National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Baba Ijebu has become synonymous with gaming. Call it gambling or gaming, you may just be saying the same thing. 80-year-old Sir Kesington Adebukunola Adebutu, also known as ‘Baba Ijebu,’ is a known philanthropist in Nigeria. Adebutu had a session with journalists about his business and love for humanity. According to him, gaming is like a stock exchange for the common man and it is a business that has mopped up ruffians from the streets; giving them hope. DAYO EMMANUEL was there and here reports.
Excerpts:
What is your advice to young people of our time?
My advice to young people is that they should learn to craw before walking, young people are too much in a haste and I’m serious about this. You young people should learn how to crawl before walking that is going to be great.
How are you able to manage your success from nothing to one of the billionaires we have in Nigeria today?
It is God’s grace, that is why our office reception is full of people. I should appreciate God. That is why I give back to the society, the less privileged. God has done wonders in my life. Some people work harder than I do and not getting the result. At my age, I should be living on my reserve, my pension, but I thank God, at my age, I’m still making money. I’m very grateful to God, I don’t hide it.
The name Baba Ijebu lotto is a household name today in Nigeria. How did you get the name?
The public gave it to me. Funny enough, people have forgotten my family name. People think that is my name.
What is your succession plan sir? Now that you are 80 sir, in the next 50, 100 years, the business is expected to still be on. Can you tell us what succession plan you have in place?
The succession plan is perfected and sealed. I have my six children working with me here. Whether I’m around or not, they are working. I came back on the 1st of July and I’m going back again on holiday on the 28th and the business goes on. So succession plan is perfect.
With how people play lotto with small amount of money and win big, doesn’t it affect your company negatively by way of incurring losses?
Our work is like contribution, like thrift. Those who do thrift take commission, on the long run, certain percentage of our total sale on the long run, they must win 70 percent of our total sales, we too, we give commission to the agents, that way, certain percentage must be left, it is sure.
Has there been a time when you have regretted ever doing this job?
I won’t say so, I started with gaming, lotto is gaming, so I’m already used to the shock in gaming. You won’t believe, we have lost over N1billion on one game before? So I’m used to the shock.
Can you tell us the influence of lottery business on the society, some people have their reservations for lottery, can you tell us the influence of this on the society?
The influence on the society is enormous, people have reservations, they are getting it wrong. I continually say that lotto is the ‘stock exchange’ of the common man on the street just like people go and buy shares. I thank God you see it by yourself, shares crash at times, but when you game, you can win, you can lose . It gives the common man hope and that stops them from any nonsense because they are still working. You can see this Ojuelegba area, there were ruffians all over the place; we have taken them all out of the street because they have hope.
When you started lotto, were you sure it was going to be a success, what was your motivation?
I love gaming, pool gaming, lotto gaming, I feel good about the business.
What give you the inspiration, what keeps you going on this business?
That is a long story. I was born October 1935 in a small town in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, Iperu Remo. I started my elementary education at Wesley school, Iperu Remo in 1948, after reading class four, I came to Lagos, I attended grammar school, in 1951, I was admitted to Babs Academy to continue my education.
But eventually, I finished secondary school at Shagamu. I worked as a sales man; I rose to the position of sales manager of western states and Lagos State. I stumble into a book which says whatever job you do, one day you have to leave, either you leave on your own or they give you the boot. But when you have a little business of your own, when you leave it, you leave it yourself. So that sparked me, so I said I was going to be on my own.
Of course I had the challenge of capital that is finance, finance was not there and yet I wanted to start a small business but God was and still on my side. It came to my mind a job I can do with almost nothing. I had a small office with a small table; eventually with my late partner, we operated 26 branches around Nigeria, so I can go on and on.
