Mr Babajide Tanimowo is a man of many parts – a jack of several trades and a master of all. He is a lawyer, a construction guru, a printer, a business administration specialist, a marketing guru, a culture promoter, and many more. His inspiring story is one that every young man should listen to.
In this interview with Saturday Sun, he narrates his inspiring story, including his involvement with the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) where he’s National General Secretary.
How was growing up like
I was born 50 years ago. I grew up in a Christian home, though my paternal and maternal grandparents were both Ifa priests. My parents met each other and got married at 65 Odunfa Street, Ebute Metta, a popular place where Babalawos could come to and stay at anytime. Ifa priests from all parts of the South West would come in there and stay. It was built by late Araba of Lagos. That is why the place is called Odunfa Street. Odunfa means Ifa Festival. That was where my parents met as son and daughter of babalawos and got married.
I was born in Somolu. When my parents relocated to Agege, we lived at Jakande Housing Estate. Then construction work was still going on there. Then I was still in secondary school and the school happened to share the same fence with the estate. So once I left the school, I would go there and work as a labourer. It was there that I got the experience on how to do tiles, operate tarazo machine and how to construct buildings. After I moved to Agege fully, a friend introduced me to a construction company as a labourer. Later I became a staff.
Then when I finished secondary school fully, I used to visit another friend who had a printing shop. When my father learned that I was working as a bricklayer, he was unhappy, but I told them that I didn’t want to be idle. I wanted to be independent and even help my parents and younger ones. When they tried stopping me from Esumilongo, I told them that I must learn printing in the alternative because I did not make my WAEC results at a sitting. I did not want to stay idle at home. It became a tug of war between my father and I. Eventually, I started learning printing at Cosmopolitan Press in Somolu. The owner was my father’s friend and they attended the same church. So I learned that from 1991 to 1995.
In 1994, I got admission to the University of Lagos to study Business Administration, but I was unable to register on time, so I missed it. I was advised to enrol for another UTME while still pursuing my printing career. In 1995, I was admitted to UNILAG to study Business Administration. As at that time, I had spent close to 5 years learning printing. So immediately I was admitted into the Business Administration department, I familiarised myself with the students and some of the lecturers and told them I was a printer. Some lecturers started giving me printing jobs. By that time, I had already set up a business centre and printing press in Somolu. So while I was going to school, I was also doing printing jobs. After a year, I registered another company. After graduating, I was still in the printing business.
Before I secured admission, I had attended a tutorial school at Allen. While I was in school, I even went back there to teach the students.
After my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), I faced my printing business. In Somolu, I was the third person to set up such a business. I trained a lot of people who are great artists today. Some of them are in the US and other parts of the world. Some are still in Somolu doing printing.
Why do people call you Kowope?
Kowope means ‘Let the money be complete.’ It was given to me by one of my close friends, Tajudeen of Tisco Graphics when he came to work with me as one of my artists. We would work together during the day and in the evening we would go wine and dine together. But he saw that everyone that came to my office paid for their jobs. Everyone without exception, including myself, must pay. So he kept on wondering why he would come to my office to work and I would still collect money from him even though we were friends. I told him that there is no friend in business, and he said, you are really ‘Kowope.’ Since then, before you knew it, it became a popular name. As I speak to you, most people don’t know my real name, but Kowope.
When did you bag your Masters?
In 2006, I went to visit one of my friends at the College of Medicine, Idi-Araba, Lagos, and I saw one of my students at the tutorial centre that I was mentoring. He said he was going to submit his PhD thesis. That day I felt depressed seeing that the person I tutored had finished his PhD and I was still with first degree. The following day, I went to UNILAG and got the necessary forms. I was admitted on merit to study MSC Marketing. I happened to be one of the best five students. I was to continue, but the only Professor of Marketing had an issue with the faculty. That issue consumed him and he was forced to resign. That was how that plan got truncated.
I was discussing with a friend who had interest in Law about my predicament. After the discussion, I decided to study Law. But I never did Literature, which was compulsory. So I had to sit for JAMB and NECO exams again. And I passed. My dad had always wanted one of his children to be a lawyer in his lifetime. I promised my dad that I would abandon my PhD plans and study law. And I did. My dad became so proud that his son became a lawyer in his lifetime.
What was driving you to do all these?
I love to be independent. I love to do my thing. I love challenges. I don’t believe there is anything difficult to do in life. I have the “I can” spirit. I believe I can achieve anything. Even in my law practice, I take difficult briefs and God has been helping me.
When you were doing menial jobs, was it that your parents couldn’t take care of you?
If I come back to this world again, I would still want to come back to that same home. I learned hard work through my parents. My mother was a fashion designer. She had several workers, but she worked even harder than her workers. Even when they worked through the night, especially during festive periods, if they were spending three days, my mother would be there with them because she saw it as her business, her life.
When my father was still working with the then NEPA and later at Igbobi, he was still selling electrical materials at Somolu. After work he would go there. So I saw those traits in them. They made money every day. They were not rich but they were comfortable. My father had a house in Lagos and one in our country home Ibadan, he is not a poor man. He trained six of us. It just that passion that pushed me. I wanted to make money. I didn’t want to join bad gangs. I wanted to make money on my own even since my secondary school days. I didn’t see it as an issue. Even when my father was angry that I was doing all those things, I told him that I wanted to save, to become someone in future. Before I left secondary school, I had saved money enough to buy two motorcycles. That was 30 years ago. That was my first investment. My father had to go from Lagos to Nnewi to buy the motorcycles. I gave them to commercial riders and I was making money. My father was in charge of them. So it’s not because they couldn’t take care of us, but I wanted to be independent.
How have you been able to coordinate all your businesses at the same time?
I have a graphics design office. I have the Babajide Tanimowo law firm. I am into full time practice, but I leased my business to people who deliver to me when I discovered that it was difficult to manage both the printing and law practice.
Considering what you’ve been through, what can you tell the present day youths?
Honestly God will deliver this country. As a lawyer, I handle a lot of cases. I was at the NDLEA office two days ago for a client who was in their custody, and I felt like crying for our youths. I saw most of them in detention. The other day I went to Federal High Court to secure someone’s bail. The boy is about 26 years old, alleged to be in possession of Indian Hemp and some other hard drugs. Honestly I see the way our youths go into drugs and Yahoo Yahoo.
All those kind of drive we had then, they don’t have it now. They are just there to make quick money. Go to EFCC, you see young guys doing Yahoo-Yahoo, and even what they call Yahoo-Plus. Look at how I developed myself. Why can’t our youths turn into this kind of lifestyle? But you know, it is also a societal problem. Our government is not doing the best. Some are from broken homes, some lack parental care, while some, their parents can’t afford three square meals. Even sometimes, the parents would have to push their children to go and do some bad things. Also, some of our youths have bad manners. Although, with due respect to majority of them, we have some of our youths doing very well. They are creative, both here and outside the country.
My advice to our youths is to be focused. All of us cannot be educated, but at least, have a job. Before I secured admission to the university, because of what I learned, I was making money and the money was sufficient for me to take care of myself and my siblings. But if I had not learned that handwork, only God knows when I would break even. To our youths, instead of being idle at home even if you don’t pass your exam at once, learn something. No knowledge is wasted. The experience I gained earlier is helping me in my litigation now. Our youths should be more focused, determined and shun all these unlawful activities they are into. You can be hardworking and break even. I believe if you have hand work, go to school, pray to God, and He blesses the work of your hands, you are good to go.
What is your leadership style?
My leadership style is democratic. Even in my home, whatever I do I always dialogue with my children. Even the organisation I belong to today – the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) where I am the National General Secretary, I don’t use my influence or my position there. In my office, I give my staff sense of belonging no matter their level. If your workers are close to you they share things with you. They see you as their confidant. It is same in my house. My children see me as their confidant. There is nothing they can’t tell me because I am very close to them. And I don’t treat them like their father. I discipline them when they go out of their boundary, but I allow them to have their ways. They have to express themselves. That’ how I do in my office too. Nobody has a monopoly of knowledge. You can even gain from your staff. If I was not given that opportunity, I won’t be who I am today. That is why I am also exhibiting that trait in everything I do. I share views with my lawyers too. We sit and talk, analyse issues, have their opinions and we are thriving. If I make a mistake, I apologise to my juniors. That boosts their morale. Nobody is perfect.
Did your background as a grandchild of two Ifa priests have any influence on you?
I would say yes and no. Well the influence enabled me to have keen interest in Yoruba culture and tradition. That was what brought me to OPC. I have learned about culture and tradition, and how to do Ifa divination. We followed my parents to Odunfa – the annual festival. I have gained one or two things that are beneficial to my life through the Ifa oracle and consultation. I am a Christian and I believe that God is the ultimate, the Alpha and Omega, creator of heaven and earth. But I still believe in our culture and tradition.
Someone introduced me to OPC, but because of my activities, I was not committeed. Then one day I attended their meeting at Akute. Then I joined fully and started participating. Now I am the National General Secretary of OPC. I have worked in different capacities in the organisation including as Head of Legal Department. We promote Yoruba culture and tradition and also defend the interest of the Yoruba race. It has even gone beyond that, because people from other tribes now attend our programmes. We have also contributed a lot in terms of security.