Ade Adefeko is the Vice President and Head, Corporate and Government Relations at OLAM, and he was recently appointed Honorary Consul of Botswana in Nigeria. He speaks to Punch Newspaper about his career, agriculture and other issues
I would say it is the special grace of God because in anything one does, one has to put God first. I am not religious but I am a spiritual person. People often ask me if I have ever gone to a mosque or a church to pray either on a Friday or on a Sunday and my response has always been, “How does that affect my spirituality”?
I commune directly with my God and I don’t need an intermediary. Religion is a very sensitive subject and I don’t like people discussing it with me. Religion gets to people to a point that they begin to lose their cool unnecessarily. I have achieved a lot through the special grace of God and I have been blessed with a supportive wife, Oluwatosin, and adorable kids. It is very important to have a supportive wife. To a large extent, I have been successful in circumnavigating the murky waters of family and work.
Are you where you planned to be at this age or do you wish you have achieved more at 51?
To be fair to myself, I think I am not doing badly at this point in my life. I have had a chequered career and now I have been appointed as the Honorary Consulate of Botswana to Nigeria in Lagos State. For me, politics is out of it. I don’t want to be a Senator. Neither do I want to be in House of representatives or become a Governor. However, people say ‘never say never’. I would rather have a political appointment where I would serve for a period of time or at the pleasure of the president at any point in time.
How did your career start?
My professional career started in 1991, when I started working with Inner Rock, an oil service company. Also, I used to lecture at Alliance Francais because I am a graduate of Foreign Languages— French and Portuguese, to be precise.
In 1992, I started my banking career. I was in operations, credit, treasury and was the pioneer branch manager of Standard Trust Bank (now United Bank for Africa), which was the first new generation bank in Ilorin, Kwara State. I was in the banking industry till 2004. After that, I went into Information Communication Technology. I worked with DSTV as the Director of Communication and Public Affairs. I worked there for a while and moved to British American Tobacco, where I was the Area Head for Communication and Regulation for Benin Republic, Niger and Togo. From there, I moved to OLAM Nigeria and I have spent nine years with them. I am the Vice President, Corporate and Government Relations. I manage communication and government relations.
What are some of your notable achievements since you became the Vice President of the company?
As Vice President, I have made significant strides in making sure that OLAM has remained one of the largest agro-business companies in Nigeria. We export, make fast-moving consumer goods and do a lot of things. We acquired Dangote Flour in 2019 and we have been waxing strong since then. OLAM started in Nigeria in 1989 but originated from Singapore. OLAM is a Hebrew word which means ‘transcending boundaries’, and we have transcended boundaries in over 60 countries and we are still counting.
How well has the company fared in Nigeria, compared to other countries where it also operates?
OLAM is owned by Temasek Holdings and in Nigeria, we are very big even though the head office is in Singapore. We are in 24 African countries, and across the world, we are in over 60 countries. We have fared very well when it comes to food, biscuits and confectioneries. But we could do better with government regulations and consistency in policies but to a large extent, we have not done badly because Nigeria has been good to us and vice versa.
What is your assessment of Nigeria’s agriculture sector since it appears that we are a country that depends more on oil than agriculture?
Nigeria has been dependent on oil for a long time and we have been talking about diversification of the economy which has always been on paper. To be fair to the current administration, it has done a lot in terms of support for farmers and the agriculture sector. But, you cannot grow in leaps and bounds in a gap. We have been growing arithmetically rather than geometrically. But, with the signing of The African Continental Free Trade Area, I think there is a potential for Nigeria to do better. In my opinion, the country should maximise and harness the potentials it has, even though we have been talking about the potentials for close to 60 years. The potential can only be recognised if the government is consistent with policies over the long term rather than having policies based on electoral cycles.
Many Nigerian leaders have stressed the importance of prioritising agriculture over oil and gas. How would you rate the present government’s response to this sector compared to previous administrations?
The Goodluck Jonathan administration tried through his Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina, who is now President of the African Development Bank. Adesina did a lot in that area. But the current administration improved on that in the first term. They don’t want us to import anything but as a nation, there is no way we can stop that. We have to import some and export some, in order to strike a balance. For example, Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in Africa, yet we import starch, and I can cite many more examples. However, the country is not doing badly. We would never have a food crisis; we would only have a palate crisis. This means we have to change our taste. For people who like to eat foreign rice, they have to adapt and adjust to local rice. The only problem I see now is that the borders have been opened and smuggling has resumed. Smuggling undermines local production. In summary, the government is trying and I think they have done very well in the area of agriculture. Posterity however will judge the regime.
How as OLAM contributed to Nigeria’s development in its over 30 years of existence?
We are one of the largest non-oil exporters, after oil and gas. We are also one of the largest contributors to foreign exchange in Nigeria.
Diverse reactions trailed the Federal Government’s decision to close the border sometime ago though it has now been opened. What’s your thought on that?
You cannot close the borders forever but you have to man them properly. My problem is enforcement. Customs should enforce. Anybody that is caught bringing smuggled goods into the country should be dealt with appropriately. Thankfully, technology can make this easy with the use of drones and other tech tools. The government should just be innovative and stop being old fashioned because the borders are very vast.
You are also the Chairman Agri-Business Group Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture. How well have you fared in this capacity?
We are trying our best because we have 3000 members. These members are small scale farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs, and small and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural space. I would do anything I can to support them. As the Chairman of NACCIMA, I think I have not done badly. Posterity will judge me.
You were recently appointed as the Honorary Consul of Botswana to Nigeria. What does that entail?
I was appointed on December 24, 2020, by the government of Botswana and as Honorary Consul, I intend to promote bilateral trade between Nigeria and Botswana. That would be in the areas of agriculture, mining, education, ICT, tourism and aviation.
You are said to have travelled to nearly 50 countries in 50 years. Tell us more about this side of you.
I am what people call ‘Ajala the traveller’. Officially, I speak 10 languages like Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, French, Portuguese, German, Spanish, Swahili, Zulu and Ndebele. But I speak about 15 in total. The only language that is difficult for me now is Mandarin (Chinese) but as difficult as it is, I still understand a little of it. I like to travel because I believe that travelling is enlightenment. I have been to 50 out of the 195 countries in the world and I still want to visit more. I try to choose a new country to visit every time and I think I have not done badly in that area. I have visited 20 African countries, while the remaining 30 have been across the world. When I am in a country, I visit a lot of states in that country, because that may be the only opportunity I have to visit the place. I have actually been to more than 50 countries but I do not want to be hyperbolic or make people see me as funny, so I would stick to 50.
How do people react when you speak different languages?
Immediately I get to any country, I start to crack jokes with the indigenes. When I visit countries and speak their language to them, they just love me. I use their language to douse any tension at official functions. When I go to meetings in French countries, I just keep quiet and watch everyone. All of a sudden, I would start speaking French with them. If they were planning to be antagonist, they would give me a soft landing.
Where did your love for languages come from?
My father was a diplomat and we started travelling from the age of four. I lived in Chad at the age of four, so I picked up French. Afterwards, I picked up other languages like Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. I attended the Federal Government College Odogbolu, Ogun State, and that also broadened my horizon and vision about life. That is why I’m one of those people who believe Nigeria should not break up.
Why do you think the country should not break up?
Nigeria should not and will never break up because we have too much in common to stay together than the things that divide us. I speak Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. In Odogbolu, I had best friends from all these tribes. Why would I sit down and echo the thoughts or words of some selfish Nigerian elites? Most of my mentors are from other tribes. I do not want the country to disintegrate. I believe we should have true federalism that is fair and equitable.
Is that what spurred your decision to study Foreign Languages and do you still intend to learn more languages?
I wanted to increase the tempo of my knowledge for languages, and that was why I studied Foreign Language at the University of Port Harcourt.
You are well travelled, what’s your thought about Nigeria?
I like to live in Nigeria, because there is no place like home. I also wanted my kids to grow up in Nigeria. I do not want them to grow up like me in different countries. I was studying different systems of education to a point that if I was not careful or well-grounded, it would have affected my educational pattern. I am happy that my kids are schooling in Nigeria. My wife is also a professional and we are both doing the best that we can. I like to hop into countries and hop back into my country. All I need is a visa. I am not a government official, so I don’t have an official passport. But with the one I have, I have visas to every country I want to go to.
Do you have any plans to run for an elective office?
For now, I don’t want to run for any elective post but as the saying goes, ‘never say never’. Instead, I would like to be appointed. I don’t have the wherewithal to run for an elective office. It is an expensive venture.
How have you contributed to the development of Nigeria in your own way?
To a large extent, I have imparted a lot in my sphere of influence (agriculture). I am also an economist and a leader in my field, so I try to influence policies from my sphere of influence. I cannot solve Nigeria’s problems. People discuss some problems of the country with me but I tell them that I don’t play in the political space, so you cannot tell be to solve Nigeria’s problem from a political perceptive. I don’t do politics. I do trade, commerce, industry, agriculture and what I am already doing through the industry of commerce. For me, I will promote anything to make sure that the wellbeing of Nigerians is at the forefront.
What are your fears about the effect of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nigeria’s economy?
I came back from South Africa recently and the strain affecting them is a very serious one. I actually cut short my trip because of that. I asked myself what I was doing in a country where nobody had a solution. Luckily for me, I have done six COVID-19 tests and all have been negative. It is not by power. I have just tried to be careful. I am on a leash right now and I wish the leash can be released so that I can travel.
For Nigeria, I wish we could test more. We have the money. All the money that is being used for things that are not important should be used to take charge of this critical period. Also, the government should have a deliberate policy as regards the vaccine. The question is where are we getting our vaccine from? India and Nigeria have large economies and the two countries should have a discussion. However, Nigeria is not even showing a clear or coherent direction as to how they even want to get the vaccines. Meanwhile, there is a presidential taskforce giving updates every day. In my opinion, there is so much dissonance and that should be nipped in the bud, otherwise COVID-19 would be with us for a long time. The government must be serious about it.
What are some of the most memorable moments you have had?
There are many memorable moments but I will reveal two. One is when I got married to my wife. That was because I did not think I was going to ever get married. The second was when I clocked 50 years old. Turning 50 was focal for me because everyone was talking about it. I used to look at 50-year-olds as old men but when I clocked 50, I looked at myself and realised it was just another day in another year. I was born on November 14, and my birth mate is Dimeji Bankole, who served as the 9th Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria. We were born on the same day. I know him personally and I’m proud to call him my friend.
Why did you think you would never get married?
I just did not think so. I got married at the age of 34.
What are some of the lessons you have learnt in your journey of life?
Some of the lessons I have leant so far is that one should not despise anyone and one should be contented. I also learnt to live and let live, which is one of my mantras. Another is, ‘for God, family and country’. If one does not put family, then it would not be complete. People always say for ‘God and country’ but that is not mine. I take life very easy.
Would you say your upbringing made life easy for you?
My upbringing helped me a lot. But I would say that I lived in a regular civil service family. I was travelling at a young age only because my father was a diplomat. We were an average family. I was not born with a silver spoon, neither was I born with a wooden spoon. I was just born with a spoon but I cannot tell the colour of the spoon. That is because the colour of the spoon varied from time to time, depending on the circumstance. But, I can say that we were not hungry. We were just an average middle-income family. We were not too well off, neither were we too downtrodden.
What are your fondest childhood memories?
That’s a nice question to answer because my childhood memories are many. I went to many countries and encountered different cultures, experiences, lifestyles and also made different friends. I have friends from across the world. That is why some people call me the ‘consummate commercial diplomat’. The truth is that I’m a go-getter— an ebullient person. I hardly get angry, so some people ask me why? Most of my photos show me smiling. That is because what one cannot change, one must endure. It is the grace of God that we are all enjoying. So, when it is good for you, don’t call your friend a lazy man.
What are some of the lessons that marriage has taught you?
Marriage has taught me to be patient and see my wife as my confidant and companion, not an adversary. Some people see their wives as adversaries when they are quarrelling or having issues. (In marriage), both of you are strange bedfellows who got together for conjugal bliss. But conjugal bliss is not all the time. There are up and downs periods in marriage. One’s ability to sort things out is what stands one out as a man, or a woman as well. What women should also learn is patience. Also, couples should not let third parties come between them. I have been married for 17 years, so I have learnt patience and perseverance.
Who are your favourite artistes?
I love contemporary music. For foreign music, I like American singer, Anita Baker; and Spanish singer, Julio Iglesias. I also like Nigerian artistes because I love to dance. In fact, I can dance very well, if I must say so.
What sports do you do?
I like to play table tennis and swim.
How do you spend family time?
I’m a traveller but there must be family time. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I did not get to spend time with them too often but now, we go out together for leisure.
