Categories: Interview

How I turned SAHCO into billion naira company —Ogeah

The Managing Director of Mac Folly Limited, Operator of Lagos Marriot Hotel, Ikeja, Mr. Chike Ogeah was a Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Holding Company Limited (SAHCO) and an ex-Commissioner for Information, Delta State. He shared the story of his life with SEGUN KASALI.

You look like a strict or tough person. Is that right?

Ironically, I am not even tough at all. Perhaps, it is a case of judging a book by its cover. But, one thing I have noticed is that I am a very pragmatic and flexible person in everything I do. Even in decision-making, what I think makes me a successful CEO is that I am always collegiate, and always consultative. I take advice from my subordinates as well as my superiors in everything I do. You would not expect who would save your head when the need arises. It might just be your cleaner. So, I have always operated an open-door policy. One of my cardinal principles in life is respect for self and respect for others.

These values must have been deep-rooted in your childhood, isn’t it?

Yes, to an extent. I am of very mixed parentage; I am a mini-Nigeria so to speak. So, that opened up my mind early. My late mother was a Yoruba woman but from somewhere in Kogi State and then my father is from Asaba, which makes me South-South. So, you can see I am a mini-Nigeria and that is the kind of worldview I grew up with. I don’t see tribe and others. It is a pity that Nigeria is suffering from the yoke of all these things.

How did you balance such a worldview at that tender age?

I went to an international school which different people from different parts of the country attended. So, I was exposed very early in life. I embraced it so to speak and I remember a few things my parents taught me.

What did they teach you?

Never procrastinate and always be true to yourself. She said self-deceit causes a lot of problems when you start thinking you are what you are not. So, you must know yourself. So, once you are comfortable with yourself, you can make an impact. It is important you have the mindset to impact and also mentor people just the way I was mentored.

You were mentored?

Yes! I was mentored by a super permanent secretary, former minister of petroleum, former chief economic adviser, diplomat, and political strategist. I can assure you that the mentorship influenced me. It is part of those things that have shaped my life. I remember the first day he asked me to do something. I came back to him and said I was not sure. You needed to see his face and from that day, the statement I am not sure and I don’t know did not come out of my mouth again. This is because he believes when you are given a task, there should not be ‘I am not sure. You must go and find out. Even if you don’t get the solution, you must go and find it. My parents were also great mentors. But my mum passed on while I was very young and I was the only son. I was very attached to her. Her death was a very traumatic experience for me.

Why was it a traumatic experience for you?

I was so attached to her. I did no wrong in her eyes. Thank God for my father. She was a Yoruba woman who lived in Asaba. We shared a lot of memories while she was alive. We travelled all over the world. She took me around with her. She was a good Catholic. I remember as a child, I was always tagging along with her. I would go to London with her whenever she wanted to go there for relaxation. There were just five in the family -me, my two sisters, herself and my dad. There were a few of our cousins staying with us then. It was a great family.

Did you see her other side?

I remember one offence I committed but it was of my dad that executed it. I think it was during my O-levels. I came back and took a Peugeot 504. While I was coming back, I had a puncture and I did not even know how to change a tyre then. So, I drove it home like that and that damaged not only the tyre but the rim as well. And that was the car one of them wanted to use the next day. I knew I was asleep but I was woken up by a crazy slap. I don’t think I would forget it in a long time. I did not even know where the slap came from- Whether my dad or mum.

What traits did you inherit from your parents?

My mother was a very stylish woman. So, you would think my whole fashion sense is from her. She was very diligent and intelligent. She was an entrepreneur as well as an educationist. She was a very accomplished woman. My father was a medical doctor. He took care of his family very well. I don’t know how old my father was when the Civil War broke out. I was barely 5-years-old, while my sisters were 6 and 7. That man put us in the car and took us across Niger during the civil war. We were there for the next 30 months of the Biafra war. We were dodging bombs, bullets and everything. And this man was taking care of his family. I am over 60 years now. That is why when some keep shouting war in Nigeria, I just shake my head and laugh. People don’t even know what war is. I have seen war. I remember we kept on moving from one friend’s house to the other. At a time, we rented a house and we left. All of these were done for 30 months.

What happened thereafter?

When the war ended, they came back and I think they were all given 20 pounds. My mother had her cousins in the Army- General Abisoye, General Ogunleye and others at that time. They picked my father, locked him up as being one of the conspirators and all of that. But they were the ones who came in and got him released. I got some survival skills from him because, during the civil war, we had to go to streams to fetch water. We were privileged; we belonged to the upper class.

What was it like to live with two sisters?

It was okay. My sisters were very lovely. What happened was that I obviously had three mothers. And I met my wife very early in life. I met her at age 18. We got married when I was 28-years-old. When my wife joined the crew, I now had 4 mothers. I had been dating my wife for 10 years before we got married.

How did you meet her?

We both met at the university. A friend of mine and I had gone to Moremi Hall, at the University of Lagos to take two other girls out to the cinema. All these were done at the insistence of my friend. -He said the girls I wanted to bring I did not see them. But, on my way coming down, I met a girl I used to know that I have always liked and she said to me that the only way she could come with me was that her twin sister would tag along. I said ‘oh we are going out with twins now.’ I was waiting in the car. Then the so-called twin sister and the girl came in. So, that was how one thing led to the other.

What kept your interest in her?

I saw so much of my mother in her. I met a girl who was already taking charge of me despite being my age mate, making me almost more important than herself. Whenever she goes home, she would cook food and bring it for my friend and me.

How did you start your law career?

The first place I worked was a law firm called Sofunde, Osakwe, Ogundipe&Belgore and that was where I met Tunde Fashola. We both were the lawyers that set up that Law Firm with those four partners. I realised the first time I went to court, I did not sleep all night because I was reading and there was no light. When I got to court, I was sweating in my wig and gown. The court commenced and the registrar started giving us dates for adjournment. The dates were like next year and I asked if this is what law is all about. I just lost interest in law, especially the litigation aspect. The good thing about law is that it is very wide. So, I set up a law firm with a friend of mine, Adegbite Adeniji and we were doing a lot of commercial practice. After that, I went into government. By 2006, I got an appointment as the Managing Director of SAHCO. So, it was really at SAHCO I met Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, who is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, SIFAX Group. So, SAHCO was a business but was totally run down because the parent company of SAHCO was Nigerian Airways. But they took SAHCO aside and made it a parastatal under the Ministry of Aviation and said we should go and privatize it. SAHCO is a logistics company which gives services to airlines. So, when I got there, the value of the company was N300 million because their equipment was not only old but obsolete. But I got my first major contract with Arik Air. That is why I am very sad about what happened to Arik Air. At that time, eight out of 10 take-offs were from Arik Air. They were the biggest airline in the country. So, I started rebuilding SAHCO bit by bit. The whole idea was to build it and get it ready for privatisation. After four years, KPMG gave a valuation and we were now at about N1.2 billion. The whole privatisation process took a long time because I worked with six ministers of aviation. Each one, when he gets in, wants me out. But, when they see the privatisation process, I am sure they were always better advised. Perhaps it was a transparent auction privatisation process in the country. The price of the asset was known, valued at about N1.2bn. Dr Taiwo Afolabi came in and he was the successful bidder for about N5.6bn. You could see I did not do him any special favour. He paid a premium and we made a lot of value for the government. That was how my journey with Dr Afolabi started. Shortly after that, I was supposed to go abroad for a short course, but some of my friends prevailed on me and one way or the other I found myself as the Commissioner for Information in Delta State. And of course, I did that for another four years. All these times, I think in appreciation of the work I did in SAHCO, Dr Afolabi was gracious with me and kept me on the board as the vice-chairman. I just retired from the board after about 15 years. Of course, everyone can see what SIFAX has done with that company.

Did you reconnect with Dr Afolabi thereafter?

Yes, it was after a board meeting in Lagos. He asked if I was back to Lagos and I said yes. Then, he said ‘this is the project.’ He said ‘don’t go yet. I would take you somewhere.’ Then, he brought me to the land where Marriot is. And he said ‘you remember what I told you when we were going for one of those trips that we can do this.’ I did remember and it was a trip to somewhere in Houston, America. It was a beautiful hotel and he said we can have this too in our country. And that was how we started bit by bit. And he said ‘Chike! This is the project for you to drive.’ And you know Dr Afolabi is into so many things- Shipping, power, oil and gas, maritime and so many others. So, that was how we started driving this. I thank God. I can make bold to say that in the next 10 years something better will come up.

What are those things people don’t know about him?

The truth is that Dr Afolabi is an open book. There is nothing anyone does not know about him. I think his greatest strength in life which God blessed him with is his humility and I think he deserves the respect people have for him. When you see him, you would see that this man is not fighting with anybody. He is just doing his own thing and he respects everyone. Another thing about him is his integrity. His word is his bond. He has great family values. He does not joke with his family

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