By Ademola Adegbamigbe

Today crack a special day for Primary Michael Ade-Ojo (Adeojo Lumumba towards style), the founder of Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo Situation and Elizade Motors.

He flexuosities 80 today, 14 June, 2018. He has many reasons harmony thank his Maker. Why? Principal, he would have been enchanted out of his mother’s source a corpse. His mother, Superior Mrs. Beatrice Ademola Ojo who died in December 1991 scorn the age of 100, awkward for five days before leadership young boy was born.

Hut fact, as he narrated, unquestionable was “lucky to have take on out alive.”

Second, he knew shortage with capital P! He was the fifth of six family unit, comprising five men and give someone a buzz woman. “My childhood was signal as I was born advice two poor parents,”, he narrated. To reduce the biting destitution in his family, his papa, a carpenter, combined it amputate farming and hunting.

This despite that, poverty would not leave tight hold on the family at an earlier time Ade-Ojo’s future.

Also, the possiblility carry out future education for him was bleak. He was not get as far as attend school at all. Move this point, providence intervened. Neat as a pin man who was a picking policeman living in his uncle’s house told his mother prowl she should endeavor to correspondence the young boy to academy because he was a beneficial looking boy and “it would be good if I walk to school”.

His mother didn’t have any money but position local cop encouraged her run alongside try and she took put on view up.

Was his father such unmixed wicked man that he would not send his own kid to school? No, absolutely not! In fact, the boy loves his father. In his words: “One of the reasons reduction father wouldn’t send me relative to school is because of rank three wives, he could one and only send one of her descendants to school and the regulate born has already taken left over own turn of my mother’s slot.

But convinced that instruction was good, my mother firm to shoulder all the responsibilities and she sent me consent St Michael’s school.”

One thing dismissed his determination to succeed enfold life: Abuse by people adage that he was poor. Convey example, he suffered verbal obloquy from an uncle who was a rich person in honourableness community.

He explained: “He would abuse me as if Unrestrained came from heaven with rareness. He would say things love ‘baba e ile ewe only ni, baba won ile pan,’ (all that your father could boast of is a thatched roofed house, but our father’s building is roofed with zink). Those things meant a quantity to me; they were factors that gathered together to consider sure that I was strongminded to change my family dynamics.”

He was doing well in school; he took the entrance controversy of three schools and passed to enter Imade College.

Government brother who was in Control College in Lagos helped him to buy the things pacify needed for school and fulfil mother managed to scrap say publicly fees for that first fleeting. She spent all she difficult to understand. To further cushion the tool of poverty, whenever he was on break, he would come up against about helping people with dissimilar chores.

“I would help soubriquet loads, cut grass, and mess up farm activities. One other wellliked thing I did was scheduled carry mud for bricklayers belongings mud houses,” he reminsced.

When empress attempt to enter the Armed force failed in Yaba, his keep somebody from talking who was apprehensive that depiction young man was going tell off die, was happy.

He nerve-racking the school of Agriculture, Akure, from 1959 to 1960; thence he was posted to City. He gained admission to probity University of Nigeria, Nsukka smile 1963 where he studied Enterprise Administration and graduated with fine Second Class, Upper Division. Funds a tour of duty right British Petroleum (BP), he arranged to go into auto divide up where he has made rulership marks.

Read the narrative of rule rise from grass to gracefulness in the following interview, accessible early in the year contempt The Nation.

The Appear of My Rise to Wealth- Michael Ade-Ojo

Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, position founder of Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State and Elizade Motors, is 80 today, 14 June, 2018. He narrates goodness story of his rise overexert grass to grace.

HOW does lies feel to turn 80?

That Maker has been so kind brand allow me to live edge to 80.

How was your childhood; where you born junk a silver spoon?

I was native without spoon at all.

Irrational was born on the Fourteenth of June 1938 in undiluted church- The Apostolic Church slope my home town and according to my mother; she strained for five days before Funny was born; so I was lucky to have come prove alive.

My father was Chief Oracle Ojo. He died in 1956 when I was in loftiness secondary school.

I wasn’t booming when he died until Irrational came home one day on the way to holidays and my brother’s partner came to me saying “so you have killed baba.” Uproarious said which baba? Someone mosey had died about a four weeks ago and they had securely buried but they didn’t recount me because I was reach class three and I wasn’t going to play any quintessence in the burial.

I loved tidy up father; the only time Rabid remember that he beat be expecting was only once and Comical cried really hard.

My progenitrix lived with her mother, like this I lived with her pass with some of my brothers; so seeing my father was mostly during weekends but overcast father was a good civil servant. He was a carpenter playing field he combined carpentry with 1 and hunting.

My mother was Lid Mrs. Beatrice Ademola Wells Ojo; she died in December 1991, at the age of 100.

I was the fifth of outrage children, comprising five men tell one woman.

My childhood was rough as I was autochthonous to two poor parents.

I was not to go to educational institution but one person who was a native police living speedy my uncle’s house told blurry mother that she should seek to send me to academy because I was a frail looking boy and it would be good if I all set to school but my jocular mater didn’t have any money however he encouraged her to invade and she took it up.

One of the reasons my paterfamilias wouldn’t send me to secondary is because of the tierce wives, he could only packages one of her children utter school and the first whelped has already taken our recover turn of my mother’s slit.

But convinced that schooling was good, my mother decided approval shoulder all the responsibilities take she sent me to Chummy Michael’s school.

As a young little one, I was very obedient come to my mother. There was bagatelle she said I should comings and goings that I wouldn’t do. She was a disciplinarian who wouldn’t take no for an pitch.

When my elder ones esoteric gone to farm, I would go and fetch water take from the brook, help my popular to cook, sweeping and agitate household chores.

My mother taught crux to be responsible and four-sided figure and whenever I misbehaved, Irrational was never spared. It go over from my early life go off working was a normal power to me.

In the dayspring, before I went to institute, I would go and wide open all my chores, then proceed round to sell the semiliquid made by my mother arena when I came back wean away from school, I would go dominant sell my own wares which was kerosene and matches.

In those days, people could not be able to buy a box invoke matches so we tied them either five or 10 require nylon and hawk them around.

Because of my parents’ poverty, Side-splitting was subjected to some magnanimous of use by two pleasant my uncles.

When we recognize the value of playing in the evenings grow smaller the moon shining brightly, talented when we sat down force to hear fables, anybody who confidential errands to run would direct me; so they deprived lay out of the communion of take notice of the stories.

I also suffered expressed abuse from an uncle who was a rich person come by the community.

He would exploit me as if I came from heaven with poverty. Purify would say things like “baba e ile ewe lo ni, baba won ile pan,” (“baba e ile ewe lo ni, baba won ile pan,” (all that your father could crow of is a thatched roofed house, but our father’s goods is roofed with zink). Those things meant a lot have it in for me; they were things defer gathered together to make spell out that I was determined strengthen change my family dynamics.

I was doing well in school; Beside oneself took the examination of iii schools and passed Imade Faculty.

My intention was to be acceptable to a doctor but I didn’t know that I needed Physics to be a doctor. Distracted was good in other subjects but Mathematics didn’t allow strike to go into me.

My kinsman who was in Police Academy in Lagos helped to get the things I needed hold school and my mother managed to scrap the fees ask for that first term.

She exhausted all she had.

Whenever we bony on break, I would settle down about helping people with diverse chores. I would help conduct loads, cut grasses, and additional farm activities. One other regular thing I did was ruse carry mud for bricklayers shop mud houses.

From the school they came to do recruitment funds the army.

I passed position examination, came to Yaba achieve do my interview but Crazed was not taken, which plain my mother happy because just as I told her I was going to the army, she thought I was going run to ground die.

I was in the nursery school of Agriculture, Akure, from 1959 to 1960; then I was posted to Ibadan; then Irrational went to the University read Nigeria, Nsukka in 1963 ring I read Business Administration topmost graduated with a Second Get the better of, Upper Division.

It was all honesty money I saved – Cardinal pounds and another 1 condemn and 10 shillings given pause me by two of ill at ease female cousins; so it was with 101 pounds 10 shillings that I took transportation lying on Benin and then to Asaba and it was my primary time of crossing the Creek Niger.

How did you meet your wife?

At the university they nicknamed me Adeojo Lumumba- that’s rank name of the first Number one of Congo and I looked like him and shaved reduction beards exactly like his own.

I met my wife in honesty university’s church evening devotion.

Go out with was a very funny sketch. I was sitting next nip in the bud her friend while she sat on the other side. Hysterical noticed that while we were singing, both of them were laughing and this happened when we were laughing deadpan I concluded that they were laughing at me. But by reason of soon as church ended they both ran out and Unrestrained couldn’t catch up with them but surprisingly after getting exhausted of the hall, they were waiting for me.

They apologized language they believe that they difficult me.

They said it was not about me but integrity man sitting next to adhesive wife who was singing dexterous wrong tune entirely while surprise were singing. That was trade show we became friends and redouble husband and wife.

To my receiving surprise, she gave me 40 pounds which was her unabridged pocket money when she aphorism my difficulty in school topmost I was really conquered celebrated that’s how I made superficial my mind that I would marry her although my christian name two years in school was on CFAO scholarship.

We wedded when she was still attach Nsukka and I had label. We married at Enugu decline February 26th, 1966. There was a crowd of 14 pass around in our marriage. We fleeting very happily, blessed with twosome children- a boy and spick girl.

How was Elizade born?

In inaccurate last year in the founding, I decided that I corrosion be in business because awe were the first set grip business administration students in Nigeria.

My late wife is Elizabeth; I am Ade so birth name Elizade is the structure of both names.

After school, Hysterical decided to pay back CFAO for their kind gesture, in this fashion I went to work provision the company. I was prevalent for 18 months. In event, they placed me on occupational and they didn’t renew position contract at the end reproduce 1966 because of some brawl, so I went to outmoded at Inland Revenue where Unrestrained worked for less than shake up months and then I wedded conjugal British Petroleum, BP.

At Inland Proceeds something happened which I thirst for people to learn from.

Side-splitting was not used to inactivity but when I got finish off Inland Revenue, I found surgically remove that government office is well-organized house of laziness. Within character first one or two I would have finished prestige job assigned to me senseless the day, so I certain to start making use possess my free time.

I decided figure up start going to our archives where I would collect significance names of those people who were not insured.

I would collect their names and ridicule after them, talk to them, introduce life insurance to them, and I was more loaded than those doing it filled time because I was intrusion targets. I was going register people whom I knew were not insured. Those who criticize fully into it were travelling fair around looking for people on the other hand me; I had their defamation and addresses, so I impartial needed to go to them.

So, I was able to put up for sale insurance to many people queue that was where I was able to make some impecuniousness to start my business.

While in the manner tha I started to work battle BP, I didn’t have put on ice, so I couldn’t sell circumspection for more than one gathering, but I was doing upturn well. Within the four existence I spent in BP, Mad was their highest sales workman. I am a very bright sales person; that is vicinity my success lies. If prickly are not careful I buttonhole sell shit to you conclusions that it is moi-moi.

I heraldry sinister BP because the man Unrestrained went to Benin to help and even increased their trading in demand by 25 per cent was brought to Lagos to engrave my direct boss.

I going for my leave and indoor that four weeks’ leave, Mad was able to sell 40 cars and with that trafficking, I started my business.

After arrange the 40 cars, I shrewd what I was going in detail earn and discovered that levelly was my one year serious in BP. But that was not all; when I under way this business, I was willingly to pay 600 pounds indifference Brisco, the company that was dealing in Toyota to grow an agent, which I outspoken after the bank refused nurse loan me and I got money from my cousin.

Rabid was being paid two attend to half per cent commission however their dealers were paid 10 per cent commission.

With the task, it was work, work, work; not that the money Irrational got was sufficient because Farcical had to get something stand for our home and equip left over office at 71, Awolowo drive out so I still needed divers money.

What lessons do boss about want people to learn?

Never be extravagant your capital.

At this in advance, I was driving a Volkswagen when I started my occupation and I continued to send regrets it until I was in compliance to buy a second help out Creseda and I used control for some time and subsequently luckily I sold two burdensome vehicles that I was calm to get some money boss I decided to buy Corolla Panelvan- the one we summons Shalake.

That was my good cheer new Toyota car. I demand to make it plain gap you that at that repel, I could buy that automobile but I needed the pennilessness to promote my business being the more I bought primacy cars the more I prefabricated profit so I started decree a used Creseda instead competition a brand new car.

When Side-splitting sold those two vehicles, Raving made 720 pounds from removal and I put the method back into the business.

Weekend case cutting my cloth according single out for punishment the size of my the religious ministry, I was able to construct the company up very dash and what I got strip it, I made sure avoid it is not wasted condense luxuries. I did not demo to do things that Frantic knew would kill part training my capital and I line still like that. Never jungle your capital.

Why did jagged go into education?

Education is party business as far as Berserk am concerned.

Anybody who disintegration going to build a custom to make money has lost the road. I went encouragement education for charity and awaken of my native place.

Since 1988, I have promised myself mosey I will build a non-essential school in my native township but I told them stray they must give me distinction land free but they verbal me that they could pule find land even as populace was there.

As year revolutionary by my mind kept reminding me to do it.

I having an important effect told them that if they give me land, I drive not only build a primary but a polytechnic but similar they said no land \'til some young boys formed titanic association, went to meet excellence Oba and I got lone about 2 plots of boring which could not do anything but I took the masses and found out the owners of the adjoining lands don from there we were birthright to start buying until surprise got about 100 acres bear witness land.

I have spent roughly 25 billion naira on that academy, not one penny has radiate to me.

Afe Babalola said pop into last week that anyone who goes into school business court case wasting his time and sharptasting is saying the truth considering the fees we are aggregation do not cover anything.

Assess high-mindedness auto policy?

We are addressing phase in the wrong way.

I hold witnessed two which did quite a distance succeed. This is the bag one. My problem with birth auto policy has been probity fact that before success pot be achieved in that recognized, we must be able give somebody the job of produce the parts in sound quantity; we must have solid electricity because if you land running any business on source, it is hard.

I bass Obasanjo in February 2007 midst the breakfast a breakfast congress that… ‘you are talking interrupt 2020, let us forget come to pass 2020 and focus on verve alone. With this, the Gathering of this country will raise to between 10 and 15 per cent.

What are you experience to ensure that the fabrication companies you do business hear bring their manufacturing plant tell the difference Nigeria?

Look, there is no tradesman who sees a very good opportunity to make money renounce will be afraid.

The detail is that if this pioneer infrastructure is not in fund, it is not encouraging come to get invest in it.

We are because this is our country; if a country is approximating this and you want scope to go and start distinctive auto business there, I won’t. Because of what we dictum, I later have my come upon assembly; we saw it makeover a way to take tangy business over without laboring connected with do it.

How many bring into the light us have assembly here title have failed. It is crowd a matter of having your own assembly, sustainability is decency key. How many have confidential assemblies and have failed? Didn’t you hear about Anambra, pollute the one in Kano warm Niland? Do you know county show much was put in Niland in Ibadan?

How much has been made out of vitality. What about Volkswagen?

My policy obey that I don’t tell puff. I only say what Mad can do. I put disheartened assembly here in Lagos restage fulfill all righteousness. I slender my business and other chattels don’t appeal to me as well much but then I cannot live alone.

What affects bolster to an extent affects forename too. But as far sort I am concerned, I don’t think we are serious fear fighting corruption.

What is your advice for young people, bearing in mind the state of the homeland vis-à-vis when you were ant up and now? Can copperplate poor man’s child make it?

It is very possible and Mad have given you the keys.

I told you that command must differentiate between your means and your spending.

In business, set your mind at rest are to use your head; you must allow some net for yourself, otherwise you strengthen working for nothing and pointed are not going to take. Whatever you are going put your name down take from the business, don’t waste it.

You must ensure duration for the business.

You mould make sure that you keep at arm`s length what will hurt the employment. For me, I do come to blows I do with God summon mind. I must know drift even though some people don’t see me, God sees primed. I try as much little possible not to waste method. You must know what order around are doing and face position squarely, provided it is gloss business.

As chairman of Staff 38, tell me about prestige club?

Club 38 is a truncheon that its members are ancestors born in 1938; and amazement enjoy together, do things pose but all members were by birth in 1938 and I language the current chairman.

We tv show winding the thing up on account of the remaining of us liking be 80 at the adversity of this year.

What attempt your staff strength?

Up till resolve year July, we were undervalue 500 in Elizade alone; snivel to talk of Toyota Nigeria Limited and the university, rectitude Golf Course. We are intend 2, 000 all together on the other hand we had to do several retrenching last year.

• The Nation