KABIR JIBOLA GBEMISOLA: How I Rose From Petrol Attendant to Oil & Gas Tycoon

SUPER SATURDAY

Growing up in a city in the shadow of rocks in Abeokuta, Ogun State, life under his disciplinarian father helped him to develop strength of character. Alhaji Kabir Jibola Gbemisola believed his father must be a wicked man the way he had brought him up. But today, Gbemisola knows better. He tells Adedayo Adejobi about his childhood dreams, his role model, proudest moment, and managing his late father’s oil and gas business

• Why I Left Clubbing for the Arts

• I Thought My Dad Was Wicked But He Was a Blessing

My Childhood, My Father: Between Fear and Dislike

Growing up was fun. I grew up in Abeokuta. My dad was a strict disciplinarian. As a child, I was stubborn, but my dad did not allow me to be the way I wanted to be. I was trained to understand that there’s always a better life than being obstinate. I started learning to be a good child after my dad explained the need to be responsible amongst a lot of things, as a prerequisite to being successful. My dad was always on my case. He wanted the best for me and my siblings. I grew up knowing my dad to be an honest man in his business. So, when I lost him, I’ve exemplified honesty in my business dealings, because the name he left behind is a very good name that mustn’t be soiled. Even in death, the name keeps growing from strength to strength. We have learnt to be honest. Integrity is the watchword in our businesses.

As a young man, I didn’t’ think my father liked me because he was so strict that I feared him. I later found out that he wanted the best for me, the reason he was so strict. After he died, all I learnt from him in a very tough way have become very useful for me in handling his business. This year makes it five years since his demise. If we weren’t properly groomed, the business would have collapsed. I have learnt to be thorough, honest, and focused in my dealings.

My Father: Life After Death

We thank God that my father was able to impact lives and achieve a lot of in his time. There have been challenges but we are able to deal with them, as all of us have been part of his business before his death. So fitting into the business was very easy for us. The business has grown from a one-man enterprise in Abeokuta to a multimillion-naira global concern dealing with lots of foreign firms. Because we deal in petroleum products, both locally and internationally, our clients do background checks on us and always find our integrity untainted. If my dad was alive he would have played the advisory and instructive role, but since he’s no more, we’ve soldiered on and dealt squarely with the challenges.

Five years after his death, we have re-branded thus repositioning for greater efficiency and service delivery in the downstream sector, as that is the future of oil and gas. With three new stations opened in November, we are daily opening new retail outlets to be able to do well in the supply chain of outlets from retail stations to the warehouse. Our major dealerships are with Michelin and Dunlop tyre brands in Nigeria. We later diversified into oil and gas, haulage and from there we opened our ultra-modern storage facility in Kirikiri which is where we bring in cargo, petrol, diesel and kerosene through our jetty and discharge into our tanks so that we can wet all our filling stations. But now, the government has given us the chance to do more of importation by subsidy and also by providing intervention. Next year, we are diversifying into agriculture and property business to make more revenue.

The Challenge of the ‘Baton Exchange’

On the business divide, the major issue we’ve had is finance. This year has been very difficult because of the economy of the country.  Being in the filling station business, the other problem we face is getting approval to build more retail stations. Another challenge dealing with Nigerian banks’ high-interest rates. On the whole, the experience has been a huge learning curve. On the home front, the family has been together since my dad died. We talk from time to time. Even if we don’t call, we exchange WhatsApp messages or text messages to check on one another. The family has been excellent and doing very well. The government has been trying to regularly make products available. If we make payment for products now, we get loaded between two and 10 days. They can do more by making other products aside from PMS accessible. It will be beneficial to all marketers.

Born to Build the Business

I have been running my haulage business before my dad died. I never thought I would find myself in this shoe. But when I was called upon, I had no choice because I had been groomed and trained to fit into any system I find myself. My father trained me not to waste resources, but to invest and develop. With that mindset, I took on the mantle of handling the old man’s group of companies. In our own little way, we are impacting the society, re-investing in the economy and providing employment.

As a child, my dream was to be an architect but I found myself in a difficult situation. I could not cope, so I changed the course to Estate Management. I thought it was a very easy course until I got into it and realised it wasn’t easy for me. It took all my time I didn’t have a life again. So, I pulled out instead of getting a pass. Eventually, I studied estate management but I never practised it for a day. Maybe that’s why I’m going into property business by the first quarter of next year. After I left school, I wanted to start a real estate firm, but my dad said I should come and work for him. So I interned from fuel attendant to depot representative. After graduation, I joined the company as operations manager supervising all the stations with all trucks under my supervision. I was in charge of all that before my dad died. In all of this, I am fulfilled.

The Shock of Losing My Father

I left him at about 11 am and by 3 pm my wife called to tell me my father had died. We had been told that he had only one week to live. I was just praying to God to keep him because he deserved to live longer and he still had things to achieve at 64. A lot of things would have happened if he were alive because he was a workaholic and always on top of his game. It was a sad day for me because I lost one man that I looked up to. He was my role model and hero. My dad and I usually had issues because I believed he didn’t like me. I later realised his love for me. If not for my dad, I will not be here today. I would have gone astray. Before dying, he prayed for me and told me he was proud of me and that was the first time my dad would say that to me after his first operation.

When he passed away, I realised a lot of things about life. My life changed because I knew I had a huge responsibility to shoulder. He left behind a legacy we’ve upheld.

I have a son and most times when he is being naughty, I remember myself and I pray to God not to give me a son that will trouble me. If it is just pranks, it’s still okay. If I want to travel, I will call my son, Khalid, and tell him he is the head of the house now and that he should take charge. I left him with his mum in America since September and I told him to take care of her. My wife says he’s helping out. I’m giving him a sense of responsibility. Sometimes he follows me to the office when they are on holidays to see what I’m doing.

My Wife: My Life, My Love

We met in school in 2001, dated for about eight years and got married in 2008. My wife is very intelligent and spiritually sound. She is my backbone and I appreciate her because her advice and contributions to my life have made me a better person. We disagree once in a while but that won’t make me think of leaving or divorcing my wife. I told her nothing will make me divorce her. We’ll live together till death do us part. For my wife, it was love at first sight. She didn’t believe I was serious. But I told her I would marry her and at the end, we got married. My wife is more romantic than I am.

My Arsenal, Clubbing, and Arts

I’ve been following Arsenal since 1996. Their style of play made me like Arsenal so much. Sometimes I go to watch football matches when in London. But nowadays I don’t get crazy about it like before. But I love football so much. I used to go clubbing a lot before but I realised I come back messed up and restless the next morning. I then stopped because I wanted to wake up in the morning sharp. Since I don’t drink or smoke, I love to dance. I got tired of clubbing. My wife and I thought about the arts. I love at artworks because they make the house look beautiful and fresh. I love music. Music is that thing that gets to me even when I’m angry. Just play music even if I won’t smile I will nod my head. I love music and dancing. I don’t play the piano, but my children do. I listen to music of the 1980s and 1990s. I download songs on my phone, and most evenings, I go to my lounge to relax and refresh my brain. I love music to the extent that I have a record label but I don’t have time for it because of my business. I also love fashion. I do more of native now than shirts and trousers because of my status.

Riding on the Wing of My Father’s Goodwill

I was asked to come to a government agency and when I mentioned my father’s name, they said my father was a good man. Every office I entered, my entire request was speedily attended to because of father’s name. It would have been easier if it was my dad who had come there himself. Like my father, I want people to be remembered me for honesty, integrity and dignity. I want to touch people’s lives like my dad.

Politics? Count Me Out

I can be politicians’ friends. But I can’t be a politician because I can’t compromise being honest. My dad was called to join politics but he never agreed.

QUOTE: After I left school, I wanted to start a real estate firm, but my dad said I should come and work for him. So I interned from fuel attendant to depot representative. After graduation, I joined the company as operations manager supervising all the stations with all trucks under my supervision. I was in charge of all that before my dad died. In all of this, I am fulfilled