Bamidele Famoofo
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has described the siting of a new ultra-modern furniture company named ‘Home and You’ in the Ibeshe suburb of Ikorodu, as a key driver for the economy of the state and the country at large.
Mr. Ambode, while delivering a goodwill message at the factory commissioning ceremony on Tuesday, said it will create employment and increase the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“This is the first furniture company of its kind in the Ikorodu axis and it’s a clear indication that the efforts of Lagos Sate government to provide security and infrastructure is beginning to yield positive fruitsâ€, he said.
Ambode, represented by the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Physical Planning, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, said the industrial made in Nigeria furniture produced by Home and You will compete very well with foreign products of their kind. He disclosed that the government of Lagos State had been quite supportive of the company and promised to continue to support it for growth.
Representative of the financiers of the project, Executive Director of Bank of Industry, Mr. Waheed Olagunju , on the occasion, said the bank had supported the furniture company for about 13 years. “What’s being commissioned today is an expansion. Home and You is a role model for others to emulateâ€, he enthused.
Olagunju added: “By every standard, this factory is one of the best in the world and if the owners come again, we will give them loanâ€.
He eulogised the management of ‘Home and You’ for their policy of providing good welfare for staff, noting that the company takes care of feeding and shelter for its workers.
Meanwhile, Mrs Feyisola Abiru, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Home and You, said passion and undying crave for success have been the reason she was able to whether the storms in the early days of the 21 years old business. “ But for the support from BOI, we won’t be here today. They gave us the first facility in 2006 to get us running. We acquired world class machines from Italy. And when we needed to improve on our quality and expand the capacity of the business, we approached them again for another facility which was granted in 2017â€.
Also, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, pioneer chairman of the company, described Home and You as a young adult going places. Osunkeye, former chairman of Nestle Plc , who has been chairman the board of the company for seven and half years, described Feyisola as a decisive lady, who is well focused in her business.
Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos led a host of Obas and dignitaries from both the public and corporate sectors to commission the factory.
