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[MUST READ] Alajọ Ṣomolu: Nigeria’s Legendary Thrift Collector Who Lived For Almost A Century

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Before the advent of unicorn fintech and banks, people entrusted their savings with thrift collectors. One of them stood out in Lagos and the areas that now constitute the South West of Nigeria: Taiwo Olunaike Alphaeus.

But that name may not ring a bell until one says “Alajọ Ṣomolu”, literally meaning the thrift collector of Ṣomolu.

He had no computer knowledge, not to talk of using a balance sheet or running an excel file, but he was good with counting and keeping money.

His fame embodies honesty, faithfulness, and the true Nigerian spirit of industry.

This explains why his name was likened to success and smartness in the track “Alajọ Ṣomolu” by Afrobeat singer, Olawale Ashimi, popularly known as Brymo.

Born on September 16, 1915, in Isonyin, a small town eight kilometers from Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, Alphaeus, also called Sir Alphaeus, was one of the surviving duo of a triplet birth at a time multiple births was a taboo because it was believed to bring misfortune to the land.

One of the triplets was sacrificed to the gods and another died at infancy. Their father too died three years after their birth.

Baby Taiwo’s close shave with infanticide was rewarded with longevity as he lived for 96 years. Born a year after Britain amalgamated the northern and southern protectorates of Nigeria, he witnessed the country’s independence 45 years later and the 50th anniversary of independence in 2010.

If his name is mistaken as a myth or legend, that is because he is linked to many wise sayings and anecdotes.

Tailor turned thrift collector

At 12, Sir Alphaeus moved to Lagos in 1927 where he was first enrolled at St. John’s School, Aroloya, and then at Christ Church Cathedral School, where he took his first school leaving certificate in 1934.

Two years later in 1936, he took up an apprenticeship role under a neighbourhood tailor named Rojaye. He would spend nine years under Rojaye’s tutelage.

In 1950, he followed his uncle on a commercial trip to Cameroon. There, he learnt the ropes of thrift collection from a Cameroonian neighbour.

The special kind of microfinance banking Sir Alphaeus came to be popular for is an agelong practice in many Nigerian communities and marketplaces where clients contribute daily, weekly or monthly predetermined amounts to a thrift collector. The collector takes the first contribution as their own fee. The business is called ajọ in Yoruba, esusu in Igbo and akawo/adashe in Hausa.

After four years in Cameroon, Sir Alphaeus was ready to take his trade back home to Nigeria. He returned to Lagos to start his own thrift collection business called the Popular Daily Alajọ Ṣomolu. Not only did he safe keep the savings of individuals, he also offered loans to those he considered had proven integrity.

Photographic memory

But it was not just for his business integrity that Alajo Somolu would become legendary. Practicing at a time computer or calculator was unknown, at least in the area, Sir Alphaeus stood out for his mental acuity. He could recall transactions, their dates, and details without reference to any documents.

This unique trait endeared him to people, many of whom marvelled at his gift.

This gave prominence to the aphorism the Yoruba use in extolling the virtues of wisdom and intelligence in a person; “Ori ẹ pe bii ti Alajọ Ṣomolu, to fodidi ọọdun meta gbajo lai ko oruko ẹni kankan silẹ, ti ko si ṣowo san fenikeni” (meaning: you are as intelligent as Alajọ Ṣomolu, who collected thrift for three years, without writing down a single name, and never made a single mistake in paying back his customers)!

At first, clients approached him with skepticism, but all that soon changed after many testaments of his photographic memory gained traction. Those who dared argue with his impeccable off-the-cuff recollection of statistical details were awestruck when he opened his logbook.

He was a moving bank, ATM booth, chequebook — all in one. His brain worked like a cloud.

Trust and integrity are the capital for the business he ran, and Sir Alphaeus was integrity personified. This attracted many clients to him who trusted, loved, and respected him, making his boom.

In fact, legends suggested that not only did Sir Alphaeus pay back contributors the exact amount they were due, he also paid them back in the exact notes and coins they contributed.

They were mesmerized by this and he became the number one mobile banking choice for many traders in Sangross, Mile 12, Baba Olosha, Ojuwoye, Awolowo, Oyingbo, Olaleye, and Shomolu markets, all in Lagos.

At a time, after one of his cars showed signs of wearing out and was no longer cost-effective for his thrift collection trips, he sold off the car and bought a Raleigh bicycle. The bicycle gave him farther reach to areas that were hitherto inaccessible.

This again won him another star in the heart of people as they read that to mean he was an economically savvy businessman. That act passed as a further advertisement for his business.

Retired Not Tired

Even as he aged, his love for his trade and the trust people had in him did not wane. He continued with the business until 2010 when he was 95 years old.

Even after his children pressured him to retire, people continued to throng his house to deposit their daily contributions. This time he no longer went to them, they came to him. He had earned their trust.

As he served his clients so he did his God. He was the lay reader and treasurer for 30 years at the Ṣomolu Anglican Church he attended.

Though he lived a spartan life, he was well-to-do in his own right. He built his first house at No 10, Odunukan Street in Ijesa, and later sold it to the Deeper Life Ministry. He built another house at Olorunkemi, Owotutu Area, Bariga, Lagos.

Sir Alphaeus House built in Bariga, Lagos State.
There, he lived his last days. He died August 11, 2012, and was buried a month later at the Church of Nigeria Cathedral, Isonyin, Ijebu in Ogun State.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Temitope Onigbinde

    November 22, 2021 at 11:54 am

    Legend!!!

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BIG STORY

Inflation: Real Reason Indomie Reduced Prices Of Popular Staple Food Item Revealed

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In the face of mounting inflationary pressures in Nigeria, Indomie Instant Noodles, a major brand under Dufil Prima Foods Limited, has announced a substantial price cut to ensure affordability for consumers.

The move was made to preserve availability to this well-liked essential food item in response to the growing economic difficulties that Nigerians were facing.

And this is supported by a recent survey that was carried out at a number of Lagos-based stores and found that the costs of Indomie goods had significantly dropped. When compared to the previous month, the price of the 70g pack of Indomie Regular Chicken noodles dropped to N250.

Additionally, the price of a 40-pack carton of Indomie dropped from N12,000 to N10,000 within the same timeframe. Prior to this adjustment, Indomie’s prices had surpassed those of competing brands such as Mimee (N200) and Honeywell noodles (N250).

Temitope Ashiwaju, the group corporate communications & event manager at Dufil Prima Foods Limited, attributed the price reduction to favourable changes in operational costs.

He emphasized the company’s commitment to passing on benefits to consumers, stressing their dedication to fairness and affordability.

“We are never going to be taking advantage of the populace. We want to make profit, but in a fair way,” the spokesman added. “That is why we are determined to keep our products affordable to Nigerians.”

Contrary to speculations suggesting low patronage as the driving factor behind the price adjustment, Ashiwaju reaffirmed that the decision was rooted in the company’s ethos of customer-centricity and fairness.

Industry experts have hailed Dufil Prima’s move as influential, predicting a ripple effect that could prompt other brands to follow suit because Indomie’s dominant position in the market has positioned it as a price setter, prompting expectations for broader shifts in pricing strategies across the industry.

The price reduction by Indomie comes amidst a backdrop of economic challenges in Nigeria, characterized by soaring inflation rates.

Over the past nine months, Nigeria has witnessed a steady rise in headline inflation, driven primarily by government reforms such as the removal of petrol subsidy and naira devaluation.

As a result, food inflation has surged, exacerbating the financial strain on households and leading to an increase in poverty levels.

Despite these economic headwinds, a recent report by Euromonitor International indicates robust growth in the sales value of noodles within Nigeria’s formal market.

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BIG STORY

Lagos State Government Disburses N4.48bn In Pension Benefits To Retirees

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  • Governor Sanwo-Olu Upholds Commitment to Pensioners’ Welfare with Timely pay

 

The Lagos state government on Thursday, March 28, paid a total of N4.48 billion in pensions to 1,455 retirees for the month of March.

The payment was given at the Lagos State Pension Commission’s (LASPEC) 104th retirement bonds certificate presentation.

When LASPEC paid N3.2 billion in accrued pensions to 1,013 retirees during the 103rd retirement bonds certificate ceremony in February, the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had promised to pay at least N4 billion in March.

To settle all pending accrued pensions by the middle of the year, the governor guaranteed that the state government would pay an additional N3 billion in April.

While he acknowledged the backlog in the payment of accrued rights, Sanwo-Olu noted: “Our attention is focused on systematically eliminating the backlog.”

He also expressed optimism about the actualisation of the government’s dream of a “Pay-As-You-Go” model before his term ended.

At the presentation, LASPEC Director-General, Babalola Obilana, said that the monies were released for civil personnel who retired before the start of the Contributory Pension Scheme in 2007.

Obilana expressed gratitude to Sanwo-Olu for his steadfast dedication to the well-being of the state’s residents.

The governor, he pointed out, had consistently placed pensioners’ interests first and supported measures to lessen their financial difficulties.

He assured that by mid-2024, retirees from the state would receive their benefits as they departed from government employment, emphasising that the governor had kept his word to clear all pension arrears.

Obilana said: “On behalf of Gov. Sanwo-Olu and the entire Lagos State Government, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you present at this memorable event.

“Lagos State is thankful for your accomplishments and the enduring contributions you have made throughout your distinguished careers.

“You have exemplified the values that define Lagos State – integrity, commitment, and excellence.

“Your dedication and hard work have contributed to the dream of a `Greater Lagos’.

You are a source of inspiration for us all. Your legacy will undoubtedly continue to resonate within the public service.”

LASPEC DG further urged retirees to be cautious of fraudsters and choose suitable pension investments. He highlighted the transition from professional life to leisure and hoped their future would be full of happiness and fulfillment from a rewarding professional life.

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BIG STORY

Federal Government To Grant Mining Licenses To Only Companies That Process Locally

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Nigeria will only grant new mining licences to companies that present a plan on how minerals would be processed locally, under new guidelines being developed, a government spokesperson confirmed on Thursday.

This is a departure from Nigeria’s long-standing practice of exporting raw commodities, as governments around Africa work to increase the value derived from their substantial mineral reserves.

To spur investment, Nigeria will offer investors incentives including tax waivers for importing mining equipment, make it easier to secure electricity generation licences, allow full repatriation of profits and boost security, Segun Tomori, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s minister of solid minerals development said.

“In exchange, we have to review their plans for setting up a plant and how they would add value to the Nigerian economy,” Tomori said. He did not say when the guidelines would be finalised or come into effect.

However, last week the minister of solid minerals development, Dele Alake, said it was now government policy to make value addition a condition for obtaining licences so as to create jobs and help local communities.

Alake, who also chairs an African mining strategy group comprising mining ministers from Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia, is pushing for a continent-wide effort to get maximum local benefit from mineral exploration.

Nigeria, Africa’s top energy producer, has struggled to extract value from its vast mineral resources due to poor incentives and neglect. The underdeveloped mining sector contributes less than 1% of the country’s gross domestic product.

Last year Nigeria exported mostly tin ore and concentrates worth about 137.59 billion naira ($108.34 million), mainly to China and Malaysia, according to the country’s statistics bureau.

The government aims to drive more investment into the sector by issuing more licenses. It has set up a state-owned solid minerals corporation offering investors a 75% stake and established a special security unit tasked with fighting illegal miners.

The government is also trying to regulate artisanal miners, who dominate the sector, by grouping them into cooperatives.

Foreign mining companies operating in Nigeria include Canada-based Thor Explorations which is involved in gold exploration, Chinese-owned Xiang Hui International Mining which partnered with a local company to process gold, and Indian-owned African Natural Resources and Mines, which is building a $600m iron ore processing plant in northern Nigeria.

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