Dr. Obiora Madu is the Director General of Multimix Academy and the Chairman of the Lagos Chamber Export Group. In this interview, Dr. Obiora narrates how Multimix academy was initiated, the success, challenges as well as the future. He also told MMS Plus how he ended up a fulfilled teacher and the high-points of his career.
Excerpts…
Over the years Multimix academy has been able to distinguish itself as a leading freight forwarding institution in Nigeria, what is the secret behind the success?
Actually, the institution covers the entire supply chain which includes freight forwarding that is a sub-component of the supply chain. We deal with all the areas in the supply chain such as transportation, supply chain logistics, warehousing, etc. The secret has been commitment and continuous improvement. Since we build the capacity of other people, we keep upgrading all the time and we remain focused.
For anyone who knows the academy, what comes to the person’s mind is logistics and supply chain. For those who know me, once they see any article written by me or carrying my photograph, they assume it is from Multimix and the issue has to be logistics. Our focus has enabled us impress our name in the minds of people. For the corporate organizations that we work for and the individuals who come for certification, we make sure we create value. Value creation is the secret because clients are always looking out for your value proposition and it is not only the proposition, it is also about the delivery of that value. Do we really deliver what we have proposed? Yes we deliver and that is why ‘word of mouth’ is our greatest marketing instrument. Once someone leaves, he/she spreads the good news and we keep getting referrals for almost all the programmes we do.
Have there been challenges over the years?
Of course, there are challenges in the system. Most of the time, if any company would have to cut cost, the first place they go to is training. So the volume of training is not at the level we want it. The economic environment and normal business challenges such as multiple taxation and others will always be there. However, we have a very strong faculty base as well as a strong customer base and this has helped us overcome most of these challenges.
How old is Multimix academy?
As a training institution, the academy is about 12 years because it actually started as Multimix investment, later it became Multimix Export Academy and then, Multimix academy. That has been the evolution.
You have been organizing several logistics conferences, what have you been able to achieve with these symposiums?
Well, it is advocacy. We want to bring certain things to the public domain and inform people especially the regulatory agencies about several areas of focus. For example, trade compliance was brought up by Multimix academy in collaboration with the African Centre for Supply Chain (ACSC). We have had two summits and we are having the third one this year as trade compliance summit. It is an issue of importance because all regulatory agencies of government that have anything to do with trade embrace this programme. International trade is about compliance, freight forwarding is also about compliance, so if compliance is not put on the front burner then there is a problem. Part of the reasons the nation has credibility issues, has to do with compliance. There are also other areas like warehousing; supply chain issues etc. At the moment everyone is crying that revenue is dwindling and we are saying manage your cost, develop Cost Management strategies because once you are unable to increase revenue you must be able to manage cost. If you are not able to do this, then you will be out of business.
What is the future of the academy?
My dream is that the academy would not crumble without me. I want the institution to carry on without me; therefore I am putting structures in place to ensure that so many programmes can run in my absence. So many programmes run while I am out of the country even some of our flagship programmes. This is because we have a solid base of faculty. I don’t want a scenario where I am Multimix. It’s an organization and an academy.
One challenge found in developing countries is that businesses hardly survive the demise of the flag bearer, the person who initiated it. There was a time Multimix had a very important programme for a company and I told the company that I was travelling to Kenya and they asked ‘how can you be going to Kenya when we have a programme?’ And I said if the programme couldn’t run in my absence it means I don’t have a company and perhaps I shouldn’t be given the job at all. I challenged the company by telling them to allow the programme run and if it wasn’t done properly they shouldn’t pay. That programme was a success while I was in Kenya and the company confessed that there wasn’t any difference as a result of my absence.
The future of the academy is bright. Logistics and supply chain management is still an infantry in Nigeria and it is bound to grow. It is not easy to pioneer something and still be leading after 12 years. Someone said there must be something that I have been doing right; that thing is value. You cannot encounter Multimix and not go back different from the way you came.
You are also the chairman of Lagos Chamber Export Group. Tell us about the group?
The Chamber is structured in a way that sectoral groups are created to carter for the interest of the group. The export group used to be part of Agriculture and Allied but since export came to the front burner it became important for the Chamber to calve out the Export group which is aimed at developing exporters, helping them in several ways via seminars , mentorship, etc.
We are looking forward to the group turning out to be the focal point to increase the number of people who are exporting, build their capacity and also to be in a position to give trade leads links to other people who aren’t members of the group.
Is there a relationship between the Lagos Chambers Export Group and the National Export Promotion Council (NEPC)?
We work hand in hand with the National Export Promotion Council. They have the government support, they get the subventions, they have the spread, but we have the technical competence. So, we have been working together in several ways. For example, the suspension of some agricultural produce of Nigeria into the E.U, at Chambers we did a programme and we invited NEPC and when they had a policy dialogue on the same issue they invited us and we worked together.
In 2014 you got a national award, Tell us about it as well as the highpoints of your career?
In the last 32 years, I have been involved in International Trade extending to Logistics and Supply Chain Management. I think that was what gave rise to the National Productivity Order of Merit Awards which was given to me by the former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.
This award came as a surprise to me because the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) that I served as a council member had got forms from the National Productivity and distributed it. I just filled it, signed and returned it. I didn’t even know it was submitted until I got a call. I think it means that while you do your job in the corner where you are, someone maybe watching. Hence, people must be careful in whatever they do. There are certain things we allow to happen that could become a disaster to dent our image in the future. No one could claim to be a saint but the fact is being passionate and be consistent.
I have spent 32 uninterrupted years practicing on International Trade and Logistics. I have written five books and others will be coming out shortly. My career has always been upward and forward along this sector and I believe it was destined to be like that. I read banking, I didn’t want to be a teacher but I was destined to be a teacher. I actually went to a Teachers’ Training College, so I was a well breed teacher but I branched off to go and read Banking. When I came into the Banking industry, I was always told to go and do something in the Training school so I ended up running a school and becoming a teacher and I am fulfilled. My fulfillment comes from adding value to the lives of people. When someone calls me and says, “Oga I am no longer at that place, I just got a big job” it gives me a lot of satisfaction.
Life is not all about naira and kobo. Someone told me some years ago that he couldn’t find a line between my passion and my business and it’s true because there is no line, they are together. This is the reason why what looks like stress to someone else, is not stress to me. If you wake me up at anytime to say it’s time for class I can’t say I don’t feel like teaching or I’m tired. I’m almost 60 years old, yet I remain as vibrant, enthusiastic and passionate about my job as ever. I’m very happy and fulfilled. I thank God because He made it possible.
One Last word!
The Nigeria economy is in dire stress right now. I pray that the new government will tow the right line. For the appointments so far, it’s not been too satisfactory but I think they are trying to settle down. There are too many delays, although it takes time to change but it shouldn’t take eternity. I believe in this country so whatever it takes to make this country survive and be a better place; I am willing to do it.
By Kenneth Jukpor
