Chief David Oluwasesan Arowolo, politician and businessman, is the Chairman/CEO of Heritage conglomerate. He told TUNDE ADELEKE his life story.
Through the length and breadth of Ekiti, the name Oluomo Arowolo reverberates. Why?
Thank you very much. The reason why all the nook and crannies of Ekiti are echoing Oluomo is simple: the foundation and my roots. I cherish my family heritage and where I come from. I come from a noble family, a family that has tradition, a family that upholds integrity; I am a product of that family. That’s why today, I echo what the family believes and that’s the reason the name is all over the place.I was born into the Christian home of the late Mr. Stephen Ola Arowolo of the great Goodwear House, Ibadan and Mrs Elizabeth Arowolo, a civil servant and a God-fearing woman.
How would you describe your growing up days?
I was born and bred in Ibadan, but I schooled in Ijero-Ekiti. During my youth, I passed through many of my family members; I stayed with my aunt – my mum’s elder sister – who was an HOD in a government vestablishment in Ibadan at that time. I thank God for what she instilled in me that made me what I am today. At that time, we were taught morals, good behaviour, how to aim at becoming great and all that. I would say she contributed immensely to making me who I am today.
What about your educational background?
For my primary education, I attended Polytechnic Staff School, Ibadan. My aunt, Mrs A. M. Tubi, was the Head of Department of Nursing at the University College Hospital (UCH) in the 70s. She taught us everything. At an early age in the 70s, we would go to lecture rooms; that gave us the awareness that one has to be great, that education is key to success in life. So, that’s how I grew to understand the value of education and that was the base my foundation was built upon.
So, what happened after Polytechnic Staff School?
I went back to my parents. And my dad, a man of honour and integrity said “Sesan, I would be taking you to Ijero to go and school.” Before then, we had been coming to Ijero at festive periods like the Ogun festival in August and some few other family engagements. I had loved Ijero as a town that’s so peaceful and the people there were loving.
So, when my dad called me and said I was going to school in Ijero, I received it with great joy and triumph. Today, I’m reaping the reward because it has enabled me to be what I am in Ijero-Ekiti. I am a proper son of the soil. I did five years of schooling in Ijero and I know every nook and corner here and I acquired a lot of friends and know quite a lot of relations.
I later went to Ibadan Grammar School for my Advanced Level which at that time was highly rated; it was so prestigious. Shortly after that, I had a brief experience working with the United Bank of Africa in Kaduna. It was a short period of less than six months. After that, I travelled out of the country, and for over 32 years, I have been abroad where I acquired a Bachelor’s degree in Law.
Where did you train as a lawyer?
Well, I have not been admitted into the Bar yet, I only have a degree in Law from Dublin Business School, Ireland.
What about your career?
Well, as for my career, I can say I’m a versatile man. The versatility takes me around all what you can think about – business, education, entertainment, farming and so on. So, I cut across several walks of life. But as at now, what I’m concerned about is business; I am a business person, a shrewd entrepreneur. I sleep business, I dream business and I think business; that’s all I do and I am into food business majorly now.
Doing business can be challenging?
Growing up as a young man, you must have faced a lot of challenges, touching different kinds of activities; while some would be successful, some would fail. These are what make you a strong man and this kind of experience has put me, in good stead because I remember I was into importing and exporting, and had my fingers burnt several times because it was a business I didn’t quite understand and up till today, I still don’t understand it.
One day, government can just bring a policy that could be back-breaking, that could send you down the drain. So, I didn’t understand importing and exporting at that time. I also tried my hands in employment and it didn’t take me far as well, until I took the bull by the horn and decided to set up my own business and dabbled into bakery.
Obviously, bakery has its own challenges because of the part of the world where I was at that time. It’s a country that has a system, a laid down legislation – all what you want to do – you need to have a degree, a certification, a proper licence, your business has to be well established, you file your tax as and when due and all what not. So, it makes it a bit cumbersome for me. But I have three Ds: the drive, the determination and the discipline and I was able to cut across all I needed to do in business. And today, my company or business, Heritage Confectionery is a household name abroad. We have three branches: Heritage Foods, Heritage Event Centre and Heritage Bread, all under the umbrella of Heritage Confectionery.
With all these, how do you handle social life?
Well, I am not a very sociable person because people who come across me and those who relate with me at close quarters know that I am not a society man. I don’t drink and I don’t smoke; I am teetotaler. I love my soft drink. I am not a party-going person.
Looking back, what pranks were you involved as a young man?
As a fairly young man, you will always have your own dark side. But thank God, the Christian home where I came from did not allow me much to mingle with men of shady character and women of easy virtue. I wouldn’t really say I was a very naughty boy growing up. I was a home boy, very shy, very respectful. So, I tend to view and respect every human being that I come across from my tender age up till now.
How did you meet your wife then?
You know in the Bible, it’s stated that when you have a good woman, it makes you see the face of God. I would say meeting my wife was divine. The uncle of my wife is my friend. And when the sister came, she was looking for job and I was a supervisor where I was working. I took her sister in. When I met her, it was love at first sight. The day I met her was the day I spoke to her and decided I was going to marry her. She’s such a God-fearing woman. Right from the first day I met her and for good 32 years now, she has never changed. She’s still the same woman I met in 1990.
How do you combine your role as a businessman, politician and a father?
One of my children would always refer to me as an octopus. One day, I asked her ‘why octopus?’ She explained that octopus has eight hands, saying ‘you are the only person that I see that can joggle about eight things together.’ At that time, I was going to school, I had this business, I was in politics; I was into so many things and I did combine all successfully. That’s one thing about me, I have one outstanding quality: I work under pressure successfully. I love when there is pressure, I don’t like when things are relaxed. I love when I am put on edge; that’s when you see the best of me.
I don’t like having things easy; I love to work for whatever I target. I am a very active man. I can’t sit down watching; I am a bee, I fly around. I hate to rest on my oars.I always aim higher; when I finish one thing, I go for another. In business, politics and everything I do, I always raise the bar, trying to be better and better.
When were your happiest and saddest moments?
I always go with the biblical doctrine that in everything, you have to be thankful. The Bible doesn’t say this is the particular time you have to be thankful. I don’t have a time I can describe as the happiest and saddest. The only thing I can describe as negative is that it’s unfortunate that my dad, who was the architect of me today is not around to see my success. That’s the only minus I can think of. But my mum was around when I was bestowed with the title of Oluomo of Ijero Kingdom. Honestly, I wished my father was around to witness that moment. That’s probably the only time I think I see as a negativity.
And your pastimes?
I have described myself earlier as a bee. A bee would work, work and work. That’s what gives me amazing health, such that when I want to sleep, I sleep soundly. In 24 hours, I sleep for about four or five hours and that’s all. Most of the time I think about how to make myself a better person, a good role model to my children, my followers and supporters and how to better their lives as well.
It’s my joy when I see fellow human beings prosper.
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The PDP spokesman recalled how the opposition party had on various occasions alerted that the APC government had ceded sovereignty over a large portion of our country to terrorists, “many of whom were imported into our country by the APC.”
He further stated: “From the video, in a brazen manner, terrorists as non-state actors boldly showed their faces, boasting, admitting and confirming their participation in the Kuje Prison break, some of whom were former prison inmates who were either jailed or awaiting trial for their previous terrorism act against our country.
“Nigerians can equally recall the confession by the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai that the APC government knows the plans and whereabouts of the terrorists but failed to act.
According to Ologunagba, about 18,000 Nigerians have been killed by terrorists between 2020 and 2022 “as the criminals continue to be emboldened by the failures and obvious complicity of the APC and to which the PDP had always drawn attention.”
“This is not politics; this is about humanity and leadership, which leadership sadly and unfortunately is missing in our country at this time,” he said.
The PDP added that it is appalled by “the lame response by the apparently helpless, clueless and deflated Buhari Presidency, wherein it told an agonizing nation that President Buhari “has done all and even more than what was expected of him as Commander in Chief by way of morale, material and equipment support to the military…”
“This is a direct admission of incapacity and failure by the Buhari Presidency and the APC. At such a time, in other climes, the President directly leads the charge and takes drastic measures to rescue and protect his citizens.
“In time of adversity, the President transmutes into Consoler-in-Chief to give hope and succour to the citizens. Painfully, Nigeria does not have a President who cares and can stand as Consoler-in-Chief to the citizens.
“It has now become very imperative for Nigerians to take note and realize that the only solution to this unfortunate situation is to hold the APC government accountable. We must come together as a people, irrespective of our political, ethnic and religious affiliations to resist the fascist-leaning tendencies of the APC administration.
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“Our nation must not fall. The resilient Nigerian spirit and ‘can-do- attitude’ must be rekindled by all to prevail on the President to immediately and without further delay, accede to the demand by the PDP and other well-meaning Nigerians to convene a special session of the National Council of State to find a lasting solution since the President has, in his own admission, come to his wit’s end,” the PDP spokesman declared.
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