I married a third wife because my faith forbids abortion

NKARENYI UKONU


HEARING people refer to and call him 'Kabiyesi,' when it is possible that he is not sitting

[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2010/mar/28/punch/images/pix20100328231643[1].jpg[/img]
Owolabi



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on any throne at the moment, it becomes inevitable for curiosity to set in. And one can't help but wonder if he is truly what he is being addressed as, and if he is truly a blue blood.

"It isn't exactly my name," says Tayo Owolabi, the Sagamu, Ogun State-born native, "but it has stuck because I have been called that name from childhood. I have heard it being said that right from my youth, I have been behaving as if I was a big man, an industrialist, a manager of people and that is why people started to call me 'Kabiyesi.' In reality, people flock to me, and most times they run to me for counselling."

A childhood that was filled with fun and laughter was later marred at a point by a sport injury that kept him confined for a long time.

"I used to play football until I had an injury," he recalls, "which I didn't pay too much attention to, and which later degenerated into cracks in my bone leg and eventually got swollen. Unfortunately, on my way to the hospital for treatment, I had a terrible accident and it was just by God's mercy that I survived.

"I spent one-and-a-half years at Igbobi (National Orthopaedic Hospital, Lagos). I could not go back to school and had to do my schooling on the bed. A teacher was employed to teach me while I recuperated on my sick bed.

"I read back to back all the text books on physics, chemistry and biology; they were like my Bible and before I left Igbobi, I was on fire with the knowledge I acquired and even knew far better than those who were in school. But I ended up finishing from three secondary schools because of the leg."

On discharge from Igbobi, Owolabi, who doesn't believe in impossibilities, made up his mind to study medicine because of the circumstances surrounding his prolonged stay in Igbobi.

He wanted to care for people the way he was being cared for but it remained a dream that never came to pass.

He says, "My parents were aged and couldn't finance my desire to read medicine in the university. My seniors were all married and struggling to take care of their families and knowing how capital intensive it would be to study medicine, I decided to redirect my thinking to suit and accommodate my circumstances."

And so through the interactions he had with a senior colleague and friend who was a food technologist, he discovered that food technology wasn't such a bad idea.

"I further got inspired by J.K. Ladipo, the son of the founder of Lisabi Mills, who is also a food technologist," he says. "I read up everything about him and decided to go for the course.

"I deliberately chose to go to the polytechnic, Federal Polytechnic, Ida, formerly in Benue State, but now in Kogi State.

"I had already thought ahead that if my seniors become so financially constrained to sponsor me any further after my OND, I would be able to work for a while with my OND, save up and go back for my HND, unlike in the university where you won't be able to take a break."

Armed with a master's degree in business administration from the Ogun State University and over 19 years experience in the food industry from Foremost Dairies Nigeria Ltd., Lagos, to the branch of the Nigeria Bottling Company in Oyo State (Asejire Plant), and Coca-Cola Nigeria, Lagos, Owolabi, who is motivated by business challenges, decided to quit paid employment to set up King Atom Global Investment Nigeria Ltd.

"Setting up King Atom was something I had in mind since 1991," he enthuses. "The theoretical frame work of this business had been on since I finished youth service. I have always wanted to be self employed but unfortunately, the key ingredients that would make me to become an entrepreneur weren't there: funds and knowledge.

"I had to work to raise funds. I tried to start off the business in 1995, but was discouraged from leaving my paid employment by colleagues. So I tarried till when the company said they wanted to shift their supply point to South Africa; that was when I felt it absolutely necessary to throw in the towel."

Explaining the reason behind the name King Atom, Owolabi, whose only regret in life is not having his parents alive to see what he has turned out to be, says, "Most of the things that they were unable to execute while they were alive are some of the things I am trying to execute now and that is why my organisation was named after them because I am what I am today largely because of them.

"The King is my childhood name, Kabiyesi, a name I was being called by friends and relatives. The rest of the name are the initials of my parents' name and my Muslim name."

A private limited liability company with about nine subsidiaries, the services and products range from a hospitality outfit called Next House/Faaji Arena; a manufacturing concern for ice block making machine, water treatment plant, food processing plant; a consultancy and entrepreneurship training centre; publication of do it yourself books; production of King Atom popcorn and plantain chips etc among many others.

With a severance package from Coca-Cola and the disposal of some of his acquired properties to raise funds for the business, one can't help but wonder why he has about nine subsidiaries and where he gets the strength to run all the companies.

"As a business consultant, I looked at it vis-á-vis the theoretical perspectives in relation to the Nigerian business environment and I asked myself, 'What do we actually need in Nigeria?' That was why I came up with all these subsidiaries. I went all out to get competent people who have the expertise to partner with me and grow the business together," Owolabi says.

"If and when it turns out to be a public liability company, they will have a share in it. I am the sole financier while they bring in their expertise. I am not doing it all alone. One of my organisation's visions is to help reduce the rate of unemployment and that is one of the reasons for all of these subsidiaries."

With three wives, the first a teacher, the second a business woman and the third a manufacturer of machine oil, the socialite, who loves to unwind by dancing, explains the rationale behind marrying three wives.

"I married my first wife to please my parents, who were on my neck to get married. But when traces of incompatibility began to creep in, we separated," Owolabi says. "This was largely due to the fact that we got married hurriedly and barely knew ourselves. But we are back together now.

"My second wife has always been with me, but we didn't formalise it because she wasn't ready then. She was the one I would have married because she had all the qualities I wanted in a wife. The third was as a result of my social nature. I only had her as a girlfriend; we never intended to get married but she got pregnant and since my faith forbids abortion, we had to get married."

Time conscious Owolabi says he got attracted to them because they are all, "smart, intelligent, hard working and are all business minded. They propel me to think because when I sometimes have a problem, I tell them and they advise me and I put their advice to good use."



http://odili.net/news/source/2010/mar/28/800.html

How can Nigeria be good with idiots like this guy as a citizen??

I puke at his face. Using faith as an excuse! Rotten bull.

Lol. This is the funniest thing i ve read today.

Your faith forbids Abortion; but it doesnt forbid ADULTERY and FORNICATION

busybody20:



Your faith forbids Abortion; but it doesnt forbid ADULTERY and FORNICATION

thats humans for u

Can you imagine? FOOL!!

which faith endorses abortion

lol i gotta give this guy a thumbs up for getting his wives to stick with him. he may sound dumb but he definitely got some game.

I guess his faith permits unprotected intimacy outside of marriage.   

With three wives, the first a teacher, the second a business woman and the third a manufacturer of machine oil, the socialite, who loves to unwind by dancing

he he, na for owambe him dey find these women

He will marry a fourth one soon because his faith forbids CHEATING.

his faith did not support hiv aids. carry go

Yet his faith is not against messing up out of his marriage, it is not against marrying another wife . . . .yeye

nonsense

Fhemmmy:

Yet his faith is not against messing up out of his marriage, it is not against marrying another wife . . . .yeye

Not every faith is against messing up out of your marriage and getting another wife. The Islamic faith is not against getting a 2nd wife but its against abortion.

very good for him!

Aloy+Emeka:

He will marry a fourth one soon because his faith forbids CHEATING.

LOL

Very silly indeed.

Useless man

Kunbee:

Useless man

are u better than him?

Are you