James Olusolabomi Akande, administrator and priest, is a zonal pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He shared the story of his life with TUNDE ADELEKE.
As a top manager, why did you pull out of the boardroom?
Now that you asked, I have had to give some thought to it, but it is very difficult to see a particular event or so. It is like a case of osmosis and diffusion. Rather than it being an event, person or whatever, it is just God’s doing. It was never a plan or a goal. It was gradual, starting from a combination of some sorts till the boardroom, literally but not completely, gave way and the pulpit took over. A time came when the allures of the boardroom were what gave way. Somehow, the drive and cravings for wealth creation gave way to the drive for impacting lives in a different way.
Can you tell us some of the challenges you have encountered on the pulpit and how you surmounted them?
Every assignment in life throws up its own challenges. To move forward positively in life, every endeavour throws up challenges unless you don’t dream big for your assignment. I have a passion for achieving goals of whatever I am involved in. I believe, as a pastor, you are to impact the lives of people positively and draw men to Christ. To achieve this, I believe in creating an environment: physical and spiritual; physical, through church planting far and wide, a conducive environment for worship and importantly taking care of the spiritual, emotional and social well-being of the church. In this, God has been so gracious to us that we have been able to plant churches in the United States of America, Great Britain and Nigeria; not only plant but build a few from scratch, among others. To also cater for the spiritual and social needs of the church, we initiate numerous programmes in conformity with mission doctrines. I also believe that man is a social being and, as such, it is necessary to create such avenues in the church settings or they will seek it elsewhere. Achieving all this throws up the challenge of finance. The most brilliant of ideas can be limited by finance. God willing, we are moving forward. God has been so gracious that I have always worked with people that believe in my vision, ideas and drive.
How was your experience growing up?
In glee and joy, I left my humble hometown and parents at the age of three in the early 60s to Lagos. I went to Ikoyi, Ikoya Avenue to be precise I don’t know if the name has changed now. I went there to live with my father’s immediate elder brother, now of blessed memory. He was a federal permanent secretary at that time; I had everything and had fun with a silver spoon. Ikoyi was interesting at the time, there were only a few cars on the road. The then Inspector-General of Police lived opposite our house. In those days, there were no fences between houses and we hardly walked on the street. We walk through the backyards of the houses from the beginning of the street to the end. We all knew ourselves then, whether black or white. Our pastimes in those days were provoking dogs, reading Marvel comics and street football. It was fun growing up.
You must have been privileged to enjoy schooling then.
I started schooling around 1965 at Ireti Primary School, then on Mekween Street. From there, I went to Adventist Grammar School at Ede in today’s Osun State. I was tremendously blessed with that transition. There, I met some of the most important people in my life today, like Dr Adedeji Adeleke, who was a year my senior then. I did a two-year HSC (A Levels) at the Federal Government College, Odogbolu. In 1978, I travelled to the United Kingdom and obtained my first degree at today’s Northumbria University in Newcastle and my MBA at Aston University in Birmingham, specialising in Operations Management (production systems). That concluded my education and I returned to my fatherland in 1982. Of course, training and development continued in various fields of endeavour.
Can you take us through your career journey?
I joined Enpee Industries Plc at Ilupeju as an Industrial Engineer in 1982. There was so much to do then in the textile industry as they were first-generation industries and had basic work practices. Efficiency was not exactly the order of the day as profit margins in those days could be as high as 80 per cent of selling prices. I was in my 20s and as an Assistant Manager, heading two departments, I had to report directly to the then Director of Operations, Dr O. P. Pahuja. He unbridled me and I literally touched every department with efficiency and improvement as the watchword. This brought me into conflict and made me the envy of many of the senior men who were, at least, double my age. I got promoted to Assistant General Manager and Deputy General Manager, among others, when I was still in my early 30s. These positions were the highest operational level which blacks could achieve in the industry then. There were black directors, but operationally, the highest was General Manager, a very senior and powerful position. I soon became the textile employers’ front man in national negotiations in the 90s, a group of more than 250 textile industries scattered all over Nigeria. When the textile industry was being decimated, I had proposals that could have saved the willing minority, probably, since it was not implemented. No one believed me, including the employers and unions alike. I left the industry in 2004 to be on my own. The rest is history.
What informed your choice of spouse and how did it happen?
Frankly speaking, someone that will support my work and allow me was uppermost in my mind. I occasionally slept in the factory to see to the implementation of orders. I led from the front, not just issued orders. I got that support and care from my wife, Tolulope, and I am grateful for that today. Over 30 years and counting makes me remember an ancient Ibadan war general, Dado of the 19th Century, who was always in his element when he heard musketry and gunfire. When there was no war, he would go into the forest to release volleys just to be in his element. He scared the indigenes of Ibadan and that got him into trouble though. But I never got into trouble with my dear wife.
As a young boy, did you navigate the Ikoyi environment with pranks associated with youthfulness?
I was somehow troublesome and it was a bit chaotic. I liked disturbing others. At Ede, I was a member of a group called the ‘Big 6’, including Balogun Ewa, Suku, Ori Ikan, Isaac, Akeem and myself, I will not mention my nickname. Balogun Ewa as the group head was troublesome and warlike. He is a pastor today, though, like Ori Ikan. I can’t remember how he got that nickname now. During preparatory classes, just to cause pandemonium, we used to switch off the school’s central light, enjoying the chaos that ensued for another 39 minutes.
Which foods do you consider as your favourite?
It changes from time to time, such that all foods have had their time. From the once-a-year rice of the early 60s to beans at Ede and so on and so forth, I came to the conclusion that my best food is that which I eat when really hungry. But I have a soft spot for tasty Okro soup (alasepo) any day.
What can you describe as your pastimes now?
They vary and are changeable just like my best food. In the 80s, it was ‘opon ayo’. I always carry one in my car and can play anywhere, except in the factory. I would go as far as Ilasa in Lagos then, from Anthony and Gbagada to play. I enjoy the language of opon ayo till today. My current pastime now is being on my IPad. I have everything to keep me occupied on it and those closest to me sometimes “conspire” to “steal” it. I wish them good luck.
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