Ambassador Folake Marcus Bello, former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Malawi and Zambia, is a lawyer, politician and an entrepreneur. In this interview by TAYO GESINDE, she speaks about the challenges entrepreneurs face in Nigeria, her most defining moments and the secret of her success.
Price I paid to get to the top
THERE is nothing that doesn’t come with a price, and nothing prepares you for the life ahead of you. You never know which way life is going to take you through. The biggest definition of life for me is that man proposes, God disposes but I have always known that I would end up an entrepreneur because I come from a family of entrepreneurs. On my father’s side, they were administrators, one of my uncles; Mr Marcus was a representative of the Governor General in Nigeria, but on my maternal side, they are entrepreneurs, and you know that a mother has a greater influence on her children. So, I have always known I would end up an entrepreneur and it is also interesting that wherever I found myself in life; I always did one form of trading or another. I did it as a student, when I was a journalist, a lawyer, even when I was a commissioner. I have been raised to know how to make the extra bulk and to be independent and depend on myself. If I tell the readers that there are permanent road maps to success, I will be lying. A very few people are successful who have a straight curve; they finished school, got a good job and stayed there till they retired. Life throws you around which was what happened in my case. What I know is that for you to be successful in life, keep your eyes on the ball and constantly relate to your being; the Almighty God. You must connect to Him to fulfil your purpose. To have a successful life, you must have a spiritual life, so that whatever happens you are connected to the one who sent you on a message here. Also, have a plan and a dream of what you want to become. You also need to find out what you need to do to attain the dream. So painfully, prayerfully and systematically, follow the path you have laid for yourself. The kind of energy you put into your work will also determine your level of success.
On the mindset that a woman’s place is in the kitchen
I am lucky in that aspect. I wasn’t raised to be a woman or a man. I come from a family where we were raised to be a human being, to be confident, independent and to believe in yourself. Apart from the home, also my faith; I am a Catholic and in the Catholic faith we were raised to be human beings. The most important things are your heart, charity, prayer and outward appearance. It is your personal relationship with kindness, discipline and act of mercy that are important. So, the Catholic Church and Catholic schools I attended trained us to be independent, to have the I can do spirit and to be honest. I know that a lot of women are raised to believe that a woman’s place is in the home but that is changing. And I want to appeal to our women not to hold on to that excuse and not support their husbands and do what they want to do. I know that culturally, women are still held back but that is changing and it has changed for a lot of women. In Africa, 60 per cent of households are headed by women. The men are either dead, in war, not responsible to be there for their families or polygamists and the women are left to take care of themselves and their children. The truth of the matter is that women are unfolding; they are coming out of the shell. Also, if you want to keep a woman in the kitchen, do you have the capacity to provide for all your family needs? One income is not enough to take care of the family these days that is why the woman needs to work in or out of the home. We should not deceive ourselves, not many men can afford not to have their wives not working in Africa. Even in Islam where women who are not allowed to come out of the house, they have their handcrafts that they do and sell. So, a woman’s place is not in the kitchen. Moreover, when we are getting education, there is no difference, we are seen as human being who must get educated so why should there be discrimination afterwards?
Why women entrepreneurs face financial challenges
The major challenge is finance because generally, women don’t like to owe. I may not be authorised to say this but because of my interaction with agencies that loan money out in my own search for loan to enhance my business, there is so much complaint that women don’t come to take loan. A gender desk is even created at Bank of Industry for example, women don’t go. They are scared of taking loan because their husbands must not know or because of their family name. Some don’t want to grow or own big factories; they just want to make ends meet. Also, most of them don’t have collaterals for these loans. We have said that financial institutions should collect jewellery as collateral as they do in Italy. There is hardly any woman who doesn’t buy jewellery. Women are not to own land in some parts of Africa because they see them as chattel, property of the men. Then women are not such great accountants. They can’t hold on to their capital because so many things are getting the attention of their capital from their children to their husbands, so, it is difficult to keep proper records. But in fairness to the government of Nigeria, they are asking women to come for loans but there are so many stumbling blocks and women are so easily discouraged, they don’t want the stress.
My experience as an entrepreneur
When my tour of duty was coming to an end, I knew I didn’t want to immediately go back into politics because of the situation that reared its head in Ogun State. So, I started to plan to go into entrepreneurship. I initially wanted to go into animal husbandry because of my experience in Malawi, so, I applied for land, I came back, got some South Africans to partner with me, went to Veterinary Department, University of Ibadan, to study their animal husbandry, got an architect and everything needed only to be stopped by government after spending the little income I had. So, I decided to go into paper production and paper converting, so, I did my research and needed to pick up machinery for which I didn’t have money. So, I went to get land in a village, set up a factory in a village. I needed money but everywhere I got to I was turned back because I was a Politically Exposed Person (PEP) despite the fact that I had collateral. When I started this business, I needed about N30 million to buy a particular machinery as of the time it was N120 to $1. Up till now, I have not gotten the loan and we all know what the dollar is today. So, government policies are not helping the entrepreneurs at all. Also, because there is no control in Nigeria, where I get the raw materials from, the price is always fluctuating, so, how do small-scale people survive? Bigger competition swallows you up; there is no space except you have doggedness, determination, success-minded and passion to succeed. Being in the manufacturing industry is a killer in Nigeria. I have had to rely on myself. I had sold land, jewellery, property just to keep it going. If I didn’t have other investment to rely on this passion would have died with me.
Defining moments
Every milestone I have had was a defining moment; from being a labour prefect in my primary and secondary schools, to being the vice president of the student union at the University of Ibadan. I have been lucky and blessed. I got to meet the Pope who is now a saint, I met great people along the way and dealt with the best of the best both at the local and international levels. I had a good life though it has not been all lovey-dovey. The rough patches came. However, I am still enjoying my life.
Combining the home front with career
It is tough but interesting. Determination is the word. And because I believe you must continuously develop yourself. I was already married when I went back to do Law. My first degree was in Political Science. I did Masters in International Peace and Conflict Resolutions when I came back. It depends on you. You just have to plan your time. I never for once missed open days of my children despite the fact that somewhere along the line, I became a single mother, even when I was a commissioner and an ambassador. Every school they were, I was a member of the PTA. Of course, it cost me a lot of sleepless nights because sometimes, I have to do it back to back. Even when I became an ambassador and was told that I could not drive my son to school, I said I was first of all a mother. I told them to pull down the flag and drove my son to school. It is only when I had a late night that I would get the driver to drive but will still go with him to school. Even when they were in the university, I still find excuse to go to their schools. All the three boys are big mighty boys now and I also have two little angels, my twins, I am part of their life. I try sometimes it is difficult or impossible but I squeeze time to be there for them because they are my future. I am going to end up in their hands.
On 21st century challenges of parenting
The most important thing is to be the example that they need, that is the key. Are you a parent that is there? We should be there physically and spiritually. Are you showing them leadership in your own home? Are you showing them that you are discipline? Do they see that they work hard for your money? Do they see that you say what you will do? Do they see the example that is lacking out there in you? Majority of the children out there are left on their own. They have nobody to look up to, no mentors. We give more attention to social media than our children so they venture out on their own. And when they are looking for love, it is whoever offers it to them that they will take. Do they know your values? Do you spring surprises on your children in their school? Do you know their friends? Do you discuss with them? You have to be there for them. It is a sacred responsibility. If you have done a good job by the time they are fifteen, your job is done. You have to be present when they need you so you can enjoy for the rest of your life.
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