“Leaders see through spies, as cows through smell, Brahmins through scriptures and the rest of the people through their normal eyes” Kautilya, Indian Philosopher, third century B. C

WITH a deep sense of loss, but in total submission to the will of Allah for a full life of commitment and service to humanity, the Board, Management and staff of Odu’a Investment Company Limited join all Yorubas and other Nigerians in mourning the passing unto glory of our former Chairman, father, brother and friend, Otunba Mohammed Aliu Jobi-Fele, OON, an industrialist, manager of resources and philanthropist per excellence which sad event occurred on Thursday, March 24, 2011.

The real character of a person can only be deciphered by what he does, what he says and what other people say of him. Twenty six years ago, as a Marketing Manager with John Holt Plc, I came in contact with Otunba Mohammed Aliu Jobi-Fele, who was the supplier of Jobitex canned sardine to John Holt for national distribution. The relationship was very cordial, I saw a father figure in a man tall in brain and integrity. He was such a lively person, whose action and attitude speak volume. Little did I know that I would, in later life, on a different pedestal, have a close relationship with the man I held in high esteem. Coming on board as the Group Managing Director of Odu’a in 2005, though Otunba Jobi-Fele left Odu’a as Chairman in 1999, I always got in touch with him for professional and cultural advice.
He was always happy and readily available to give such advice whenever I called at his Ikeja residence. He was such a jovial man and full of life and wisdom.

He was of the belief that happiness, which comes from the mind always radiate through the face. He always say “ma fi nkan to matan ba eyiti o ni tan je,” literarily translated means: never destroy your future with the present enjoyment. That was his advice to everyone that comes across his way. Another prayer he normally shower on people is that ”Ooni fi ekun pari erin re” meaning: you will not end your life in bitterness.”

Born 71 years ago in Ikare Akoko, Ondo State, Otunba Mohammed Jobi-Fele, personified in a relatively short and eventful lifetime, a quintessential businessman, astute administrator and responsible citizenship, died, holding a record for which the history of Odu’a Investment Company Limited will always have a good chapter reserved for him. There is also no doubt that he was a man in whom God, the Almighty was well pleased and there are actually many facts of his life that showed that God was indeed kind to him till the end.

As an industrialist of no mean repute, Otunba Jobi-Fele’s entrepreneurial spirit continued to express itself in his various careers. He was a former Marketing Manager of the Nigeria Textile Mills, Ikeja, Lagos, before venturing into private business of fish canning and becoming the Chairman of the Jobitex Group, famous for the Jobitex canned sardines, Jobitex Herring, Jobitex Mackerel and most recently Jobitex Moin-moin
The revival of a declining conglomerate of Odu’a began earnestly in February 1997 with the intervention of the then Military Administrators of the five owner states of Odu’a comprising Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti States. The mantle of leadership fell on Otunba Mohammed Jobi-Fele, with other interim Board members with the mandate to restructure and reposition the Odu’a conglomerate to meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond.

In just twelve months, the interim board, which initially doubled as the management team under Otunba Jobi-Fele, was able to pull the conglomerate from its tottery, collapsible state to a robust group.

His Board worked tirelessly to restructure and reposition the Odu’a conglomerate. The Board charted a new course for the Group, making profitability, accountability, productivity, creativity and loyalty the kernel of its focus and administration. He also enhanced the growth of the subsidiary companies thereby generating adequate dividends for the stakeholders of the conglomerate.

Otunba Jobi-Fele demonstrated an unparalleled singularity of purpose, selflessness, sincerity, determination and commitment during the crusade, launched not only to pump life into dying industrial legacies of our people and to resuscitate the National Bank of Nigeria, but also to have it proudly positioned within the entrepreneurial ambit of Odu’a. This he did successfully.

The National Bank of Nigeria, established in 1933, which became distressed and was acquired by the Central Bank of Nigeria through its agent the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), was recapitalized and repossessed by the holding company.

Though National Bank is no more today but its resuscitation at that time laid the solid foundation for the easy merger of the defunct National bank and Wema Bank during the twenty five billion naira recapitalization of banks in 2005 by Odu’a Investment Company Limited.

It is pertinent to note that the recapitalised Wema Bank was one of the few banks that met the set deadline of 31 December, 2005 set by the Central Bank of Nigeria for the recapitalisation.

Thank God for the huge asset base of the defunct National Bank that aided the smooth merger. It is gratifying to note that Wema Bank has been further repositioned as a Regional bank by the new core investors with the support of Odu’a Investment Company Limited to serve Abuja and South-western Nigerian markets to the benefit of economic development of old SouthWest region and the entire country.

In the field of corporate social responsibility, the Board mapped new strategies that made the conglomerate more relevant and responsive to her stakeholders, thereby enhancing the public image of the group.

His three years at the helms of affairs of Odu’a Investment Company Limited marked him out as a great achiever. From the beginning of his tenure, he laid emphasis on the policy of input, output and outcome to drive the operations of the conglomerate. The template he set enabled him to restructure and put the Odu’a conglomerate on the profitability path and the posture assisted him to block hidden loopholes within the system.

He believed seriously in human resources development as a panacea to the success of the organization. This was emphasised by the address he delivered while meeting the staff on Friday, February 21, 1997. “It is my belief that people are the greatest asset of any organisation. In any particular organisation, every staff is important, that is, from the messenger or office assistant to the highest man in the company. I will therefore welcome individual contributions in terms of short memos on the causes of the present decay and suggestions on what can be done to rectify the situation,” he said in the address.

Otunba Jobi-Fele was a philanthropist per excellence. His propensity to do good, to raise people virtually from the gutter and make others around him happy, is legendary. Philanthropy comes naturally to him as the breeze rustles the grass. His sense of kindness could move him to act impulsively at times. His love for the course of albinos in Nigeria speaks for itself.

Like an oak tree with a wide network of branches, Chief Jobi’s philanthropic tentacles were many. One of the most talked-about projects he had executed for the Ikare community is the Jobi-Fele Civic Centre, a massive, posh multi-purpose town hall he built in 1994 and donated to the community. This incidentally became his resting place as he was buried at the Civic Centre in Ikare on Saturday, March 26, 2011.

The Ikare Central Mosque, a three-storey structure now standing in grandeur and fitted with minarets is today a pride of every Muslim in the town.

This was the handiwork of Otunba Jobi-Fele.

Otunba Jobi-Fele, a Muslim, also extended his philanthropic gestures to the expansion of Christianity in his community-Ikare, Akoko. He donated towards church buildings and even single-handedly completed some church building projects.

It was not only in the area of material provisions that Otunba Jobi-Fele was helpful to the community. He also employed his tremendous goodwill to foster harmonious relationship among the faithful. The community summed up all his contributions and installed him the GIWA ADINl of Ikareland Central Mosque in 1985. Also in the same year, Olukare of Ikare, His Royal Majesty, Oba Akadiri Momoh and the Council of Chiefs also considered all his contributions and installed him the Otunba of Ikareland.

Otunba Jobi-Fele was the Chairman of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation’s Centenary Committee. He went beyond the call of duty to ensure the success of the Obafemi Awolowo Centennial celebration and the launch of a book entitled “Awo: On the trail of a Titan” which is an essay in the celebration of the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo on January 29, 2009.

Otunba Jobi-Fele was a stickler for thoroughness, transparency and accountability. He was a man tall in brain and integrity.

Otunba Jobi-Fele would be fondly remembered by the people of Yorubaland, particularly Ikare Akoko Community, the good people of Ondo State and all Nigerians in general. Also, he would be remembered by the Board, Management and staff of Odu’a Investment Company Limited for his efforts at revamping Odu’a and her subsidiary companies.

Mr. Adebayo Jimoh is the Group Managing Director/CEO, Odu’a Investment Company Limited.

Comments (1)

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written by ZachS, May 24, 2011

I think that "The real character of a person can only be deciphered by what he does, what he says and what other people say of him", is only partially true. People say all kinds of stuff about other people out of jealously and sometimes people say things out of frustration. I think the true character determination is the actions that people take online casino

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