Cute, dynamic and handsome,
Femi Adeniran is sure an embodiment of a cosmopolitan career personality of
sterling qualities. The show-stopping-dapper who hails from one of the notable
ruling houses in Oshogbo, Osun State has had quite a commendable track records
criss-crossing between the corporate world and politics. The quiet and
intelligent public relations connoisseur who rarely entertains the klieglight’s
bug succumbed to pressure when he obliged News Editor, Faith Irabor into his
very private life to speak on his forays and experiences as a banker,
politician and Telecoms expert. You would enjoy the interesting chats.
How best can we describe Femi Adeniran?
Well, how do I start to answer
that question? Often times people try to define themselves from the angle of
what they do for a living, family background, religion etc. In my own case, I
try to run as much as possible from defining myself from the angle of my career
so I would simply say first and foremost, that I am a Nigerian, a committed one
for that matter with keen interest in the Nigerian conversation and the course
of the ordinary man. This same commitment reflects in everything that I do, be
it my career or my personal life.
And what’s that course?
A course that ensures there are
opportunities for the ordinary Nigerian. One that says regardless of social divide, you can aspire
to become whatever you desire provided you set your mind at it and continuously
seek inspiration towards achieving it. I
am also an unapologetic optimist and my optimism is the main foundation for
anything I have been able to achieve over the years.
Nice but can you quickly run us
through your journey as a Public Relations expert?
Well, I didn’t start out doing
Public Relations, I actually studied accounting and at some point my entire
focus was to become a certified professional accountant. Of course I was very
well encouraged by my dad who himself was a Fellow of the Institute of Town
Planning. However, providence and the fact that I had always, in my private
thoughts wanted to become a banker led me to GT Bank. Back then bankers were
the symbols of prosperity in the society. I remember joining Guaranty Trust
Bank seventeen years ago like any young and naive Nigerian eager to earn his
wages and gain independence from parents. My late dad though wanted me to
become an accountant and all of the places he took my CV to especially his
friends, the Akintola Williams, the Olusola Adekanolas who’re his kinsmen are running flourishing accounting
firms. This almost caused a rift between us. I wanted banking because, as far
as I was concerned back then bankers were the best-dressed people. I wanted to
wear a tie and nice suits. …hahahhahahhaha…This led to my walking the entire
Adeola Odeku Street, dropping my CV in so many banks and then someday I came
across GuarantyTrust Bank, I gave it a shot and got the job. I remember being
told to wait to see one of the officers in Human Resources and I was kept
waiting for quite long so I decided to spend my waiting time reading a copy of
the previous day’s Guardian Newspapers which I brought along. Somewhere along
the line, I encountered Aig Imokhuede who was passing by and he stopped to ask
me some questions about the headline story I was reading. The next thing, he
instructed that I should be taken upstairs to be attended to as I had been
waiting for too long and everything else happened so quickly. It didn’t take me
long to realize that the bank was very ambitious, as a matter of fact the
ambition of the founders trickled down to everybody that was involved in the
project and we had people ahead of us that kept pushing and reminding us that
if we were focused we were on the path to make history. For most of us, that
was all we needed to know.
Interesting, but somewhere
along the line we heard of your rather shocking exit to Wema Bank?
Well part of what I learnt in
GTBank was that, at every point in time anywhere you find yourself, you are
actually on a journey. It is never a destination so let’s take it that my
sojourn in GTBank was a journey where I was able to lay a good foundation. I continued my journey at Wema Bank and
that’s it.
But a lot of people attributed
it to the death of Mr. Tayo Aderinokun, a man believed to be your mentor or was
it just a coincidence?
No no no, I would want to
correct that and maybe not speak too much about Tayo’s demise because a lot of
us are still in grief. The late Tayo Aderinokun was a great leader and mentor
to a lot of us. There is absolutely nobody that passed through the bank and
some still there as I speak today that would not appreciate the legacy and
brilliance of Tayo Aderinokun and Fola
Adeola. We will continue to pray
that God grants Tayo’s soul eternal rest. Like I said, life is a journey with
milestones, I might have left two, three, four years before the time I did or
years after the time I did or still be there by now.
And again your journey took you
from Wema Bank to Government, Osun State to be precise where you got an
appointment as one of the senior advisers to the Governor? A lot of us felt you
were diversifying
Well, I am a professional and
when I was going into Government I didn’t see what the average person would
normally see. I didn’t see politics; rather I saw it as part of what I must do
as a professional. Professionally I saw an opportunity to manage a public
sector brand and a call to serve my people. My decision was made easier by the
fact that I come from one of the leading Royal families in Osogbo and I would
have disappointed many if I had acted otherwise. Top of it all is the fact that
I saw a great and committed leader in Governor Aregbesola and an opportunity to
work with him was too good to be ignored.
But it was still a different
terrain because its more time consuming, and you have to travel more aside
having to attend political meetings?
It’s all part of learning, part
of the sacrifices one must make in the course of giving back. Until am too old
to work, I will always look for opportunities to contribute my skills towards
creating value and improving quality of life, be it through private channels or
public sector.
Now you are in Telecoms after
serving in the Financial and Public sector,
what is unique about this sector?
Honestly it is quite a
privilege to have experienced diverse industries and Telecoms, is a totally
different ball game. I see it as an opportunity to broaden my worldview as the
industry in Nigeria is dominated by global brands. Airtel for example operates
in 18 African countries with Nigeria being its biggest African Operations and
it is the 4th largest telecoms company in the World. I am indeed
excited about the prospects and learning opportunities.
Which will you say is the most
challenging of all the sectors you’ve passed through PR wise?
I don’t really see challenges
because there are strategies to adopt for success in every industry. What I usually do is to take time to observe
and study what works best and then build processes around it. Once the process
is accepted and approved, it becomes easy to follow for day to day delivery.
How do you have time for your
family as a young man who is very busy?
Yeah I am still quite young and
I believe I have the capacity to handle my schedules aside having a very
hardworking and understanding wife who is ready to do the extra in the areas I
am unable to cover. I think her discipline as a teacher and life coach helps
her quite well. She is doing very well and I give her all the support a husband
gives a good wife.
So where do you see yourself in
the next five years?
Next five years….hmmmnnn....One
thing that is certain is, I am going to be in Airtel for a good amount of time.
I spent almost fifteen years at GTBank, so you know my antecedent. My short stay in Wema Bank was because I got
a political appointment. For now, I have
very clear assignments to deliver and I intend to put in a lot of energy into
delivering on them.
How do you relax?
Honestly somebody asked me that
question recently. I will say it depends on my mood and circumstance. What
comes naturally to me is to read; I have a little library and study room at
home. I can say I’m also outgoing but I have friends who think otherwise.
However, my best time is that which I spend with my family.
What has life taught you?
Life has taught me that the key
to success is discipline and that we must be ready to pay the price for
success. Life has also taught me
patience. One has to be cautious and calculated and make sustainability a
critical factor in decision-making.
You are no doubt a fashionable
person, what determines your mode of dressing, what does fashion means to you?
Thanks! though I think with
age, I am beginning to experiment to the point of rocking Buba and Kembe as
well as Agbada aside the suits and pencil trousers. Fashion to me is a way of
life and my mood determines what I wear.
What won’t you be caught in
fashion wise?
I don’t like loose and baggy
clothes, I am also not a jeans fanatic but if I will wear it they are usually
slim or what we call “pencil” cut. My dad used to call me a Briton, in his
words “britico” because I dress like them.
Let’s not forget to
ask you about your most fashionable items?
I have a passion for
Aristocratic ensemble; my Signet ring, briefcase and my fountain pen are some
of the items you would always find close by wherever I am.
Would you honour any new
political appointment from your ex boss, the Governor of Osun State if he
offers it in future
You see the relationship I have
been able to build with Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is beyond my being a political
appointee before I work with him. I certainly will always be available to
contribute my quota to the success of his programmes and administration at any
level of Government he decides to be because I have no doubt of his genuine
intention for improving the lives of the people.
What would you want to be
remembered for?
When I die?
Yes and do you have a
definition for death?
Of course we are all going to
die. Yes death to me is the end of the struggle and I would want to be
remembered as a man who did his best.
Thanks for your time sir
Same here Faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment