“When Fortune means to men the most good, she looks upon them with a threatening eye” – William Shakespeare, 1564-1616.

Daisi was born to succeed; but, he suffered greatly first. Our paths crossed in North Brewery Limited, Kano, in 1981. I was a young Marketing Manager, who had dared to apply for that position from the pharmaceutical sector and beaten eleven applicants from the brewery sector to the job. Daisi was a fresh graduate; who had just finished his National Youth Service; and needed a job badly.

I made the interview possible; I was selected because the brewery was about to face stiff competition and a strategic decision was made by the Board of Directors to overhaul the Marketing Department and create a more professional Sales and Marketing staff. Possession of an MBA from Boston, USA, majoring in Marketing certainly influenced the choice.

Given almost a blank cheque to recreate the company and a short time to perform or get sacked, my first request was the expansion of the sales staff; to bring in six young university graduates, preferably those who never worked before. I was determined to train all those new workers myself. With my head on the block, the request was granted.

Advertisements were placed in the papers; I personally short-listed those to attend the panel interview. Company standing policy made it mandatory for panel members to declare any relationship with any candidate; and would not vote on that candidate. I added my own condition. The top six candidates would be selected after the interview – regardless of who they were. That was my position as a panelist in three previous interviews.

On interview day, eleven young men and Daisi walked into our Conference Room to start the interview. He was not the best dressed. That took some points from him immediately. For me and Daisi, the bond started during self-introduction – when he disclosed that he was an orphan from an early age. He had been brought up by relatives who now expected him to be self-sustaining. I was also an orphan at an early age and I knew all about the loneliness of growing up in that position.

Throughout the interview, I noticed that his answers to questions were more unconventional and innovative – two attributes which were lost on the rest of the panel, who were not professional salesmen like me. For the first time as a Senior Manager, conducting interviews, I was secretly praying a particular candidate would emerge as one of my new subordinates. He came seventh; beaten by a point. Apparently hope lost; prayers went unanswered.

Ordinarily, the story should have ended there. But, it did not. Others left, either to await their letters of appointment or go in search of other jobs. I retired to my office with the panel report; worried that the brewery was missing someone special. But, how would I justify making an exception to the rules for the first time in my life? Then, a few minutes after, my Secretary announced on the intercom that “a young man wants to see you Sir”. It was Daisi.

He wasted no time; went straight to his life history; his struggles to go to university and all he had done to keep going. He needed the job; otherwise, the future would be bleak. Unknown to him, my mind was made up that I needed him – rumpled suit or not. My spirit told me that I was looking at a born winner – who only needed a place to start and someone to provide that first break. I decided to do it.

My appointment with the Managing Director to announce the results was easier than expected. After declaring the result, I proceeded to announce that “Excuse me Sir, we are employing six, but, I want number seven, Daisi Aina, on the team”. I was expecting a blast for violating the rules. Instead he said: “You know you are on trial; you have a target to achieve. It is up to you if you want to risk your career on one person unknown to you. Go ahead.”

When Daisi and others came on board, the brewery had capacity for 350,000 cartons per month and was barely able to sell everything. The next full year, in one month, we sold one million cartons and we still did not meet all the demand. He was the most resourceful among all my staff and it did not take me long to realise that I had more than a great salesman on my hands, but a potentially outstanding entrepreneur and philanthropist as well.

I was recruited in 1984 by a struggling brewery in Ibadan as Marketing Manager; and Daisi was the only Sales Manager I took with me. Together, we racked up another million cartons a month record in the South before parting ways in 1985. Then, he finally embarked on his true life’s journey as a successful manufacturer and business man. But, we kept in touch all the time.

Resilience was also one of his real attributes. The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo once remarked, “The glory is not in never falling down, but, in getting up each and every time and starting again.” Known to me, Daisi fell down very badly twice; each would have ended an ordinary man’s career and, perhaps, life. Remarkably, he recovered and emerged stronger than before.

His generosity was also boundless. My prayer house, Massey Morning Daily Praying Band, and WAKA CLUB 1945, both in Lagos Island, have benefited immensely from his unending generosity. And, I might add that, without asking, he actually sends me money – even though undeserved; because he was the backbone of my successes as Marketing Manager twice. He had paid me for being on my team and building my reputation as a Marketing professional.

 FAMILY LIFE

“One can live happily if he loves his work and works for those he loves.”

Of all my former co-workers anywhere, anytime, Daisi and his wife, Yeye Asiwaju Omotayo, are perhaps the happiest couple known to me. Understandably, I was the Chairman of the occasion on their Wedding Day. Most of our united Sales and Marketing staff travelled to Kwara for the event. I have also attended two other functions when invited.

It was always a pleasure to behold a marriage truly made in Heaven. To Tayo goes most of the credit for this achievement. Salesmen, worldwide, are generally rascals – as I should know; being one myself. The first few years of their wedding were stressful on account of tough targets we were challenged to achieve. To God be the glory that the marriage has waxed stronger over the years instead of breaking under the stress.

WELL-DESERVED HONOUR

“Some are born great; others achieve greatness; some have greatness thrust upon them” – William Shakespeare, 1564-1616.

Daisi was not born great; but, he was born with a potential for greatness. He achieved greatness by dint of hard work, as well as all the attributes mentioned above. He once set out on a long sales trip at 11pm – because there was a target to be made. No other salesman, known to me, ever did that.

Given his early years, few would have expected Daisi to go very far. But, born with a special grace of the Almighty God, with exceptional intelligence, and iron will, he has made something out of nothing. Although I have never been interested in politics and political appointments, but, if a President were to ask me to nominate somebody for ministerial appointment, the first name out of my mouth will be Daisi Aina.

I feel deeply honoured to write this tribute to someone who came to me as an applicant and who proved my instincts right by becoming great in my lifetime.

Congratulations Asiwaju and Yeye Asiwaju of Iresiland.

IS RIVERS THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME? 1

“One of the lessons of history is that men never learn from history.”

Rivers is not alone among states which are waiting for the right spark to set the places ablaze. Kano, Ondo and Zamfara are also danger points. Because, as we have known, “war is too important to be left only to Generals”, politics is also too vital to be left only to politicians. Generals were responsible for the carnage in Gaza right now. Politicians, worldwide, are keeping it going for their own political advantages. Because this is only an introduction to the subject, I will limit myself to two instances in our short history which should caution our politicians – particularly President Bola Tinubu; who has the most to lose.

The 1963 General Elections were declared won by the government party led by Prime Minister of Nigeria Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. The Army, Police and Secret Service were under him. Yet, all the armed forces could not save him when the first coup was staged. Balewa lost everything!!!

In 1983, President Shagari’s party had won by a landslide for a second term. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Yet, all the forces could not save him when, on December 31, 1983, he was overthrown. He escaped with life.

For good measure, I might remind all our politicians that most African Presidents removed by coup or uprising were elected by wide margins before disaster struck. There is no absolute guarantee of survival for any C-I-C and his supporters. Sometimes, the uprising is triggered by small occurrences such as the near chaos in Rivers State or the judicial mess in Kano or the tango in Zamfara or the smouldering ember in Ondo. Unless divinely delivered, 2024 promises to be the toughest year in Nigeria history – even if politicians allow peace to reign. It is the sort of situation which can easily degenerate unless a prudential President takes charge.  Without it, all bets are off…

To be continued