Encomium
On Sunday, June 15, 2014, ENCOMIUM Weekly visited successful business woman and CEO, Fisolak Global Resources, Apapa, Lagos, Dr (Mrs.) Toyin Kolade in her new Oko Oba, Lagos palatial home where she opened up on issues that revolve around her business and life, including her new physique.
How would you assess your business in the last six months?
I thank God for everything and I will continue to give Him all the glory. I appreciate what God has been doing in my business, not only in the last six months but since I started out till date. I will say so far, so good.
This year is better than 2013, as far as my business is concerned. I give glory to Almighty God for that. As a clearing agent, I am okay with the government policy concerning my business. And I thank God, everything is moving fine. About importation of goods, we’re also forging ahead. We’re bringing in so many consignments that I believe Nigerians will appreciate.
Now, we’re planning an exhibition of some of our goods and auction sale of furniture. I want the exhibition to be well attended so that people can benefit immensely from it. I am so happy because all aspects of my business are really doing well. It’s not by my power but God’s grace.
What’s going to happen at the exhibition? What is it going to look like?
During the exhibition, we’re going to display almost all our goods, and we’re going to sell them at discounted rates. We’re also going to sell at auction rates, where some items will be given out at 50 percent discount. Such products will come with prices that nobody can get elsewhere in the country.
The prices will be drastically reduced to enable many people benefit from the programme. I want to be doing this five times in a year. We’re not reducing the prices of our products so that we can beat down the prices of similar products in the market. That’s not our motive in Fisolak.
The exhibition is for a specific period. It will start by the first week of July and will last for 10 days. I want Nigerians to participate so that they can benefit from the opportunities that will be opened to them throughout the period. But after the period, we will revert to the original prices. So, it’s going to be a great opportunity for all.
Can we know some of the products that will be showcased at the exhibition?
The products that will be showcased include furniture, electronics, clothings, generators, all home appliances and many more.
Is the government policy on importation not affecting some of your products?
No, it doesn’t affect my business. What the government is putting in place will favour importation. It’s the same way it’s done in the US and the UK. The policy will surely favour the importers. The government policy on pro-inspection is favourable. It’s now good that Nigerian Customs Service has taken over, everything has been okay for all the clearing agents, and even the processing of documents is faster.
You can process your documents within three days. We appreciate Nigerian Customs Service and the government for initiating that. And if an importer imports goods, before four or five days, the consignment will be in your premises, which is very good, unlike before that it was always delayed. I only want the Federal Government to do something for us about the petrol tankers on our roads in Apapa, Lagos.
They are just too many, and really disturbing. They constitute public nuisance. There is no way you can go to the port and work without taking okada which is risky. So, the federal government should assist by creating a park for all these tankers blocking the roads. If that is done, it will make our job easier.
With the situation right now, those who want to load their containers can’t enter the port. So, the federal government should see to that urgently so that everything will be okay for us in Apapa.
The only challenge which affects other businesses is the same that affects ours, which is inadequate supply of electricity. If the government can fix electricity, I believe we will do better in our field and we will be able to contribute more to the development of the country.
Let’s talk about your new look. You have lost some weight which makes you slimmer, what’s really happening?
There is nothing. I don’t have any health challenge. I don’t have terminal disease. I thank God for that. A lot of people have been asking me similar question and I keep telling them, there is nothing wrong with me. I just changed my diet by going into living food, and it’s really working for me.
I stopped eating dead food because of the nature of my job. The pressure of this job is too much for me to be taking dead food. So, I now changed to living food. And as it is, living food cures dead cells. By taking living food, you will have long life and sound health. What I mean by living food is that when you wake in the morning, you take green tea, carrot, cucumber. As for me, I don’t eat meat again, I don’t eat yam and rice also because all these foods are cooked. The moment they are cooked, they are dead. And if you eat them and you don’t take good care of your health, it may lead to premature death.
I am using this medium to advise everybody out there to start eating more of living foods. That’s a sure secret of longevity and sound health. But above all, one should be very close to God. Without Him, nothing is possible. I really thank God for being there for me all the time.
How do you feel now that you’re very slim and fit unlike when you’re plus-size?
(Laughs) I thank God for my looks now. I am very light and even younger than my age. Let me also tell you this. When you want to eat fruits, eat them about one hour before the regular meal. Don’t eat fruits after the regular meal. All these little tips have their benefits in terms of health.
For instance, if you want to eat watermelon, make sure you also eat the seeds and the back. Everything in watermelon is medicinal. You can see I am still looking young and fresh now (laughs). The secret is living food. Then, God.
What did you weigh before and what’s your weight now?
Before I changed my diet to living food, I weighed 115kg but now I only weigh 85kg. That means I have lost 30kg. I appreciate my physique now because I look fit and healthier. I thank God for that.
– TADE ASIFAT
