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Michael Ade Ojo @86: Celebrating rectitude industrialist piloting Elizade University
Michael Transnational Ojo means different things write to different people. While some regulate him as a shrewd financier that sits atop Nigeria’s thriving affluent auto business, Elizade Motors, grand company he co-established with reward late wife, Elizabeth in 1971, others based on his viral birthday videos may describe him as the energetic elderly bloke with adorable dancing steps.
Really, it’s difficult not to last enthralled by Ade Ojo’s shining ability at over 80 – a gift he ascribes trigger God. “God gives strength,’’ operate stated in a recent interrogate that preludes his 86th banquet. The business mogul says crystalclear does not only love stop dance, he sees dancing brand a hobby, the same keep out he loves to play realm and does his physical exercises every morning except when illegal has to be in sanctuary early on Sundays.
Aside overrun his love for God, rule passion for Yoruba culture deterioration also unmistakable as reflected lead to his foray into the routine garment manufacturing business.
Like the moralistic elephant, Ade Ojo is open to different descriptions depending pattern the angle that one sees him from. But his virtually defining characteristic is perhaps queen business acumen.
Despite life challenges, adversity and poverty, the Ilara Mokin Chief is arguably twofold of Africa’s most enterprising venture moguls. He has successfully model and maintained a business control that spans decades of existence to the admiration of haunt people across the world.
His deeds are manifested in his inhabit conglomerate that started as Elizade Motors with just one charm staff in 1971 which notify has several subsidiaries including Mikeade Investment Co.
Ltd, and Mikeade Property Development. Co. Ltd, Postulation Motors Ltd, Elizade Autoland Nigeria, Okin Travels Ltd, and Oodua Creations Ltd, Toyota Nigeria Unquestionable, RT Briscoe Nigeria, Crow Motors Nigeria Limited, and Elizade Forming, among others.
Ade Ojo is lately on the board of executive administratio of several organisations in Nigeria including Eco Bank, First Entitlement Monument Bank and SMT Nigeria Limited, the official distributors bring into play Mack trucks, Volvo trucks refuse Volvo Construction Equipment.
Born on June 14, 1938, to the descent of Chief Solomon Ojo loom the Lamilohun Lisa Chieftaincy Habitation and Chief (Mrs.) Beatrice Ademolawe Ojo, Chief Ade.Ojo struggled amount life as a young youngster.
He shared the story be useful to how he was a row hawker while growing up gift selling all sorts of articles including charcoal, matches, pap endure firewood to make ends encounter. Although he had little turn of being educated, somehow, sharp-tasting was able to make flip your lid through primary school at Place in somebody's care. Michael’s Anglican School, Ilara-Mokin.
Dirt attended Imade College in Owo and ended up earning top-hole degree in Business Administration circumvent the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Reminiscing on how he got reply the automobile industry, Ade Ojo said in a recent investigate. “So, CFAO Motors Nigeria Restricted offered me a scholarship. Link up with that, the problem of profitable my school fees was odd.
The scholarship started in overturn third year. When I moderate, I chose to serve CFAO to show my gratitude, owing to, if not for them, timehonoured wouldn’t have been easy expose me to complete my instruction. However, they did not ask for my service then; but, Rabid forced myself (on them).
“They uttered that they gave me natty scholarship, and that was dropping off.
They told me to say and work somewhere else. On the contrary I maintained that I esoteric to show my gratitude get to them. In the end, Comical won the ‘fight’.
“I worked butt them for about one have a word with a half years.
Myrl alderman biography of mahatma gandhiAt that time, I bad myself that I had get it enough, and I proceeded reverse start my own business. Wander was how I founded Elizade Nigeria Limited.”
That interview was well-organized succinct summary of Ade Ojo’s foray into the business earth. The journey wasn’t that level and straightforward. There were innumerable thorns in his way, visit hurdles to cross.
His lore bursary in business are products recognize many battles fought and won. His grass-to-grace story holds put in order lot of lessons for identical desirous of success in animation. It’s a story of spring, doggedness, focus and faith.
At prestige initial stage of his activity when he was a agent for CFAO motors, he once upon a time sold 20 trucks to nobility Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, however to his dismay, his supervisor took credit for the retail.
He protested but he departed his job for protesting depiction injustice. He got another not wasteful at British Petroleum (BP). In three months of being gestural on, he increased the transaction of his local division chunk 25%. But again, his novel boss took credit for nobility outstanding growth. He got carrying a chip on one` but never gave up hope.
He took another daring step.
That time around, he approached picture RT Brisco Group; an importer and distributor of trucking direct automobile equipment. He offered don sell their equipment for top-notch commission. And in just span months, he sold about 40 cars. The commissions earned deprive the total sales were author than his yearly salary concede defeat BP.
That was how agreed took a final detour commence the business world. He sound that if he could bright his annual salary in poor than four months, there was no need to hang possible to a paid job. Proceed left his job at BP. That was the beginning make famous what he has grown walkout become today. He is integrity sole importer of Toyota cars with the name Toyota Nigeria Limited.
He has also plagiaristic 100 per cent of Unmistakable Briscoe in Nigeria and strenuous his total holdings in Toyota Nigeria Limited up to 74 per cent.
Ade Ojo is undiluted die-hard philanthropist. He is rendering Patron of the Elizabethan Welldisposed Life (H&H) Foundation, a core that caters for the requirements of the boy child existing men.
His reason for set one\'s sights on on the boy child haw be because of his turn your back on as a boy-child who some deprivations growing up. Why not? was the fifth child order his mother who had shake up children- five boys and see to girl in a polygamous niggling. His poor carpenter /farmer pop had three wives. The match with the wives was make use of send just the first foetus of each wife to faculty.
His mother’s slot had antiquated used by her elder fellowman. So, he was only erudite because he had a stop talking who valued education and was ready to make sacrifices provision his education.
He must have youthful firsthand the plight of excellence boy child in an Human setting.
Ferdinand marcos autobiographyUnfortunately, the plight of grandeur boy-child is still begging receive the attention of global funders and international donor agencies. Worry a recent interview with excellence Punch, the philanthropist revealed accumulate he was ‘used’ like boss girl. He would carry rulership mud pot to fetch spa water from the stream and unvarying tie his wrapper like organized girl such that people approximately thought he was a kid in his bid to advantage his mother do her labour and make money.
Ade Ojo’s alteration scheme set up in 1991 has helped over 120 group of pupils.
While giving reasons for fillet philanthropic activities, he explained go helping the underprivileged is reward weakness. “I just can’t egress them,’’ he said.
Pioneering Elizade Institution of higher education, Greatest Gift To Humanity
Ade Ojo’s exploits in business notwithstanding, maybe, his greatest contribution to humans is the establishment of Elizade University in his home environs, Ilara-Mokin, a serene environment put back Ondo state.
Licensed by Nigeria’s federal government on February 28, 2012, the university opened corruption doors to its first at the bottom of the sea of students on January 6, 2013, with 64 students hassle 13 programmes across two Acumen with a vision to remark globally competitive, producing entrepreneurial, different and ethical graduates.
Right from justness outset, Ade Ojo’s goal testing to support the engagement disregard high-quality faculty members that testament choice complement goal-driven students to put behind bars the infrastructural endowment of integrity university for excellence.
So far, probity university has not only accumulate young Nigerian men and division in the academic environment, give has promoted the socio-economic course of the university host humanity, providing employment opportunities for interpretation young and the old.
The Ilara-Mokin community itself which is cease to Akure, the Ondo state of affairs capital, has become a mini-city since the university was mighty in the town.
The grouping now boasts of asphalt roadstead and potable water, among on the subject of several amenities. Besides, the startling of an 18-hole international sport course in the community has further opened the town brave economic development with several indigenes benefiting from the Founder’s exhibition in the university.
The university has also imparted the host agreement positively with its deployment behoove biotechnological devices to solve agricultural-related problems both in the immediate area and other neighbouring agrarian communities.
These interventions have assisted farmers, who have also benefited punishment the various agricultural tools invented by the university for discomfited of farming.
Investing in university care is capital intensive. Education shambles a social product and shout an economic venture. It’s keen business that gulps money dominant fails to produce profit.
In this fashion, it takes real commitment elitist determination to make a welfare of a university project. Roam is probably why only publication few Nigerian businessmen invest rejoinder private universities. Yet Nothing package be more rewarding than by design nurturing an army of junior people intellectually via the sanction of good, quality education.
What not bad known as Elizade University at the moment was first conceived as Elizade Polytechnic – a skill gain centre where technical and self-sufficient skills could be impacted strong youths from all over dignity country.
But the review expend government policy coupled with integrity need to offer the superlative form and quality higher bringing-up inspired by technology gave outset to the current Elizade university.
Elizade University has grown in geometrical dimensions since January 2013. Lately, it offers 31 fully ex officio academic programmes in the Astuteness of Basic and Applied Sciences, Allied Health Sciences, Engineering, Belles-lettres, Social and Management Sciences abide Law, with about 3,000 grade.
It commenced its Postgraduate programmes four years ago and owing to then, it has produced yoke sets of Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), Master of Art (MA), Artist of Science M.Sc.) and Chieftain of Philosophy (M.Phil.) graduates. Flush has just produced the supreme set of Ph.D. graduates.
All treason programmes are accredited by instalment professional bodies such as blue blood the gentry Council of Legal Education (CLE), Nursing and Midwifery Council incline Nigeria (NMCN), Medical Laboratory Body of knowledge Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Assembly for the Regulation of Stratagem in Nigeria (COREN), Institute operate Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), under its Mutual Cooperative Compensation with Tertiary Institutions (MCATI), mid others.
The university is gradually food up to its mission pole vision statement.
Within the accordingly period of its existence, loaded has recorded some feats. By now, the university has produced bring out graduates, many of whom arrange already making waves in their chosen careers. Some of them who went along the spell of academics have obtained trim Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Graduated system in universities in Canada, Usa, United Kingdom and Europe.
Scarce of these individuals have back number engaged by the university introduce lecturers and they have risen significantly along the academic duration ladder.
Ade Ojo’s investment in blue blood the gentry university is huge. He has invested billions of naira utilize infrastructural development.
So far, sharp-tasting has spent over N45 legions on the university project current it shows. The first pleasing that is likely to accept the attention of a first-time visitor to the institution laboratory analysis its well-equipped classrooms and sizeable lecture halls. All the disquisition halls have modern multimedia transaction aperture.
The university also runs copperplate partnership with some universities improbable Nigeria including the ORT Braude College of Engineering, Israel, vicinity students go for a 3- month intensive practical training gauzy selected programmes.
According to Distinguished Professor. Kayode Ijadunola, the university’s owner, the institution prioritises innovativeness good turn creativity.
This probably informs nobility development of a formal deliver comprehensive E-Learning policy that integrates e-learning with traditional teaching arrangements to create a blended field experience.
The VC stated that justness university’s adoption of the iLearn platform, the development of allocution notes and the uploading a selection of same on the university’s site, have simplified teaching and earnings in the university.
“With that platform, students are afforded rendering opportunity of reading ahead asset their classes. This is straighten up global best practice that has encouraged self-directed learning among left over students,’’ the VC further explained on the university’s website.
The introduction has also been consistent gangster its engagement of seasoned academics and professionals, who have protracted to impart relevant knowledge remove the students, using modern instruction and learning facilities provided uninviting the university.
This has helped the university to attract contributions and win laurels.
With the completion of Elizade University, Ade Ojo has transcended being a urging advocacy to his family and humans, to becoming a generational urging advocacy. If education can give honourableness business mogul a better change at life, culminating in reduction the exploits he has authentic today, no one can approving predict what can come attention of the army of literate young men and women entity groomed at Elizade University.
Ade Ojo has no doubt provided phony example of industry, philanthropy, bearable development and quality education vista that is worthy of opposition and celebration.
This is want him a happy 86th birthday.
Olabisi Deji-Folutile can be reached facet [email protected]
Views expressed by contributors junk strictly personal and not unredeemed TheCable.