become an enviable professional

    11 ways to become an enviable professional

    In a biography titled, Uwem Phenomenon, Sunday Obanubi, a human relations expert writes on Uwem Akai Martin’s life as a thorough-bred professional some of her core values worth emulating by those who wants to be professionals themselves.

    1. Be excellent service-conscious:

    In whatever industry you find yourself, you are responsible for your customers. Hence, aim and strive to provide the best service to them because excellent service does so much good for any brand. It is cheaper, as opposed to compensation for bad service, will always bring back your customers and create a snowball effect.

    2.  Excellent service is under-promising and over-delivering:

    It does no good to make promises that you cannot deliver. Instead, be sincere and let your customer understand what it would take to achieve their request. Most times, the customer appreciates your sincerity and gets to agree with you.

    1. Seek to understand before you are understood:

    Excellent service entails understanding when your customer is wrong but allowing him to air his view before proposing a solution and clarification to the matter. Trying to help a customer before understanding him would be difficult and lead to arguments. To proffer a solution, ensure you understand your customer FIRST.

    1. You owe your customers availability:

    The world has gone beyond the 8am-5pm syndrome and the time differences have been eliminated. Thanks to technology, the world of business operates 24hours, 7 days a week. With the presence of social media and the likes, you must be able to meet the demands of customers wherever and whenever. Customers enjoy having you at their disposal whenever they need you.

    1. Excellent service is empathy:

    A lot of service providers cannot help their customers because they don’t care. Empathy is first understanding the customer, then putting yourself in their shoes and showing you care. You must show sincere empathy to your customers and make it a responsibility to solve all of their complaints professionally and amicably.

    1. You owe your customers timely delivery:

    If your customers know you would get their complaints resolved in the shortest possible time, it increases their loyalty to your brand.

    1. Own your job:

    To succeed at any job, you must see yourself as the business owner, not the worker. Put in all your effort and be diligent without particularly waiting to be praised or acknowledged. One day, you may be in a position to employ other people to run your business and what you do as an employee would be done to you as an employer.

    1. Know a little of everything:

    You must seek to learn new things at every opportunity you have. Trying out new things will make you achieve more. Even when the opportunity of job rotation does not come, associate with people in other departments to find out, learn and understand what they do.

    1. Dignity of labour:

    Understand that no one is superior or inferior to the other person. Without the tea girl, you would either serve yourself with tea every morning or do without it. Without the cleaner, you would clean the rest room, lobby or your work yourself every day. The dignity of your job is determined by the value you place on people.

    1. Place people above infrastructure:

    Some organizations would place technology, equipments, buildings and other things above their people. An organization’s success is in people. Without them, the infrastructure cannot bring the money needed. You must take care of your people to achieve results. Let them know that you (the organization) believe in them so that they would believe you.

    1. Be a multiplier:

    At whatever level you are in an organization, you must seek to add value to the people you work with. As a professional, it is your responsibility to help your team members get better.

     

     

  • ‘Nigeria has only 3,500 insurance professionals’

    Nigeria has only 3,500 insurance professionals out of a population of over 160 million, the new President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria Mr Fatai Lawal has said.

    Describing the figure has poor, Lawal said the only way the industry can get insurance to penetrate every nook and cranny of the country is to get more people involved as crusaders and vanguards.

    Lawal, who made known his agenda in Lagos spoke on Promoting insurance education in Nigeria.

    He said the industry can only create the necessary awareness when people are educated on the subject.

    According to him, the less than optimal financial literacy in Nigeria is at the cause of poor patronage of financial services, adding that insurance is one of the most affected in the sector.

    On his agenda, he said: “During my tenure, we shall focus attention on the empowerment of selected institutions offering insurance programmes to enhance their capacity to offer quality education and reinforcement of activities at the College of Insurance and Financial Management.

    Others, he said, include: “Strengthening the professional qualification of the institute for global relevance, completion of the restructuring of the institute’s secretariat to enhance its service delivery, greater attention to funding and prudent management of the institute’s resources, resolution of the Victoria Island Building Project and promotion of the Insurance Industry Consultative Forum.

    He explained that there would be efforts at expanding the capacity of institutions offering insurance.

    “These institutions will be accredited by the CIIN based on their capacity to deliver quality insurance education. The institute will support these institutions in books, infrastructure, scholarship, and exposure to international seminars to ensure access to latest information about insurance.

    “Luckily, in recent time, the Federal Government has approved insurance as a subject in secondary schools. The institute will provide the necessary support for the Ministry of Education to actualise the scheme one of which will be in the area of production of text books for this course and provision of training facilities for insurance teachers.

    Lawal stressed that the professional examination of the institute is the hallmark of its activities.

    He further said the institute has conducted the examination over the years, producing associates and fellows that are unquestionable in skills and character.

    He noted that the institute needs to move a step further by ensuring that its associates could trade their certificates for the well-known Associateship Diploma of the Chartered Insurance Institute of London, even if it means just writing one paper, adding the on-going discussions with the CII London would be pursued to a logical end.

    “It would interest you to know that CIIN is the only professional body conducting insurance examinations in the whole of Africa except South Africa. We should be a centre that others can log on to. Because we had always thought that our certificate is needed only in Nigeria, we have not been able to explore this viable option and a gaping opportunity to expand our horizon.

    “The point also needs to be made that because of globalisation, the institute should be able to give its qualifiers the freedom to move around anywhere in the world and, I think this is good for every professional with his or her bidding.

  • Kissing Femi Jacobs was strictly professional —Linda Ejiofor

    Kissing Femi Jacobs was strictly professional —Linda Ejiofor

    Up and coming actress Linda Ejiofor is not new on TV. Famed for her role in popular TV soap Tinsel, Bimpe, as she’s fondly called by her fans, is new Nollywood sweetheart. The actress who landed her first movie role recently in a movie called The Meeting has been enjoying attention from all quarters. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, Linda speaks about her foray into the world of make believe, her role in the long-running soap opera, Tinsel. She also talks about her experience on her first movie set:

     

    BEFORE Tinsel, what were you doing?

    I was fresh out of school so I went into modelling part-time. While I was doing that, my friend told me about the audition for Tinsel. I didn’t want to do it at first because my dream was to come out of school, work in an advertising agency, behind the desk, 9 to 5 but my friend encouraged me to go for this because she said it’s good money and it’s Mnet. Being the kind of person I am, though just out of school, I was greatly independent. I decided to go to the audition so that at least I won’t have to ask my parents for money. I went for the audition and I guess I impressed them. That was how I landed the role Bimpe on Tinsel.

    Why were you skeptical about going for the role?

    I was skeptical because I had done three months in University of Ibadan studying Theatre Art. My elder brother was the one who bought me the form for Theatre Art. My dad asked me to come out because no daughter of his’ will become an actress. He was strongly against it. I kept begging him because I was already enjoying it within three months but he insisted I stopped and I came out of UI. Sometime after that, my friend told me about acting. By then I was past eighteen. I felt I was old enough to make a decision and just tell my parents. If they think it’s right then, fine. I first went to my mother. She was fully behind me or I was behind her (laughs). She went to meet my dad and spoke to him that he should let me do it. At first she didn’t want it herself but I convinced her, that acting was something I loved to do. She spoke to my dad who then looked at Pete Edoche, Olu Jacobs, RMD, Joke Silva, Rita Dominic, and all the good people and acting good roles. That was when he allowed me go for it. Today, my father is very proud of me. He points at me, saying ‘that’s my daughter. She’s Bimpe on Tinsel. She’s in another movie called The Meeting.’

    When I first saw you in Tinsel, my first impression was that who is this girl with a ‘sharp mouth’? Is your mouth that ‘sharp’ in reality?

    Yes, but in a way, the writers made me this. I’ve been stuck. I was shy but the writers made me like the character. I’ve been shooting that character for four years so it has to be me. I have to be like her. I don’t even rehearse. If I read a script now, I just know how she’s going to say it. I know how she’s going to act it and how funny it’s going to look or sound. So I just go and do it. When I’m with my friends and I talk, they always get surprised.

    Don’t you scare the guys away with your ‘sharp mouth’?

    No, I don’t drive guys away with my mouth. Don’t you think guys like girls who talk? I don’t know any guy who likes a girl who just keeps quite and doesn’t talk. So, please, let me talk.

    It is said that you are the longest running cast member on Tinsel. Tell us about the experience.

    Playing Bimpe role has been a blessing because I walk on the street and people scream when they see me. I didn’t use to have that reaction. I smile and wave. Even if I’m in a bad mood, I have to wave. They are my fans. They are the ones putting me here now. It has been a blessing. I get called up for other jobs because of the character and because of how I’ve played it. That was how I got called for The Meeting.

    Could you tell us about the other jobs the Bimpe character has fetched you?

    I did a short film. I am in the movie Heroes and Zeros which was recently premiered. I am also in The Meeting. My first major movie is The Meeting.

    What is the difference between you and Bimpe?

    We have one major difference; I’m not a dumb blonde. I’m not stupid. Bimpe is clueless.

    Don’t you sometimes get bored acting the same character for four years?

    I’m still loving Bimpe, so there is no sign of boredom at all, not even the slightest inch of it. If the next script comes out and it’s a Bimpe character, I will jump at it. I love that girl. There is no time for boredom. Even for other characters there is no time for boredom.

    Does your contract prevent you from doing other soaps?

    Yes. I can’t do soaps but I can do movies. I’m allowed to do movies.

    It must be very financially rewarding then

    It’s okay. I’m not complaining.

    Being on the set of Tinsel for four years, have you taken a liking to a particular person?

    I like everybody, they are all my friends. We are like one big family. Everybody likes everybody. I can’t point out who I like more. We are all friends. We go out together, we hang out together. We watch movies together.

    When I visited the set, I noticed your closeness with Chris Attoh…

    Chris is my friend. He’s in a serious relationship, so know that I don’t take a special liking to him.

    What was the experience like on your first movie set, The Meeting?

    With movie it was a different experience all together. Soap is multi-camp while movie is one camp. Apart from the fact that on Tinsel, I’ve been playing this character for about four years, movie set is something I’m getting to know, so I have to go everyday for rehearsals, get to know the character, talk about it with director, Mildred Okwo. She’s an intense director who wants the best. She would sit us down and ask the characters to relate. You have to love your character if Mildred Okwo is preaching it to you. She will ask you if you love your character. And when you tell her, she will ask if there is anything you want to add to your character.

    Before The Meeting, you probably had your perception about Nollywood. Has it changed in anyway?

    I had the perception that Nollywood movies were not really doing well but when Mildred called me, I read the script and saw that it has a fantastic storyline with A-list actors on the movie. With what she went through to make this movie a success, my perception has changed. I think Nollywood is going somewhere. They are going far.

    What did you see in the script that makes the storyline fantastic?

    It touches several aspects of the Nigeria life from political, economic, artistic, love and others. What I love more is the political aspect. It is something every Nigerian can relate with. I could actually put my money on it because it will be a blockbuster.

    Could it be that playing the supporting lead is the catch for you?

    Trust me, playing supporting lead wasn’t the catch. What caught me at first was that I had to work with Mildred because she’s a producer to reckon with. Also

    I had to work with Rita Dominic, Nse Ikpe-Etim and Femi Jacobs. I’ve worked with him on Tinsel before, so I know how he acts. I had to work with Kate Henshaw. The second thing which caught me was the storyline. I wouldn’t say yes to any job if the story wasn’t fascinating. That was what caught me. I played Ejira, a girl in her 20s who lives in Abuja. She’s chic, mischievous, down-to-earth, and smart. She can also be unpredictable, opinionated and not afraid to say her mind.

    Was it challenging for you to interpret?

    I didn’t really have any challenge interpreting the role because the director, Mildred made it easy for us. If she had any problem with the way you interpret a particular scene she just tells you. I didn’t have to fidget because she tells me to relax and enjoy the scene. Maybe I would have had challenges interpreting the role but with the likes of Mildred, Rita, Nse and Kate my fears were completely gone. The entire cast made me comfortable. That’s where I learnt the true meaning of that the maxim, never judge a book by its cover. It’s so true because they are all nice people. I was comfortable with them. They helped me with researching about my character.

    With a lot of up and coming actresses out there, why do you think you were picked?

    I think they saw what they think Ejira had in me, the down-to-earth, mischievous part of me. They looked at me and said that’s our Ejira. That was how I landed the role.

    For an up and coming actress, one will say you’ve started off on a very good foot. So what will inform your decision to pick up a script?

    If the script doesn’t stereotype me as Bimpe, I will pick it. I don’t want to play a Bimpe. I want something challenging. I would pick a script if the story is good.

    So right now, what is your dream role?

    I’ve always wanted to try a role that has to do with multi-personality disorder. Acting two three people at the same time is not easy but it’s something I would love to play because I think being good is overrated. Too many people are playing good roles. So let me do something else.

    So, what was it like kissing Femi in The Meeting?

    Femi na my paddy now. No be lips-to-lips? I kissed him and there was nothing to it. We are friends. We were friends before The Meeting. We were cool and comfortable with it.

    Does that mean there was no chemistry?

    There was. There had to be chemistry for us to be cast together. We are both professionals so it didn’t go beyond that. He’s my friend and I’m his friend.

    Apart from acting, what are your other interests?

    I model part-time.

    What did you study in school?

    Sociology

    How has it helped you with your acting career?

    If I can’t study a person’s character, how would I be able to act the person? I have to sit down, study someone before I can interpret them. Sociology actually helps me because it’s the study of man and his environment, how the society affects the man and the man affect the society.

    Presently you are enjoying the attention of featuring in a Nollywood movie. As you know it does come with its own pain as time goes by…

    When I get to that bridge I will cross it, but by the grace of God I won’t get any scandals.

    What other things are in the pipeline for you in terms of movies?

    There are some scripts I have right now but I can’t talk about them yet because I don’t know if I would get the role. I have to go for a reading first, but the scripts are there.

  • ‘You don’t have to be a professional to do any business’

    ‘You don’t have to be a professional to do any business’

    Fidelis Ayebae is Managing Director of Fidson Health Care. The professional banker and native of Agenebode in Edo state  discusses the challenges of growing of Fidson, one of Nigeria’s leading pharmaceutical companies, in this interview with Bukola Afolabi. He also proffers solutions to some of the problems in the industry.

    How did it begin for you?
    Fidson started 17years ago when I wanted to do something that would  add value to the society. Somebody introduced pharmaceutical products to me, I did my investigation and it turned out to be right.
    You were coming from the banking sector. How easy was it for you to have crossed to pharmaceutical sector?
    From the days of my youth, I had always wanted to be an entrepreneur because where I grew up at Lawanson, there were very few businessmen. In fact, there were just three of them and all of them owned television. As a young man, the question I was asking myself was what differentiated these three gentlemen   form the rest including my father who was a tenant. I discovered that they were entrepreneurs. Right then, I decided that if that is what it takes to own a television, a car, a house of my own, that is what I am going to do.  I made the decision as a young man; it was not as if I had any real idea. I dreamt it then and it came to pass.
    How did you come about the name Fidson?
     Fidson is from my name. It means Fidelis, Daughters and Sons.
    When did the breakthrough come?
     In 1991, I made that leap of fate because I knew I was ready. If you had read some of my stories before, then you would find one of the most traumatic times that it is perpetually starring at me in the face anytime I reminiscence about my growing up. When my father retired from work then at the Nigerian Wire and Steel company, he came back home and we saw a package with him. We were wondering what he put in the package. I thought he was to be happy that he was retiring but he was sad. When we opened the package, it was a wall clock. He said that was all he got for working for over 30 years.
     Even the entitlement he should have got had been used to offset his loan. The old man was extremely sad. That singular picture remained vividly in my mind and I said to myself I will never put myself in this kind of situation. When the time came to live my dreams, that picture came back. God has a way of arranging things. There is a time and season for everything. When that season came, God reminded me about some of those things.  At that time then, I was about 32 years old. I took the risk because I did not have many things to lose. It is either I succeed or fail. To God be the glory, I succeeded.
    You are not a pharmacist. How did you bring professionals together to run the company?
    A: Anything that is worth doing is worth doing well. You don’t have to be a professional to do any business. What you need is the spirit of entrepreneurship. Once you make up your mind on a business to do, you then carry out what is needed to be successful. When I was going to go into pharmaceuticals, the first thing I asked myself is how do I lay a foundation for this edifice. Some of the things I learned I needed to do were to incorporate a company. In doing that, I needed to have clear feasibility study, to know that what I want to do is affordable and have the skills to manage it. The other was finding right partners I would run the business with, those who will take care of the technical aspect while I take care of the administrative aspect. Two of my first three staff were pharmacists. That made the difference.
    Specifically, on the health sector, when you look at India, there is way that ensures that drugs produce in India are used in Indian hospitals. Don’t you think that government should specifically instruct our hospitals to use drugs produced locally?
    I have been an advocate of if Nigeria must survive as a nation; we must first develop the spirit of patriotism. Our country is being rigged. It is only this country that our money is being used to procure drugs for the use of Nigerians. Rather than buying from Nigeria companies, we buy from Indians and Chinese. Everywhere else, in the world, under procure regulation, there is a rule that says certain percentage must be purchased from local manufacturers. For pharmaceutical industries, if you go to some of our teaching hospitals, Federal Medical centers, General hospitals, even for essential drugs what you find are imported drugs. Shouldn’t there be a law that says for essential drugs, only local manufacturers should supply them? During the Pre-colonial times, we were rigged by our colonial masters. Post colonial era, we are still being rigged by these people. Every country in the world is looking for countries to export their products to so that they can earn foreign currencies. We can’t even sell locally, so how do we export. If we can’t export, shouldn’t we patronize locally so that we can sustain our industries. A country that does not produce anything can’t survive.
     Pharmaceutical companies have an association, what is the association doing to call the attention of the authority to this anomaly?
    That association presented facts and figures asking for duties concession. We did input how to patronize local manufacturers.  Nobody attended to it. They would rather do what they want to do for selfish interest. Several times, we have engaged government on things that will help the industry. The DG with Mrs. Evelyn Oputa of BOI has been discussing the N200billion pharmaceutical funds for the past 2years, but it hasn’t seen the light of the day. I get a minimum of 500 applications a week but I can’t employ one person. We say the economy is growing but not the pharmaceutical sector. Other sectors are growing
    How have you been surviving?
    When you have something to do, in the face of challenges you must find a way of surviving. I am running this company on behalf of the people. So I must come out with ways that will make the company survive. I bought my first house at the age of 23 for N3, 500 and bought my first car at the age of 20. I got married at the age of 23 but today things are different. If a vibrant youth finds nothing to do, nature will create jobs for them in crime and that is what is happening. There are fundamental things that are happening with the society, which must first be addressed. If there is no political will from government to back business, there will not be industries in 20 or 30 years time.
    What is your share of the Nigerian market?
    It is difficult to say because Nigeria is a country without statistics. If you are talking of turnovers, we can see that. Among the quoted companies, we are number two in terms of pharmaceuticals. In terms of market share, we are number one in so many products.
     Fidson has been known to be neck deep in social responsibility. Given the scenario that you have painted, how has the economic instability affected the social responsibility of the company?
    We can only do a token we are doing now, but we can’t afford to stop doing it because it serves as palliatives for a frustrated society. We will keep doing our best to use resources available to us, to help society. I count myself as one of the privileged in the society and unless we give back, we are not living according to the dictate of our religions.
    Where do you see Fidson in the next 5years?
    Fidson will continue to be at the top of the pharmaceutical industry. It will have a WHO certified factory and have qualified products that are exportable.
    How do you relax?
    In the morning I exercise in one way or the other, I find ways to relax.
    Your wife?
     She is Olufunke Ayeabe. She is a director in the company. We started this place together though she is also doing her business.