LINK CENTENNIAL EDITION 2013 WEB

The magazine of uac of nigeria plc
Centennial Edition 2013
Lord
Frederick
LUGARD
Part
nership
Placing Value
that gave
The
Birth
to
NIGERIA
on
Goodness League
in the
North Central
27
Acto
that gave
The
H
Birth
to
NIGERIA
ere in this white bed, with
a burning lamp and
an overflowing pool of
thoughts, I put ink on paper. Though
it is not much compared to that at
Woolwich, I like the shelter here.
In the mornings, the window at
the back of the house presents
the young bronze sun with a
thousand birds streaking
beneath, appearing like
moving black dots on
the crystal sky.
The evenings are not
any less artistic.
These times from
the sitting room
window, I will watch
the dashing aged sun melt into the
distant horizon where the earth keeps a
date with it, beautiful and sweet, like
an orange sliced in two, and then of
course the noisy birds would prance
through again, appearing this time like
a painting.
2
Letter to Lugard from Flora Shaw
Premium Times Published: June 29, 2012
mind stretching fiction - still, I know
with the little I have seen around that
they are as true as water.
I must tell you how I met this unusual
lad – before Bundu, my guide had been
Osifor, a brash young man with feminine brilliance and unearthly features,
though articulate in the languages, I
found him rather too ambitious.
It was Osifor who took me round the
eastern tribe to a village whose name
I have long given up on pronouncing
but should sound more like an ‘Ama
Enedibo Cha’. There at Ama Enedibo
Cha, I met the chief whose name my
indomitable pen has neither the wits
nor the grace to attempt. The chief, very
charismatic in my eyes, organised a
carnival in my honour; they thought
me the Queen. Oh! Lord Lugard how
hospitable are these people of the central
Sudan!?
I mustn’t fail to tell you of Bundu- A
fourteen year old lad from the eastern tribe, he has been my house help
and tour guide. This boy, with skin of
ebony and deep darting eyes picks up
the English language in a day faster
than I could do French in a year. He is
like a cat, highly intelligent, humble
and introverted. The other day when
Whittingham and Darlington visited
they called him a ‘clean imperial material’ and I didn’t particularly find that
patriotic, as did Bundu.
The carnival proper was a bonfire of
sort. There were drummers ebulliently
pounding stretched lion skin on carved
wood. Strong, dark lasses vibrated their
beaded waists very dramatically, yet
to the rhythm of the drummers. Then,
there came the wrestlers, fierce looking
lads with globules of sweat dotted on
their godly frame. They remind me of
gladiators, only more natural, more
majestic and less cynical. They fought
fiercely- the wrestlers, twisting themselves this way and that with skill, precision, and super human strength more
towering than the bridge at Stamford.
Bundu tells me of this land as if they
came into being before his very eyes, he
talks of distant wars and stories that
seems only valid in an epic novels with
May I suggest that the royal army of
Queen Victoria put these men into consideration? The entire occasion, just a
tad beneath its crescendo rammed into
ors
in the
ARENA
a wall most unfortunate. He was brought in, scantily clothed, tied like an animal with raffia palm
fronds. The palace guards, who were no less gigantic
than the wrestlers hurled him this way and that,
crashed his good natured face on the brown earth,
then they placed him on something, something
strange though it easily could be an altar.
“Separate his cursed head from the body”, the chief
ordered with the impression that my adrenaline was
as surging as that of the cheering crowd.
“What’s his offence?”
“He is an Osu.” The chief told me, grinning broadly.
“What’s an Osu?”
Then the chief still grinning cynically, in a bid to
convince me that the lad needed execution, began his
narration
“You see madam, the origin of the Osu’s are very
much conflicting. In the version we believe here, they
were slaves who committed a sacrilege by stealing
from the gods and then eloping with their loots into
many villages. They attract curses the way palm
oil attracts ants, it was their unsuspecting hosts
who suffered more. Any land they go yield no crops,
streams dry up, epidemics seize all the young ones
and so on and so forth. The gods curse any land
they set their feet on.”
“How do you identify one?” I asked him.
“As soon as we begin to get the first signs we consult the oracle, who shows them to us. Besides that,
they are easy to spot. They steal, kill, deflower all the
young women or in the case of a female Osu they
lay with half the men in the land. They are worse
than witches.”
“I don’t care, I want that boy spared,” I demanded.
“Madam you don’t know these people, they are bad.
If you see a snake and an Osu in the bush, kill the
Osu before you kill the snake,” the chief told me.
“Untie him” I commanded.
“Okay madam but we cannot let him stay here; we
shall banish him in the stead”.
“I will take him”.
“But madam these people are…”
“Humans! Untie him”.
and a countenance that belonged to an angered
demon. At first I was afraid of this lad, but that fear
soon dissolved when he said ‘Thank you, Queen of
London’
“Call me lady Lugard, what’s your name?”
He said his name is Bundu, This Bundu, I write to
you about. The Bundu Wittingham and Darlington
called a clean imperial product.
That fateful day the gentlemen visited, I seemed to
have been possessed by demons. I did a thing most
unlady-like by walking them out of my cottage
for no reason I can debate upon. That night, I attempted finishing the last paragraph of my novel
in vain. Perhaps I had hit a writer’s bloc as words
happily eluded me; I tried and tried but only earned
a migraine. I would have made with a cup of tea
only that Bundu was fast asleep in the sitting room
couch and I thought it rude to wake him up. So, I
went out into the cold night to find some peace. And
peace I did find.
That night, the flowers waltzed with the gently
whirling winds. The air was blue, easy to soak in,
cooling to my nerves. Then there came- first as faint
distant drones- drumbeats from another village.
Feelings of nostalgia instantly sipped through me.
I have heard these same drums in over a hundred
villages I have been to in this land. For a people so
strong, so diverse, so nourished by culture and nature, I think together they will make a formidable
brand. I discarded the novel that night and rather
did an article for THE TIMES.
In that article I bring to surface the beauty of this
land which is packaged in poetry and history and
magic. I highlighted a good deal of the gains of
amalgamation for both the tribes and the crown. I
honestly think the name ‘Royal Niger Company
Territories’ is a tad too long, also the popularised
name of ‘Central Sudan’ by merchants and diplomats is highly unrepresentative of people of these
parts. The river Niger causes countless fantasies
from not just romantics but people all around the
world. I sincerely believe the Niger area, which should
be spelt as Nigeria is as convenient as it is romantic.
I anticipate a reply.
Thank you.
Flora Shaw
They untied the boy and brought him towards me.
The boy stared at me with eyes like a burning glass
327
Page 6
T
in this issue
EDITOR’S NOTE
he Nigeria centennial is bound to awaken memories - a rich tapestry of the herculean struggle at
nationhood. Like an epic drama, the protagonists
- each acting individually and yet focused on the
role - played their parts, knowing that they were
only bits of the unfolding drama. The real story
was bound to emerge!
The Nigeria story has evolved into much more than a blockbuster
- part comedy, part tragi-comic, and part intriguing - yet ever gripping and still spell-binding! With this unfolding script, the pessimist and the optimist have a common trajectory.
Our concern in invoking the spirit, nay memories, of the centennial, is to recall the story of survival - of human efforts and an institution - UAC - the lone survivor where its kith and kin have all
exited the worldly stage.
S T O R Y
In “Nigeria - The UAC Story”, we have gone beyond the centennial to bring to you a rich and captivating recollection of an entity
that not only gave rise to the ‘‘Nigeria’’ dream but also its reality.
It is a recollection of human inventiveness, courage and acumen. It
is a salute to industry - about how men set out to build a business
and through their ambitions, built not only a business empire but
a nation as well.
C O V E R
It is a recollection of how so much was sacrificed on the road to
having an enterprise that could stand the test of time - a tribute and
a salute to enterprise!
Enjoy!
Mike A suquo
SOURCES
The Cover Story has been supplemented with materials
from the following sources:
• The Lion and the Unicorn in Africa - The United Africa
Company 1787-1931 by Frederick Pedler
• Colonial West Africa by Michael Crowder
• The History of Unilever - A study of Economic Growth
& Social Change (Volume I and Volume II)
by Charles Wilson
• Administration of Nigeria 1900-1960 by I F Nicholson
• The Growth of Nations by Mokwugo Okoye
• The Expropriation of Multinational Property in the
Third World by Adeoye Akinsanya
Editor/Adviser:
Photography:
Graphic Design:
Design & Print:
Mike Asuquo
UAC of Nigeria Plc, Google Sources.
Efe Sidney Fashe
Design 2 Inspire Nig. Ltd.
C o n t e n t s
The “Love” Letter
that gave Birth to Nigeria
2
Placing Value on Partnership
11
UAC Remembers A Good Man
13
For UAC - a Good Man Goes:
TRIBUTE TO MR BASSEY UDO NDIOKHO
14
Goodness League
in the North Central
19
NIGERIA Actors in the Arena
26
25
527
C O V E R
O
P
R
S T O R Y
O
L
O
Photo courtesy: thewillnigeria.com
n 26th August 1993,
Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan, was appointed as interim
president of Nigeria by General
Ibrahim Babangida, who was
faced with a dire political crisis following the annulment of
the June 12 1993 elections.
• Chief Ernest Shonekan.
Shonekan’s transitional administration
only lasted three months, as a palace coup
led by General Sani Abacha forcefully dismantled the remaining democratic institutions and brought the government back
under military control on 17 November
1993.
Shonekan, lawyer and industrialist, prior
to his political career, was for 13 years, the
Chief Executive of UAC of Nigeria PLC,
reputed to be one of the largest single enterprise in West Africa.
Those who picked on Chief Shonekan
whose forte was law and industry to clear
the political mess created by the military
henchmen had a solid sense of history - of
Nigeria and the United Africa Company.
Chief Shonekan would become the third
‘‘UAC man’’ to head and administer the
entity called Nigeria in the over a century
sojourn of the polity. It was the same entity that will lay claim to the foundation
that gave rise to the modern Nigerian
State. The other two key ‘’UAC’’ protagonists were Sir George Goldie and Lord
Frederick Lugard!
On 1st January 1914, the British government fused the southern and northern
26
G
U
E
protectorates into one administrative unit
- the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
with Sir Frederick John Dealtry Lugard as
the Ist Governor-General of the new entity. It was the continuation of another long
journey in the life of a crown territory of
the British Empire faced with the colonial
legacy of managing its scattered oversea
territories, protectorates and colonies
with all the attendant problems of steering the fall-outs of its colonial burden.
Lord Lugard appeared well cut out for the
job - with a proven background in military, colonial administration and rich experiences logged from diverse campaigns
in India, Afghanistan, Uganda and West
Africa.
Lugard’s reputation has been cemented
as the proponent of the Indirect Rule, a
system of governance where he sought
to overcome the daunting problem of administering a large and sprawling territory through the existing local government
administration. In northern Nigeria, the
Emirate system served as a substitute to
Direct Rule and Lugard, faced with shortages of personnel and efficient bureaucracy, sought a cheaper and effective way of
retaining British rule and influence.
istrator of the Northern protectorate and,
subsequently, the Governor-General of
Nigeria; his spouse ‘’Dame’ Flora Shaw
would be credited with coining the name
- Nigeria - which her husband would become the first official head. On its own
part, the Royal Niger Company, which
once governed the large swathe of the territory that would later make up Nigeria
would continue to march forward and
grow with the country - only now minding its business as a commercial enterprise.
The metamorphosis of United Africa
Company into a successful commercial
behemoth and its survival till date in Nigeria speaks to the irrepressible and determined generation of entrepreneurs,
businessmen and institutions whose focus
on promoting an enduring profitable enterprise has become a fable on our shores
- only that this time the cast still have their
survivors and successors in place in the
country to fly the flags of enterprise.
The evolution of UAC before the advent
of Nigeria and its history - a century after
the formation of Nigeria - is still intriguing and captivating. Since 1780, European
companies were becoming visible in the
trade in the Niger territory. The earliest ones included
Richard and William King, F and
A Swanzy, Forster
and Smith, Hatton
and Cookson. GB
Ollivant and Company,
Alexander
Miller Brother and
Company and Holland Jacques.
It would be recalled that Lord Lugard’s
first encounter with the territory called
Nigeria was facilitated by the Royal
Niger
Company,
which got the charter from the Colonial power to govern the River Niger
territories and Lugard himself was
engaged to lead the
campaign to ensure
that Borgu and the
In 1879, four of the
contiguous
lands • General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
surviving compawere wrestled and
nies - Alexander
prevented from fallMiller
&
Company,
Central
African Trading into the hands of French control and
ing
Company
Limited,
West
African Cominterest. Lugard acquitted himself creditpany Limited, and James Pinnock - were
ably.
fused together out of necessity - fierce
Even when the Charter granted to the competition among the European tradRoyal Niger Company was revoked with ers, violence in the Niger territories and
the British Colonial Office electing for the hostility from the African middlemen and
colonial bureaucracy to administer the competition from the foreign interests.
territory, both Lugard and the Company The result was the formation of the Unitthat brought him to this part of the world ed African Company (UAC), whose procontinued their separate journey and af- moter was Sir George Goldie (Taubman),
whose vision, aggression, and patriotism
filiation with the entity called Nigeria.
led to the demand and acquisition of a
While Lugard would become the admin- Charter for the Royal Niger Company (a
C O V E R
Reports by
Mike Asuquo
pany of Basel and G L Gaiser.”
successor to UAC) to administer the Niger
territory on 10 July 1886. The Charter was
revoked on 1st January 1900. Lord Lugard, another peripheral actor in the Royal Niger Company days, was to become
the head of the Northern protectorate and
from there to head the fused southern and
northern protectorates into Nigeria.
UAC would continue its enterprise sojourn under different names and interests.
Somehow, the allure of its commanding
presence in the country was too good to
be jettisoned. Following the revocation of
the charter, the Royal Niger Company was
changed to The Niger Company, which
continued to operate as a commercial success in the country until 1919 when it was
bought over by Lever Brothers. In 1929,
The Niger Company and the African and
Eastern Trade Corporation were merged
as equal partners to form The United Africa Company. This time the letter ‘’N’
was dropped from the 1879 name - ‘’United African Company”. While the merger
officially took place on 30 April 1929, the
Company formally commenced business
on 1st May 1929. Between them, the operations of the company covered over a
thousand places in Africa but it fell short
of being regarded as a monopoly. The activities covered plantation development,
timber production, ocean steamers, lighterage, river and motor transport.
In 1939, Unilever made a bid for the African and Eastern Trade Corporation’s
equity and, subsequently, took over
complete control of UAC. The emergent
UAC was to make a lasting impression on
Africa’s commerce. Frederick Pedler recounts the UAC heydays in the 1930s with
gumption: “… in several African countries, it now occupied such a huge place
in the economy, that it had to recognise
and assume responsibilities towards society which could never have been imputed
to the constituent parts so long as they
remained independent. With the size of
those responsibilities it became the target
of attack from those who disagreed with
the way it ran its business, or with the system which it represented. It was bound
to be described as a monopoly, even
though this was far from the truth, for it
had many competitors including several
very substantial firms such as John Holt,
Paterson Zochonis, Campagnie Francaise
de l’Afrique Occidentale (CFAO), Societe
Campagnie de L’ouest Africain (SCOA),
Maurel et Prom, Union Trading Com-
S T O R Y
Pedler continues the submission: ‘’In
competitive trades, however, there are often matters which affect all competitors,
in which they find it convenient to act in
association. Obviously, in such matters
would usually be found in relationships
with governments, metropolitan or colonial. In such matters the United Africa
Company would now inescapably be the
leader. For the governments, the United
Africa Company was a phenomenon of
considerable importance. They had not
been consulted as to its formation, but
they were obliged to take cognisance of
its existence.”
UAC was first incorporated in Lagos, Nigeria under the name Nigerian Motors
Ltd on April 22, 1931 as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the United Africa Company
Ltd. (a subsidiary of Unilever), which later became UAC International (UACI). The
Company’s name was changed to United
Africa Company (Nigeria) Ltd on 23rd
July 1943.
PLC, the Company became
a
whollyowned Nigerian
•Sir George Taubman Goldie
Company. The transformation of UAC from a trading behemoth into a leading manufacturing
concern, even though it took root in the
1980s, was given serious impetus in 1990s,
following the exit of the company from its
trading businesses.
Beyond the relationship between a company and the history of country, Nigeria’s
The Company became The United Africa journey from 1914 has been chequered.
Company of Nigeria Ltd on 1st February, National integration is still a huge chal1955 and started acquiring, over a period lenge with the voices of fractionalism just
of five years, a large part of the business as thunderous as the cries for integration.
of UACI. In 1960 C.W.A. Holdings Ltd, Under colonialism, an emergent elite had
England also a subsidiary of Unilever, harangued the colonialists for an end to
acquired UACI’s
inequalities based
interest in the
on colour. Today,
company.
For the governments,
the cries for inequality are not
the United Africa Company
The name was
trained on colour,
was a phenomenon of
changed to UAC
but directed at the
of Nigeria Limconsiderable importance.
new comprador
ited on 1st March,
bourgeoisie! The
They
had
not
been
consulted
1973.
country has just
as to its formation, but they
enjoyed 14 years
In
compliance
were obliged to take
of uninterrupted
with the Nigerian
democracy,
but
cognisance
of
its
existence.
Enterprises Prothe prospects are
motion Act 1972,
somewhat mixed.
40 percent of the
Threats to the corcompany’s share capital was acquired in
porate existence of the country are becom1974 by Nigerian citizens and associations
ing strident, even though the ruling elite
and in accordance with the provisions of
for now are bent on retaining the forced
the Nigerian Enterprises Promotion Act
merger of the Southern and Northern pro1977, an additional 20 percent of UAC’s
tectorates into a country.
share capital was publicly offered in 1977,
increasing Nigerian equity participation One hundred years after, history holds
to 60 percent.
the fascination as we remember the men,
The name UAC of Nigeria Plc was adopted in 1991.
In 1994, following the divestment of 40%
interest in the Company by Unilever
women and institutions that helped to
shape the country as it tries to keep its appointment not only with destiny but its
greatness!
727
C O V E R
S T O R Y
The
B
Story
gunpowder were
ggle
Mungo Park, after a herculean stru
the articles in
ds
rapi
and trial, lost his life in the Bussa
high demand
over
disc
to
after brave expedition acts
by the people
er.
the terminus of the famed River Nig
and the Eunt
tena
In 1821, Major Denham and Lieu
ropean
Clap
tle.
Clapperton took up the man
tradard
Rich
with
up
perton later teamed
ers
Lander to continue the search from
der
Lan
.
Badagry in modern day Nigeria
Niger
with his brother John crossed the
and
d
rapi
the
e
cam
over
at Bussa and
e to
journeyed down the Niger by cano
had
er
Nig
the
the sea. The ‘mystery’ of
for
ans
ope
Eur
• Lord Frederick Lugard
the
been solved - by
up
ned
ope
h
oug
kthr
brea
The
good!
bought in
possibilities - and there were men
exchange for palm oil,
of
and
ch
mar
lore
the
exp
to
y
ury,
cent
read
But in the 18th
and enterprises beniseed and ivory.
m
s for
history took on a different momentu
exploit the inherent opportunitie
s
arie
sion
the
as European explorers, mis
sundry gains!
Laird’s death in 1861 opened up
ht
ng the
amo
f
and adventurers increasingly soug
Chie
er.
Nig
trade along the
Niger
erarea
The feat confirmed that the River
the
in
e
means to penetrate the African hint
trad
itate
facil
to
ies
pan
com
the
the
ited,
held the ace to the penetration of
Lim
y
pan
land and circumvent the might of
were the West Africa Com
of
were
hinterland with all the possibilities
can
Afri
t
Wes
rulers of the coastal states, which
the
med
which was rena
on
s as
ues
increased trade - and wealth. It is
bent on maximizing their position
Company in1877 and Hollande Jacq
elop
dev
to
mpt
of
atte
ers
first
keep
the
gate
that
and
rd
hs
reco
Brot
way
er
gate
the
and Company, Alexander Mill
a Livtrade on the Niger was made by
ock.
Pinn
es
trade into the hinterland.
Jam
er and Company and
d in
erpool merchant, Macgregor Lair
h
pros
ng
nric
Hei
alizi
,
tant
1855
n,
There were odds - and
1832. Between 1850 and
Frederick Pedler, the famed historia
ntially
Britthe
and
Lion
e
pects - and there were men - esse
Barth, a German, supported by the
“Th
k
wor
inal
whose sem
s
oli,
Europeans (British, French, German
ish government travelled from Trip
ca” is authoritative and
Afri
in
corn
Uni
y to
ressible
n
and Portuguese), who were read
Libya to Borno. But Laird’s irrep
well-regarded captured the situatio
ney
ailed
jour
prev
The
.
en
them
acum
e
.
easy
ns
mea
brave or overcom
no
nature and business
by
was
thus: ’’Trading
ectrad
,
cked
to discover the Niger, the river that
atta
when he sought and got British prot
e
wer
s
mer
stea
go
Car
DjalNiger.
ed
flowed from the foot of the Fouta
tion and subsidy to trade up the
ing stations were sometimes loot
al
initi
the
and
s
held
gun
its,
nea,
lon mountain in Gui
Salt, beads, cotton, spir
fascination. The famed adventurer,
efore its advent, the
land that was later
to be known, called
and addressed as
Nigeria, was a
playground of diverse interests
and tendencies. The indigenes
or aborigines were organised
as kingdoms and republics,
each charting its own path and
course as it journeyed through
civilization.
28
C O V E R
• Groundnut pyramids in Kano ... the pyramids were devised by a UAC manager to
preserve the products during storage.
and Europeans and their assistants were
frequently in danger. An example of
the general disorder was the seizure of
Bishop Crowther in 1867 by one of the
rulers, who demanded the payment of a
ransom; the bishop was rescued by Mr
Fell, the assistant consul at Lokoja, who
was himself killed by a poison arrow.
brother Alexander to the Niger territory
to find out why Holland Jacques was
uncompetitive. George quickly found out
that bane of the European firms in the
region derived from the intense rivalry,
and that disunity had weakened them in
their dealings with the Africans.
In spite of a previous reputation of licen‘’The violence and hostility of the riverine tiousness and inexperience in business,
people were encouraged by the coastal
George persuaded the heads of the firms
states....who resented the encroachment
that amalgamation was the only praction their position as middlemen by the
cal answer to the problems that faced
European firms in search of direct trade... them all. In 1879, the United African
Although a ship of war occasionally
Company Limited was formed with a
bombarded a town in reprisal for such
nominal capital of £250,000, each of the
attacks or punishment for the looting of a firms receiving an allotment of shares
trading station, there was no permanent
proportionate to the asset handed over to
authority to maintain order and protect
the new company. The allotments were
trade. The British Consul on the coast
as follows: Alexander Miller & Company
seldom had time to visit the Niger.’’
5400 shares; Central African Trading
Company Limited,
Even the Eu4,400 shares; West
ropean firms
African Company
trading in the
Limited, 4320 shares
region did not
and James Pinnock
help matters
960 shares. The tradas they were in
ing stations, ships
fierce competiand staff were pooled
tion with one
together and competianother. Holtion between the four
land Jacques,
companies ceased.
one of the
The first headquarters
smallest firms,
of the Company was
• The Lion and the Unicorn - symbols of the
was forced to
Akassa on the Nun
early European merchant companies in the
seek help against
river before it was reloNiger area.
bankruptcy
cated to Asaba.
after losing a steamer and its cargo. The
secretary of the company Captain Joseph
Just as Goldie overcame the competition
Grove-Gross appealed for help from his
among the British firms, a new threat
son-in-law John Senhouse Goldie Taubemerged from French companies in the
man, the head of a distinguished Manx
Niger area. Alarmed and resentful of
family. The lot fell on George Dashwood
the attempts of French agents to obtain
Goldie Taubman (better known as Sir
political control by means of treaties with
George Goldie). Trained at the Royal
African rulers, Taubman began to think
Military College, Woolwich and commisof obtaining a charter from the British
sioned in the Royal Engineers in 1865,
government. His moves received no
George resigned his commission two
encouragement because his Company
years later. He embarked on a journey to
was small and also due to the presence of
Egypt and Sudan and took a deep interFrench companies. He launched a comest in Africa. Some of his social activities
mercial war against the rival companies
had scandalised the family, but he was
but these succeeded only with the small
the one picked to embark on the rescue
ones.
mission in the Niger
area. George was eventually picked to oversee
the family business
and he took along his
S T O R Y
His answer to the challenge was to form
a bigger company the National African
Company Limited with a capital of
£1,000,000 in 100,000 shares of £10 each in
1882 to take over the assets of the United
African Company. One of the first acts
of the Company was to request for the
appointment of David McIntosh, its head
agent in Africa to be made the consular
agent on the Niger, an obvious response
to the incursions made by the French
company in the region, Compagnie Francaise de l’Afrique Equatoriale (CFAO).
Before the appointment, McIntosh had
begun making treaties in the name of the
National African Company.
Pedler recounts some of treaties made
by the company thus: ‘’Some of the more
powerful Fulani princes such as the
Emir of Nupe (to whom the company
had previously paid money in return for
his protection) were, not unnaturally,
unwilling to sign such treaties, but in
1885, the explorer Joseph Thomson was
able, on behalf of the company, to secure
agreements with the Sultan of Sokoto
and the Emir of Gando (Gwandu), the
overlords of these princes. The Sultan of
Sokoto gave to the company ’my entire
rights to the country on both sides of
the river Benue, and rivers flowing into
it, throughout my dominions for such
distance from its and their banks as they
may desire’ in return for ‘a yearly present
of goods to the value of 3,000 bags of
cowries’. In return for goods to the value
of 2,000 bags of cowries, the Emir of
Gando (Gwandu) gave his entire rights
to the country on both sides of the rivers
Benue and Niger’. Both treaties provided
that the company should have ‘the sole
right among foreigners to trade in these
territories.”
Pedler’s work further upheld that
‘’however doubtful these documents
might have been as against the African
signatories, they provided Britain, under
international law as then recognised,
with strong claims against the other powers to political control over the territories
concerned, and, as will be seen, the claim
was successfully made at the Berlin Conference of 1885.’’
In 1884, the threat from a major foreign interest in the region, Compagnie
Francaise de l’African Equatoriale was removed when the company handed over
its assets on the Niger to the National
African Company to the value of £60,000
as two directors of the company joined
the National African
Company.
Since the formation
of the Royal Niger
927
C O V E R
S T O R Y
Company in 1879 (and in 1882, of the
National African Company) this commercial organisation had assumed a
practical, though unofficial, control of
the Niger waterway, and the banks of the
river. With the elimination of the French
interests on the Niger, it was easier for
the British government to give favourable
consideration to George Taubman’s repeated requests for the grant of a charter
to the company, but the delay in reaching
a decision was frustrating and Taubman
almost despaired.
The Colonial Office was against the establishment of a colony while the Foreign
Office favoured a protectorate and the
Treasury stipulated that this should not
involve the use of imperial funds. Circumstances would force the government
to take a decision.
Taubman, out of
frustration, subtly
threatened to seek
a ‘foreign’ power to
oblige this mandatory request. The
British government
finally balked, and
the Royal Charter
was signed on 10th
July 1886.
Under the agent-general, at various
river stations, were district agents and
executive officers with limited powers
and administrative responsibilities which
they exercised in addition to their tasks
of carrying out the company’s trade.
• The flag of the Royal Niger Company.
council were the Honourable C.W. Mills,
J F. Hutton, Alexander Miller, John Edgar
and J A Croft. In 1887, George Goldie
Taubman was knighted and he became
known as Sir George Goldie.
Regulations were quickly promulgated
for the administration of the territory. Sir
The commercial regulations introduced
by the company were to provoke more
hostility and the tariff regulations also
imposed more duties on most of the principal articles of trade. The importation
of spirit into the Benue territories was
prohibited in 1887, except in reasonable
amounts for the personal consumption
of the European residents or visitors.
Efforts by other nationals to participate
in the Niger trade was rebuffed by the
company and this provoked diplomatic
tiffs and calls on the British government to restrain
the Company in
certain instances,
especially the
case involving
the German Jacob
Hoenigsberg in
Nupeland.
Due to complaints against
the Royal Niger
Company, the
British governIn the Charter,
ment in 1888
some of the treaappointed Major
ties negotiated
Claude Macdonby the company
ald as a commiswere mentioned
sioner to investiand the company
gate the petitions.
was ‘’authorised
However, a new
and empowered to
international
hold, and retain the
crisis could not
full benefits of the
allow the governseveral cessions’’
John
Holt
Richard and William King
G
Go
ment to weaken
tts
t
ch
an
made by the Afrialc
iv
k
& Company
G. B. Oll
y
the company’s
z
Ja
m
n
can rulers, and to
es
a
Pi
w
nn
S
ock The African and Eastern Trade Corporation Limited
F and A
hold in the terexercise ‘all rights,
y
an
mp
Co
United African
ritory. But the
A.J. Seward and Company Limited The Niger Co
interests, authorimpany
Forster and Smith
company’s
ties and powers
The African Association
competitors,
Alexander Miller Brother & Company
)
er
for the purpose of
lev
ni
(U
d
ite
Lever Brothers Lim
W.B. McIver
especially nine
The Royal
government (and
Niger Com
pany
British companies
Central African Trading Company Limited
Hatton and Cookson
the) preservation of
teamed up to
public order.’’
n
so
ted
Limi
rri
United Africa Company
Thomas Ha
West African Company
form the African
In 1886, a genAssociation in
• Through the portal ... some of the symbols, logos and names of the enterprises that were part
eral meeting of the
1889 and opened
of UAC’s heritage over the years.
Royal Niger Comup many trading
pany passed resolutions changing the
posts along the Niger.
George Goldie was appointed politiname of the National African Comcal administrator and David McIntosh
The Royal Niger Company being not
pany to the Royal Niger Company. The
agent-general and Sir James Marshall as
only a government but a trading contitles of Chairman and Vice Chairman
the chief justice and courts of law were
cern commenced efforts that led to the
were changed to governor and deputy
set up. An armed constabulary of three
acquisition of the competing companies.
governor, while the board of directors
Europeans and 150 Africans was raised.
It bought out the African Association in
became the council. Lord Aberdare was
1893, which transappointed governor,
ferred its assets to the
and George Taubman
Royal Niger Comdeputy governor. The
pany.
other members of the
210
cont’d on Page 23
2013
BUSINESS RETREAT
Part
nership
Placing Value
• Partnership at work ... (from left)
Messrs Joe Dada, Larry Ettah,
Aigboje Imoukhuede and
Abdul Bello at the occasion.
W
hen the cream of the managerial cadre of
UAC of Nigeria PLC gathered for the yearly business retreat at the Golden Tulip Festac Lagos, in February 2013 there was no doubt that
the current concerns of the businesss would dominate
the discourse. The theme of the conference - “Creating
Value through Strategic Partnerships,’’ aptly captured
the momentum. At a time when UAC has chosen strategic partnership as a model for growing the business
on a sustainable basis, it was obvious the expectations
of the business and the outcomes could play out differently. And the business could not afford to be caught
unprepared for the exigencies!
The Group Managing Director/CEO of UAC of Nigeria PLC, Mr
Larry Ettah set the tone for the forum, stressing that the challenge
of creating value through strategic partnership in the business
depended on how fast the people, system and process can adapt to
the new agenda.
He said: “Going forward - and deriving from this forum - we need
to constantly review our journey of partnership and determine how
we have been tracking so far? What lessons can we learn from our
experiences with UAC Foods, UAC Restaurants and MDS? What
about our interests in Livestock Feeds PLC and Portland Paints and
Products PLC? How do we build shareholders’ value?
‘’From the emerging scenario, the key issues will have to focus on
Consolidation, Integration and Risk. Other issues will be un-
on
avoidable - people, culture alignment and shared values. This will
further take us to a contemplation of our risk status in areas such
as supply chain, brand and management, legal/regulatory requirements and enhancement of synergy within our operations.’’
He, therefore, queried: ‘’The questions to ask - and answers sought
for with marked urgency - include: Are our people, systems and
processes primed for this challenge? How do we leverage on exist
existing synergy and even promote more collaborative interaction?”
The UAC Chief Executive further noted: “UAC is an organisation
with rich history and record of accomplishments, those of us currently charged with stewardship obligation of ensuring its success
sustenance must take steps to make it better. We have a legacy of
service, integrity, management systems, knowledge of our market,
reputation, strong brands, operating expertise, geographical foot
prints, scale and, importantly, corporate DNA of diverse, committed, well-trained talent. How do we maximise these positives? Are
our vision and mission sustainable in the long term? How do we
graft an enduring work culture and transform UAC into a Great
Place to Work? How do we improve our capability in terms of
managing risks?’’
Mr Ettah pointed out that a common thread runs through the
various themes of the retreats over the years “because these do not
only signpost our concerns for each year, but each theme acts as a
building block through which we seek to optimise UACN corporate advantage as we seek to build a portfolio of companies with
exposure to the growth prospects into the future. Clearly we must
appreciate that the most effective way to realise change and growth
we seek is to have a team of leaders equipped with skills and
11
212
• UAC Directors and Managers with GMD/CEO, Mr Larry Ettah (third from left) and Mr Aigboje Imoukhuede, GMD/CEO of Access Bank Plc (seated fourth from left) in a group photograph.
vision to drive results. This retreat seeks
to achieve that aim.”
He rounded off his speech, stressing:
“The future is what we make out of it. It
certainly promises to be brighter than our
past. In 2015, this company will be a business with NPS in excess of N100 billion.
that is the plan, working together we can
and will make that happen.’’
The Guest Speaker at the occasion and the
Group Managing Director of Access Bank
Plc, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede provided refreshing insights and timely warnings
for all corporate actors with the ambition
of transforming into a Holding Company
structure. In his presentation “Creating
Value through Strategic Partnerships - The
Access Bank Story”, Mr Aig-Imoukhuede
said that businesses seek strategic partners
and alliances to achieve business objectives and gain competitive advantage.
He, therefore, advised on the need to
develop an early/timely understanding of
the business environment including risks
and cultural differences and put in place
mitigating plans for the envisaged risks.
Mr Aig-Imoukhuede pointed out some of
the basic ingredients that drive successful
strategic partnerships to include increase
capability to manage strategic alliances
and manage risk of our choices; display
the confidence of winners and scale up
credibility in speaking with high level
international investors; ensure alignment
of corporate value system of partners with
that of the group; have a strategic framework to manage partner relationship and
put in place exit strategy framework and
deal with partnerships that deviate from
the shared values. He insisted that other
considerations were to engage professional advisers that share your vision and
strategy for independent evaluation of
proposed strategic partnerships or acquisition prospects; partner with the regulators
in the industry; work with them as allies
and shape the future of the industry with
them; work with partners that can support
knowledge transfer initiatives and explore
the opportunity by exposing your key
staff through attachments to broaden their
wealth of experience.
In his presentation on the 2013 - 2015
LTP/AE Scorecard/Key Performance
Milestones, the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Mr Joe Dada highlighted
the key milestones recorded to include:
• Implementation of Full Holdco and governance structure.
• Business alignment and strategic allianCont’d on Page 22
Remembers
A GOOD MAN
O
n Wednesday 20th March 2013, UAC of
Nigeria PLC held a Service of Songs at No
1 Oniru (McDonald) Road, Ikoyi, Lagos in
honour of Mr Bassey Udo Ndiokho, former
Chairman and Managing Director of the Company,
who passed away on 21st February in Lagos.
Mr Bassey Udo
Ndiokho
r Udoma U. Udoma,
) Mr Larry Ettah, Senato and Chief (Dr )Ernest
an
• Let’s sing .... (From left
nek
Mrs Margaret Sho
Mr Victor Hammond, on.
Shonekan at the occasi
• Sing praises ... the Ndiokho family at the occasion.
At the well-attended event, UAC Chairman
Senator Udoma U Udoma extolled Mr Ndiokho’s virtues and contributions to the Company, saying: “When death, an inevitable part
of life comes, it leaves us often broken, sad and
helpless. Death is invariably unwelcome. This is
particularly so when a good man goes. At moments like these all we can do is to cherish the
memories we are left with. We must cherish the
opportunities we all had to have known him;
to have worked with him;
to have associated
with him. This
evening - and for
our Company we are left with
the rich and
wonderful
memories of
Mr Bassey
U d o
Ndiokho,
Chairman
cont’d on Page 16
• Senator Udo Udoma.
13
27
Tri bute
For UAC,
A Good
By
LARRY E. ETTAH
2
14
Goes…
Man
W
hen some people pass on, like Bassey Udo Ndiokho did on Thursday 21st February 2013, it is worth
our tears. But in mourning the dead, it is also a time to think of their life. For as we are often reminded, “Not the reach of a man’s fame nor the depth of his fortune but his ability to make a difference to
humanity is what matters”. Bassey Udo Ndiokho (1939-2013) worked for UAC of Nigeria PLC for close to three
decades and retired as its Chairman/Managing Director (1993-1999).
He became a CEO at a very difficult time of our corporate history, with Unilever divesting and taking with
them the “Crown Jewels” of the Group. We were, indeed, handed a bad hand, a losing hand, a lemon, motley
of businesses, and a rump of disparate units with poor prospect for growth given their industries. Sometimes,
you are not lucky to inherit a legacy portfolio aligned to favourable trends; his was worse. In any case, that was
why Unilever was divesting from them, to focus on more profitable core operations - in their view. Mr Ndiokho
didn’t seek the job, but clearly he wasn’t frightened by the prospects and the challenges.
We, the hapless employees, were somewhat anxious, our confidence wavering, having lost an anchor investor,
a corporate parent in Unilever. The prospects of being a fully “Nigerian” business with all that it portends were
frightening and nervy. Some who had the opportunity jumped ship to Unilever, or elsewhere, for clearly you
had to either be bold or foolish to remain - given half the chance. Those of us who had no such chance, however,
had a leader - Bassey Udo Ndiokho.
Desperate times can shrink a man or embolden him. He urged us to reject the lazy narrative that a Nigerian
business cannot do well, made us believe we are stewards of a great inheritance called UACN. With the lemon
we were handed, we worked to make lemonade. We refused to be victims of destiny but masters of our own.
There were doubters - people who wondered whether he had the flair, authority and, perhaps, the gumption to
carry forward the company built in the image of his predecessor.
A gentle, simple, spartan, courtly and considerate man, who cherished the virtues of duty quietly exercised.
Never one to indulge in self-promotion or media hugging, and without undue fanfare, went about trying to
“unscramble the scrambled egg” that UACN was then. He stated his convictions politely but argued them
firmly. Optimistic in temperament, he was bold and persistent in action.
Mr Ndiokho was a CEO who worked for the organisation, not one where the organisation works for him (as we
sometimes see). A man of great humility, humour, a sense of humanity, radiating to us all, hope. It came easily
to him as son of a village Pastor, his upbringing reflected in his character. He saw power not for its sake but for
the purpose, to ensure we brave out the odds, burnish our reputation through service and make UAC survive. It
is a testimony to his courage, conviction and vision that UAC, once a flourishing pan-African enterprise under
Unilever, survived only in Nigeria (Ghana and other countries liquidated post-Unilever divestment).
Our local contemporaries then were CFAO, UTC, SCOA, John Holt, AG Leventis etc. It is to his credit – and
memory - that he laid the foundation that today these enterprises are not our peers.
In hindsight, it is easier to understand the challenges we faced and the adequacy of his leadership response.
He initiated the evolution of UACN Property Development Company PLC (UPDC), acquired CAP Plc, Grand
Cereals Limited and Spring Waters Nigeria Limited (SWAN) into the group. These were inspired judgement
calls and transformative purchases that underpin UACN’s growth today.
He was not perfect, well, who amongst us is? He was clearly under-estimated! Bassey will have an honoured
place in the memory and history of UACN. To his family, I offer condolence but also the respect and gratitude
of UACN. To my colleagues, I say, we owe him a duty to succeed.
On behalf of a grateful Company, we bid you farewell Sir!!
Mr Ettah is the Group Managing Director/CEO, UAC of Nigeria PLC.
1527
cont’d from Page 13
and Managing Director of
UAC of Nigeria Plc from 1993
to 1999.
He recalled Mr Ndiokho’s days
as helmsman of UAC, saying:
‘’Barely a year upon taking
over as the Chief Executive and
Chairman, the UAC Group was
faced with a stiff and daunting
test - the severance of Unilever’s
corporate parentage of UAC.
Unilever’s divestment led to
UAC losing some of its more
profitable businesses to Lever
Brothers Plc (which was later renamed Unilever Nigeria Plc). It also led to the loss
of the technical support UAC had enjoyed from
Unilever. There were many who had already started predicting the end of UAC, as a major Nigerian
company. Mr. Ndiokho was however determined
that the company would not die. The challenge
involved in overcoming the impact of the consequences of that divestment brought his leadership
• Pleased to meet you ...
Senator Udoma U. Udoma,
UAC Chairman (left) greets
Chief (Dr) Ernest Shonekan
at the occasion.
qualities to the fore and defined his tenure.”
The UAC Chairman further said: “The Board of
UAC, under the leadership of Mr Ndiokho, left
with the rump of the business, quickly articulated a new business direction for UAC to focus on
four core areas of property, food, packaging and
distribution. The search for UAC’s survival and
competitiveness led to new and bold initiatives:
FAREWELL
GOOD MAN
TO A
M
r Bassey Udo Ndiokho, a former Chairman and Managing Director of UAC of
Nigeria PLC (UAC), has passed away, aged 74 years. Mr Ndiokho, who headed
Nigeria’s leading conglomerate from 1993 to 1999, passed away on Thursday
21st February 2013 in Lagos. He was interred at Mkpok, his hometown in Onna Local
Government of Akwa Ibom State on Saturday 23rd March 2013. The burial was preceded by a Service of Songs at his residence in Ikoyi Lagos and attended by UAC Directors, Senior Managers and employees and industry leaders, friends and well-wishers
on Tuesday 19th March 2013.
A former Director of some leading businesses and institutions in the country, Mr Ndiokho was
at various times the Pro-Chancellor of Akwa Ibom State University of Technology; Chairman of
Enterprise Development International, (an NGO that evolved from TechnoServe Nigeria) and a
Non-Executive Director of Union Bank of Nigeria PLC. He was also one of those appointed into
the vision 2010 committee to represent the business community.
Mr Ndiokho’s tenure as UAC’s helmsman was marked by the successful divestment of Unilever
PLC of London from UAC of Nigeria PLC and the transition of UAC into a wholly-owned Nigerian Company with focus on four core areas - Foods, Property, Packaging and Distribution. He
also initiated the evolution of UAC Property Division into UACN Property Development Comcont’d on Page 18
216
• Mrs Iquo Ndiokho (right) with daughter,
Mrs Helen Adeleye at the occasion.
• For old time sake ... Chief Ernest Shonekan and his wife, Mrs Shonekan
greet Mr Ayo Ajayi, former Managing Director of UAC at the occasion.
• (From right) Senator Udoma U. Udoma,
UAC Chairman (right) and Mr Larry
Ettah, Group MD\CEO, UAC and Mr
Tawanda Mushuku.
• Conferring ... the Ndiokhos confer ... (from left)
Mrs Helen Adeleye, Mrs Iquo Ndiokho, Mrs Ima
Ofulue and a member of the family.
•Some of the guests at the occasion.
UAC Property Division was
transformed into UACN Property Development Company
PLC (UPDC), the first quoted
real estate company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. This move
was followed by fresh business
acquisitions - CAP PLC,
Grand Cereals Limited
and Spring Waters Nigeria Limited. That these
businesses have become
profitable and successful
endeavours within the
UAC Group today is a testimony to Mr Ndiokho’s
visionary leadership.’’
indeed, handed a bad hand, a
losing hand, a lemon, motley of
businesses, and a rump of disparate units with poor prospect
for growth given their industries.
Sometimes, you are not lucky to
inherit a legacy portfolio aligned
by the prospects and the challenges.”
Continuing, Mr Ettah said: “A
gentle, simple, spartan, courtly
and considerate man, who cherished the virtues of duty quietly
exercised. Never one to indulge in self-promotion or
media hugging, and without undue fanfare, went
about trying to “unscramble the scrambled egg” that
UACN was then. He stated
his convictions politely but
argued them firmly. Optimistic in temperament, he
was bold and persistent in
action.
Also in his tribute to late
Mr Ndiokho, the Group • Mr Felix Ohiwerei, former Chairman & MD of Nigerian
‘’Mr Ndiokho was a
Managing Director/CEO of Breweries Plc and Mr Remi Omotosho, former DirectorGeneral of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
CEO who worked for
UAC, Mr Larry Ettah captures the essential leadership to favourable trends; his was the organisation, not one where
qualities of Mr Ndiokho, saying: worse. In any case, that was why the organisation works for him
“He became a CEO at a very dif- Unilever was divesting from (as we sometimes see). A man of
ficult time of our corporate his- them, to focus on more profitable great humility, humour, a sense
tory, with Unilever divesting and core operations, in their view. of humanity, radiating to us all,
taking with them the “Crown Mr Ndiokho didn’t seek the job, hope. It came easily to him as son
Jewels” of the Group. We were, but clearly he wasn’t frightened of a village Pastor, his upbring-
17
27
• A call to prayer ... guests during
the occasion.
• (From right) Senator Udoma U Udoma, UAC Chairman: Mrs Ima
Ofulue, Chief (Dr) Ernest Shonekan, former President of Nigeria
and Mr Larry Ettah, Group MD/CEO of UAC.
• (From right) Mr Ayo Ajayi, former
Managing Director of UAC and Dr
Tawanda Mushuku, Managing Director
of UAC Foods at the occasion.
• A time to sing ... (From left) Mrs Ola Onasanya, former Director of
UAC; Mrs Joan Ihekwaba of UAC Foods; Mr Abdul Bello and his wife,
Aisha and Mr Joe Dada, Directors of UAC.
ing reflected in his character. He saw power not
for its sake but for the purpose, to ensure we brave
out the odds, burnish our reputation through service and make UAC survive. It is a testimony to
his courage, conviction and vision that UAC, once
a flourishing pan-African enterprise under Unilever, survived only in Nigeria (Ghana and other
countries liquidated post-Unilever divestment).’’
The Service of Songs was attended by distinguished personalities including Chief (Dr) &
Mrs Ernest Shonekan, former Head of State and
former Chairman & Managing Director of UAC;
Mr & Mrs Ayo Ajayi, former Managing Director
of UAC; Directors of UAC - Mr Joe Dada and Mr
Abdul Bello; former Directors of UAC - Chief Fe-
lix Osifo, Mrs Olabisi Onasanya, Mr Sola Erinle,
Mr Saheed Johnson, Mr Siji Ijogun, Mr Layi Adetomiwa, Chief Sam Bolarinde, and Mr Victor
Hammond. Other dignitaries were Mr Felix Ohiwerei, former Chairman & Managing Director of
Nigeria Breweries PLC; Mr Remi Omotosho, former Director-General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr John Njokanma, former
Divisional Marketing Director of AJ Seward and
Mr Ben Okpara, former Senior Manager, with
Bordpak Premier Packaging Division of UAC; Mr
Niyi Babatunde, former Director of Lever Brothers
PLC; former Public Relations Advisers of UAC Mr Mike Okereke and Miss Duro Onabolu - and
Mrs Onari Duke, wife of Mr Donald Duke, former
Governor of Cross River State.
FAREWEll to a good man
pany PLC, which has been transformed into a
successful real estate business and till date the
first and only publicly-quoted property Company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
A seasoned estate surveyor and property
expert, Mr Ndiokho attended Walthamstow
South West Essex Technical College where
he trained as an estate surveyor and joined
218
• Chief (Dr) Ernest Shonekan and his wife,
Mrs Margaret Shonekan at the occasion.
cont’d from Page 13
UAC in March 1971. He attended various
management training programmes including
a management programme at the University
of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign and an
Advance Management Programme at Harvard
Business School, Boston MA.
Mr Ndiokho is survived by wife, children,
grandchildren and an aged mother.
• Show of appreciation ...students of
Government College, Keffi thank
UAC for standing by them.
• (From left) Mr Joe Dada, Director,
UAC, Mallam Hussaini Abubakar
Commissioner for Education,
Nassarawa State and Alhaji Gyatte,
Principal of Government College,
Keffi with the desks presented to
Government College Keffi.
Goodness League
in the
North Central
- a Feel of Real Goodness
F
rom Gindiri on the north
eastern plains of Plateau
State to Keffi on the north
western flank of Nasarawa State,
from Bida esconsced on the
northern trough of the Niger
basin to Makurdi, perched on the
southern bank of the River Benue,
the message was stirring and
unmistakable. The reception was
rousing enough from the grateful
hosts as they received the UAC of
Nigeria PLC’s team in the cities
across the plains of the country’s
North Central geo-political zone.
The message was a confirmation of the
accomplishment of the acts of good
intention from a ‘doing good’ Company
and the recipients were just too awestruck to admit that finally the last specks
of doubts have been cleared from their
eyes. The intervention projects of the
UAC had finally taken root - these were
no longer mere promissory notes.
From the modest dais of his grateful
hosts at Government College, Keffi, Nassarawa State; Boys Secondary School,
Gindiri, Plateau State; Government Col-
Ga
lege, Bida, Niger State and Mount St Gabriel’s Secondary School, Makurdi, Benue
State, Mr Joe Dada, Executive Director of
UAC of Nigeria PLC and head of UAC’s
Goodness League delegations to the recipient schools in Nasarrawa and Plateau
States, said: ‘’As legacy schools go, these
schools have their own fair share of the
good and the great - not only in these
states but the country as a whole. This is
part of the reason we are here today. The
other reason, which is also very critical
too, is to live out the reality of our dream,
the Goodness League, which started six
years ago in our great Company, UAC
of Nigeria PLC (UAC).’’ The Company’s
team to the commissioning ceremonies
in Niger and Benue States was led by
Mr Layi Oyatoki, Managing Director of
Grand Cereals Limited, a subsidiary of
UAC of Nigeria PLC.
synergy for all of UAC’s Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) activities.”
The messages to the recipient schools
were essentially the same across the
states: ‘’The Goodness League is a veritable vehicle of UAC’S single-minded
identification with goodness. Six years
ago, our Company came up with the idea
of the Goodness League, which seeks to
make the new UAC Goodness League
platform meaningful through a credible
intervention scheme that tackles social
problems, provides an umbrella and
Mr Dada further justified the choices
thus: ‘’As is normal with our choices,
these are all legacy schools of repute and
are standard bearers in the history of
secondary schools in the North Central
Zone of the country.’’
You may wonder - what was responsible
for these shows of gratitude at the different fora in the various cities in the North
Central geo-political zone. The UAC
Goodness League’s train had berthed to
commission its Schools Support initiatives in the recipient schools. UAC’s
foray into the north central part of the
country would bring clear benefits to the
the following institutions - Government
College, Keffi, Nassarawa State received
200 sets of three seater desks while Boys
Secondary School, Gindiri, Plateau State;
St Mount Gabriel’s Secondary School,
Makurdi, Benue State and Government
College, Bida, Niger State got comprehensive sets of science equipment for
Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
He explained why the Goodness League
was focusing on education for now,
stressing that education is a veritable
expressway and an equitable platform for
mobility within the rungs of the society.
19
27
• Mr Joe Dada, Director, UAC presents a token to Mr Haruna
Alakiu, former principal of Government College, Keffi.
Continuing, he said: ‘’In realizing the
goals of the Goodness League, we have
ensured that we adopt both the hard
and soft issues. While the hard issues
focus on the provision of equipment
and infrastructural development, the
soft issues involve active engagement in
the teaching and instruction of students
through a Volunteer Scheme. We are
currently working on mobilizing other
corporate players and individuals from
time to time to fill identified gaps in our
educational system through the volunteer scheme that enables people to do
good through UAC.
‘’The volunteer scheme has been successfully tested with the Free Weekend
Classes for SSS3 students in Lagos
for some years now. The programme
normally runs for 8 weekends during
the long vacation. We are gearing up to
expand this initiative to other zones of
the country.’’
He further justified the recourse to
education: ‘’As a company, we embarked
on infrastructural intervention in our
• Some of the desks donated to Government College, Keffi.
nation’s schools, not only as a corporate
social responsibility imperative but as a
clarion call to all and sundry to supplement government’s contributions in this
vital, but under-funded, sector of our
national life - education.
forum to appeal to the school authorities and the students to ensure that these
desks and equipment are well taken care
of so that these can last longer for the
benefit of all those that are associated
with these great schools.’’
‘’After extensive surveys and investigations including visits to sundry schools
in the zone, we decided to limit our
intervention to the provision of science
equipment and furniture to the recipient
schools because of the dire need for these
critical aids in the benefitting schools.
The following legacy schools, he stated,
have benefitted from the programme
across the country: St Finbarr’s College, Akoka and CMS Grammar School,
Bariga, Lagos; Rumfa College, Kano;
Government Secondary School, Gwale,
Kano; Government College, kaduna and
Alhudahuda College, Zaria. Furthermore, our support has also gone to
Enitonna High School, Borokiri, Rivers
State; Holy Family College and Holy
Trinity College, Mbiakong, Akwa Ibom
and Hope Waddell Training Institution,
Calabar, Cross River State. In the north
central zone, the following schools have
also benefitted - Government College,
Keffi, Nassarawa State; Boys Secondary
School, Gindiri, Plateau State; St Mount
Gabriel’s Secondary School, Makurdi,
Benue State and Government College,
Bida, Niger State.
‘’Specifically, the choice of our support
for these schools derives from our knowledge that the foundation of learning
should be anchored on a threshold of the
students’ comfort and ease. The choice of
our intervention in these institutions is a
product of a careful review of the needs
of these foremost institutions. We believe
that with the provision of the school
desks, more students will be assured of a
most important contributor to enhancing
their concentration and comfort in the
classrooms. This is why we are using this
GOVERNMENT COLLEGE, KEFFI
re
-A Great Past Beckons on the Futu
y has made a good
Compan
The
y the time the UAC delegation
arrived Government College Keffi,
Nasarawa State, the State commissioner for education Mallam Hussaini
Abubakar was already at hand - to play a
key role in the ceremony. Suave, friendly
and eloquent, Mallam Abubakar conferred
the gratitude of the state government to
UAC for the gesture. The School had just
received 200 three-seater desks from UAC
as a beneficiary of UAC’s Goodness League
programme. The desks would comfortably
sit 600 students at a go! The commissioner
also used the platform to re-state the state
government’s plans for the educational sector in the state, especially with three model
schools which infrastructure were to be
completely revamped by the state government.
B
Principal of the school, Alhaji Shuaibu T
Gyatte was effusive in his gratitude: ‘’It is
worthy of honour and appreciation that we
are gathered here to celebrate the goodwill
220
extended to our hallowed college. We are
privileged to be living witnesses of UAC
Goodness League designed as a worthy
platform to assist in the educational development of our country. You can agree with
me that pedagogical activity is not possible
without certain facilities as desks, which
have just been provided for us. Indeed, we
are highly motivated by the donation and
we are of the belief that this will go a long
way to facilitate teaching/learning process
and ensure a conducive learning environment that will necessitate effective comprehension of instruction on the part of the
students and classroom management on the
part of the teachers.’’
From the Chief Inspector of Education,
Area Inspectorate of the Ministry of Education, Nasarawa, Mallam Musa Zadagbe,
came another testimonial and a re-assurance: “These desks will be of immeasurable
benefits to the school and I can assure you
that the students will make judicious use of
the desks.
mark for others to emulate as the government alone cannot meet all the demands of
the schools.”
One man’s effort towards the realization of
the gesture could not be glossed over. Mr
Ibrahim Alakiu, former Principal of Government College, Keffi, who was responsible for the groundwork and liaisons with
UAC that culminated in the delivery of the
seats. Mr Alakiu was constantly in touch
with the Company, quietly soliciting and
keeping alive the hope of taking delivery
of the desks. As the principal, he knew that
the desks would seal a gaping hole in the
administration of the school.
As the students and teachers filled the
hall to witness the commissioning of the
project, hope had once again come alive for,
undoubtedly, the grand old school - tucked
away in the bowel of the high brow section
of Keffi town!
NDIRI
BOYS SECONDARY SCHOOL, GI
Scatter Far and Wide!
- When Good Seeds mbly
Hall of BSSG on this sunny
Asse
al
January day in 2013 to witness the form
s
dnes
Goo
UAC
commissioning of the
of sciLeague project - comprehensive set
and
istry
Chem
ics,
ence equipment in Phys
t
emen
excit
the
ol,
scho
the
to
Biology
and anticipation were consuming.
r Dimka’s passion for chemistry
has endured over the years just
as his deep attachment to Boys
From
Secondary School, Gindiri (BSSG).
dly,
ubte
undo
G,
BSS
of
nt
stude
a
g
bein
au
the pioneer secondary school in Plate
ol
scho
the
to
ned
retur
ka
Dim
State, Mr
of its
as a teacher and rose to become one
.
ipals
Princ
ng
longest servi
M
st
BSSG, founded by the Church of Chri
ons
Nati
in
God
of
ch
Chur
in Nigeria (now
ld
- COCIN) with its modest abodes, wou
aged
-man
well
most
rank as one of the
schools in the country. The achieveucing
ments of the school in terms of prod
nt
rnme
gove
in
s
light
al
ation
educ
leading
au
and industry within and outside Plate
ding
State attest to the legacies of the foun
the
fathers. There was a time alumni of
four
school served as vice chancellors in
!
universities in Nigeria simultaneously
As the guests gathered in the modest
The sentiments of Mr George Yakzum,
Director of Education of COCIN, were
a shorthand expression of the stirring
hearts and minds during the reception:
le
“The world is made of two willing peop
the
e
mak
to
ssly
tirele
work
that
le
- peop
world habitable. The other people work
ing
willingly to destroy it… UAC is a mov
train.’’
man
He then waxed philosophical: “A big
feel
is one who makes all around him to
in
big. The state of decay of infrastructure
e
schools is alarming. We no longer valu
hed
education anymore. .. UAC has touc
ts.’’
hear
our
• Some of the students at the occasion.
aPlateau State Commissioner for Educ
ard
Bern
Mr
by
d
sente
repre
was
tion, who
of
Mamuda, said:’’ In view of the roles
science, technology and mathematics
education, the donation is a laudable
t
contribution to the overall national ques
the
gh
throu
ation
educ
te
opria
appr
for
al
deployment of science and human capit
’
ent.’
lopm
deve
n
The day was defined by the uncommo
ing
mov
the
and
nts
stude
the
of
discipline
rendition of the school anthem. Even
hy
within the ‘’UAC Train’’ were two wort
ambassadors of BSSG - Mr Yakubu
d CeAmasa, Production Manager of Gran
on,
reals Limited, Jos and Engr Mafai Gide
a
ted
Limi
s
Food
a manager with UAC
s
testimony to the fact that the goods seed
Nain
st
Chri
of
of COCIN (now Church
for
tions) - has scattered far and wide good measure!
GOVT COLLEGE, BIDA
A
- VOICES FROM THE CRADLE
s famous schools go, there
are few ones to contend for
greatness with Government
College, Bida - in Niger State.
This trading entreport for agricultural
produce has an equally famous school to
deepen its acclaim to fame. Even with the
presence of a Federal Polytechnic in the
town, Government College, Bida remains
the cradle of the elite in Niger State.
Today, the bulk of the leadership elite in
Niger State have had one kind of association - or another - with this institution.
As the commissioning ceremony for the
handover of the science equipment from
UAC to Government College, Bida was
going on, the enthusiastic school band
defied the scorching sun to blaze and blare
their appreciation.
For some years, the school has had to
share its premises with other government
created secondary schools. But time - and
things - are changing - and changing so
fast. There are talks that the other ‘tenant’
schools – within the large expanse - may
The representatives of the Niger State
Ministry of Education even at short notice
could not help but undertake the journey
from Minna to Bida to add the voice of a
grateful state to a doing good company.
The UAC delegation led by Mr Layi
soon yield ground to the authentic ‘landlord’ - a gladdening news for the alumni
of Government College, Bida, which
had borne the ‘sacrilege’ of sharing its
exclusive premises with stoic and strained
grace.
Oyatoki, Managing Director of Grand
Cereals Limited was treated to gratifying
acts from the students, but the flavour of
the event was further enhanced by the
presence of the Bishop of the Anglican
diocese in the State, who had come to
felicitate with Government College, Bida
on their good fortunes. But it was just as
well, as one good turn gave the Bishop an
opportunity to meet with the managers of
Grand Cereals Limited and open ever new
vista of opportunities for networking and
business relationship between the Anglican community and the Company.
For the students and the officials of Government College, Bida, the UAC gesture
was just another balm to oil their claim to
fame - and enduring greatness!
MT ST GABRIEL’S, MAKURDI
Enough
- Ain’t No Mountain High UAC
ideals in an emotive address.
ev Father Angus Frazer, Principal
of Mount St Gabriel’s Secondary
School in the heart of Makurdi,
the Benue state capital is a man whose
ways are well-ordered. And the results are
glittering - well beyond the stretch of the
famous river.
R
Today, Mount St Gabriel’s has become
a growing institution with a burgeoning
international renown, especially as the
school continues to rake in medals and
laurels for science and mathematics - from
places as far off as Azerbaijan and Cape
Town!
As it stands, the school chorale ensemble
are primed for a trans-Atlantic journey to
Argentina, after the country’s Ambassador
was wowed by the five star performances
of the students during a visit to the school
in Makurdi.
When the grateful school received its
comprehensive sets of science equipment
from UAC of Nigeria PLC, the Catholic
authorities were apt to share a secret – the
gesture was about the first to come from a
corporate organisation. Mr Layi Oyatoki,
Managing Director of Grand Cereals Limited and head of the UAC team, shared the
The Benue State government expressed its
gratitude to the company and challenged
the students to continue to take advantage
of such good fortunes to excel.
For the grateful school community and
its non-pareil Principal, the UAC Goodness League was a boon for the students
who have been tutored to believe as the
American soul great, Diana Ross hit track
aptly captured - “Ain’t No Mountain
High Enough’’!
21
27
Cont’d from Page 12
2013
BUSINESS RETREAT
• (From left) Messrs Tawanda Mushuku, Mukhtar Yakasai
and Derrick Van Houten.
ces through partnerships and acquisitions.
• Grow market share in key categories
and consolidate foothold in core markets
through organic growth.
• Achieve Sustainable and Profitable
Growth and Internal Cohesion and Integration of acquired businesses.
• Targeted investments in production
capacity.
• Develop framework for competitive
benchmarking and innovation.
• Leveraging IT, risk management and
people to deliver value and monitor business portfolio.
• Improved corporate communications.
• Time to listen ... some of the managers at the retreat.
They highlighted the four basic models of
the Corporate Centre in strategic partnerships as Operator, Strategic Controller,
Strategic Architect and Holding Company
and stressed that the considerations of the
operating models were Leadership Driven,
Market Focus, Execution Edge and
Knowledge Core.
According to the trio, the key factors that
characterize successful change/transformation programmes were Leadership,
Aspirations, Structure, Engagement and
Resources. They, therefore, advised business managers to always seek to run a
‘’healthy company as well as a performing
In his presentation, the
Chief Financial Officer
of UAC, Mr Abdul
Bello reviewed the
Company’s performance in 2012 and
tasked each of the
businesses to achieve
or exceed its target and
seek tax saving opportunities. He noted
that the Company has
identified critical risks
across the Group in
addition to plans to
mitigate them through
• UAC managers during the session.
the Group’s Enterprise
Risk Management framework.
company’ which characteristics include
Customer Intimacy, Speed of Decision
In their presentations - “Successful
Making and Passion of Employees. They
Conglomerates: International Archetypes
further stressed the need to communicate
and Case Studies” and “Transforming
the information on the need for - and the
the Organization: Key Imperatives and
deliverables of - change to ensure buy-in
Challenges” - Messrs Reinaldo Fiorini,
and engagement of teams.
Bill Russo and Ade Sun-Basorun of
McKinsey & Company, submitted that a
In his paper titled “Organization Capabilkey consideration in relating with strategic ity and Post-Acquisition Imperatives in
partners included the need for businesses
a HoldCo”, Mr Kunle Elebute, Partner/
to focus on Market Selection and Portfolio Head Advisory Services KPMG, pointed
Momentum as this was the most imporout that the need for the understanding of
tant ingredient for business growth. They
different corporate management models
pointed out that the steps to developing a
and the HoldCo Conceptual Management
High Impact Corporate Operating model
Framework has led to the identification of
consists of deciding the role of Corporate
four different management models, defined
Centre, Optimum Operating Model and
by the way senior management and the
understanding the key drivers of change.
corporate core engage with the rest of the
business. He reviewed some of the leading
22
global organisations and upheld that the
differentiating factors of the Corporate
Centre models were on the control, strategy setting, capital allocation and shared
services. He stressed that answers must be
presented to some critical queries before
the most suitable model can be picked.
Mr Elebute pointed out that answers to
some queries would be necessary in order
to arrive at the most suitable choice: What
is our overarching strategy? Given our
strategy, what holding company structure
do we want to go with and why? What
level of involvement does the Group want
to have in its Investments (Subsidiaries,
Associates, Joint Ventures, etc.)? What is
our core competency?
What does UAC want
to be known for? What
will be the mandate of
the Holding Company, functions to be
performed and shared
services to be provided? Is clarity provided
in terms of UAC’s corporate brand, operating
model, code of business principles, brand
equity and product
quality?
Mr Olumide Ajomale’s presentation
“Building Employee Engagement through
a Giftwork Culture” highlighted the need
to build and sustain trust as the single
most distinguishing attribute of great
workplaces. He pointed out that some of
the globally identified drivers for trust
at the work place include the work itself
(including opportunities to develop),
confidence and trust in leadership, rewards
and recognition and communication. He
noted that all the companies that excelled
in the great Place to Work survey were
those that promoted an environment that is
consistently gift-like, that is a “Giftwork
culture,” - where employees and managers
feel like and interact like human beings
and not robots.
C O V E R
S T O R Y
cont’d from Page 10
The administration of the charter was not
without its challenges as it provoked a
major reprisal from the Brassmen, who
attacked and ransacked a British outpost. There were serious threats from the
French from the North West and these
challenges led to the appointment of a
young military officer with experience in
Asia and East Africa, Captain (later Sir
Frederick Lugard) to check the incursions. The Royal Niger Company was at
the head of the suppression of the Emir
of Nupe when the suzerainty of the Company was seriously challenged.
But by then voices in high places including Britain were raised against the affairs
of the company. As Lady Lugard would
point out ‘’it was undesirable that territories, of which the defence was provided
at public expense, should be administered at private expense.’’ The position
was further reinforced by Lord Salisbury,
Secretary of State for foreign Affairs:
‘’The West African Frontier Force, under
imperial officers, calls for direct imperial
control; the situation created towards
other firms by the commercial position
of the Company, which, although strictly
deriving from the right devolving upon
it by charter, has succeeded in establishing a practical monopoly of trade; the
manner of which this monopoly presses
on the native traders, as exemplified by
the rising in Brass, which called for the
mission of enquiry entrusted to Sir John
Kirk in 1895, are some of the arguments
which have influenced the government’s
decision to revoke the charter.’’
destroyed it and it was only fair that they
should receive a handsome and sufficient
price such as parliament had given them.
But I think that we cannot part with
them without recognizing the enormous
benefits which the civilising of those
countries has received from their exertions ... The advance that we have made
in stopping inter-tribal wars, in arresting
the slave-raiding which is such a fearful
curse in that country, and in diminishing
the liquor traffic from which so many
evils are derived.’’
in other places. However, the traders
showed little inclination to follow the
flag.’’
Barter was still the principal means of
exchange, but it is on record that The
On January 1 1900, the Bill received a
royal assent and the charter was revoked
as from that date.
The journey for the Royal Niger Company as an administrative and political
tool and force may have ended, but its
commercial essence was, no doubt, on
the ascendancy. For the territory that
would, with time, become known as
Nigeria, the journey to nationhood had
switched, inexorably, to another portal.
THE NIGER COMPANY
Following the revocation of the charter of
the Royal Niger Company, the name of
the company was changed to The Niger
Company. The capital of the Company
was £493,680, but this was reduced to
£319,760 by the distribution of part of the
money received under the compensation
arrangements.
Pedler recounts: ‘’The government of the
Protectorate of Northern Nigeria, which
was created to take over the admin-
The British government, however, felt
that the company should be compensated in recognition of its administrative work and the treaty rights which
it had acquired. The government
agreed to pay £450,000 as compensation to the company. The total
amount provided in the Bill for the
Royal Niger Company Act of 1899 was
£865,000. In addition, the government
had undertaken to impose royalties on
minerals won from the lands between
• Relic... Lord Lugard’s lodging in Lokoja.
the Niger and a line drawn from Yola
to Zinder, and to pay to the Company
istrative responsibilities of the Royal
for a period of 99 years. The House of
Niger Company, was placed under Lord
Commons passed the Bill by 181 votes
Frederick Lugard as the High Commisto 81, while the House of Lords passed it
sioner. He pursued an energetic policy,
without a division.
extending effective occupation and close
Lord Salisbury paid tribute to the comadministration. As the government espany, stating: ‘’I think that no-one doubts tablished posts far away from the river, it
for an instance that the main object of
was Lugard’s expectation that the Niger
the Niger Company was philanthropic
Company and other firms would seize
and political, and that it was not merely
the opportunity of opening new branches
a monetary speculation.
They risked their money
enormously, a mere
accident might have
• The Rt. Hon. Viscount Leverhulme ... iconic
leader of Unilever.
Niger Company played a crucial role in
the evolution of the modern financial
institution in association with two firms
- the African Association and Alexander
Miller Brother & Company. In 1900, the
three firms provided the capital needed
for the establishment of a bank in Nigeria
- Anglo-African Bank; in 1905, the name
was changed to Bank of Nigeria Limited
and in 1907, a branch of the bank was
opened in Lagos. The Bank of Nigeria
was bought into in 1912 by the British
Bank of West Africa, in which The
Niger Company continued to have an
investment.
The Niger Company was among the
pioneer firms to promote the groundnut trade in the country .The credit
for the groundnut pyramids goes to
one of its employees, Langley. With
warehouse space becoming scarce, the
railway unable to freight the harvest
and the crops facing imminent destruction before the onset of the rains, it became necessary to level a base sixty feet
square and to pack it with stones, ashes
and earth.
The site was then rounded off with mud
wall eighteen inches high which had to
be finished off with local plaster so as to
protect it against the rush of the tropical
rainstorm.The base was then covered
three feet deep in
groundnut shells as
a deterrent against
white ants. Nine thou-
23
27
C O V E R
S T O R Y
sand bags, containing 750 tons, were then
stacked to a height of 40 feet.
Photographs courtesy: Corbis, Emeagwali.com, Google
The Company also ventured into mining
and obtained its first licence in 1902 and
tin was first exported by the Company
in 1906. 1n 1913, The Niger Company set
up a subsidiary, Campagnie du Niger
Francais, to operate in Senegal and the
French Sudan (now Republic of Mali).
During the First World War, as several
steamers of the West African services
were lost through enemy action, the company bought some sailing vessels which
were used to export produce to American ports. 1n 1916, The Niger Company
made an investment in the West African
Publishing Company, which produced
the first periodical - West Africa. 1n
1919, the year of the post war boom, The
Lever taking the title of Governor. Lever
and his team then overhauled the rather
carefree agent-led practices of The Niger
company. He increased salaries considerably and abolished the practices whereby
agents could engage in private practices.
The plan by Lever to construct a head
office in Lagos for all the Lever interests
was achieved when Lomax Simpson, an
architect, helped to bring the dream to reality. Niger House, a worthy edifice, the
’’dignified proportions of which looked
particularly fine when seen from the
lagoon.’’ Lord Leverhulme’s public spat
with Governor Hugh Clifford in Nigeria
is also well-known.
The Niger Company interests were expanded into Gold Coast and the company also was well-represented in the Ivory
Armitage and Sons Limited, Joseph Holt
and Sons Limited (cotton mills), Rice
and Company Limited (cotton mills),
Ribbleton Mills Limited (cotton mills)
and George Kay and Company Limited (dye works), Joseph Dunkerly and
Sons Limited (garment makers), Forster
Moone and Company Limited (jacquard
weavers), AJ Seward and Company
Limited (cosmetics) and Ellesmere Port
Estates Limited. Another company that
joined the group was AJ Caley, manufacturers of chocolate, mineral water and
Christmas crackers.
The corporation not only adopted Lord
Leverhulme’s idea of building an integrated group that combined manufacturing and merchanting, it acquired TH
Harris and Sons Limited, a soap making
company, which besides
challenging Lever Company’s core area, grabbed
50 percent of the market
share by underselling
Lever’s soaps.
It was, therefore, understandable when the
adversorial relations and
bitter commercial war
existed between the two
companies. In spite of the
enmity, Lever Brothers
Limited made an attempt
to acquire the African and
Eastern Trade Corporation in 1920. The finan• Icons of nationhood - Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
cial crunch which was a
feature of businesses in the
1920 finally exposed the
Niger Company and the directors of the
Coast from where it was involved in the
corporation
and
provided Lever BroCompany decided to sell the Company
cocoa trade.
thers Limited an opportunity to acquire
to one of its principal competitors - Lever
its bitter rival, the African and Eastern
Brothers Limited.
THE AFRICAN AND EASTERN Trade Corporation.
THE NIGER COMPANY AND
LEVER BROTHERS
William Hesketh Lever (later Lord
Leverhulme) formed a public company
under the name Lever Brothers Limited
in 1894 with a business philosophy of
making soaps of very high quality. Lever
Brothers core area was the palm oil trade
and margarine and Lord Leverhulme’s
keen business sense saw him investing
in places such as Congo, Gold Coast and
Sierra Leone. Lever would buy over W B
McIver Company, which with his backing enlarged and overtook the giants of
the trade - The Niger company, the African Association and the Miller Brothers.
In 1919, Lever acquired the Niger Company, a move which was facilitated by
the urge by the Board
of The Niger Company
to sell the Company at a
price of £8,000,000 with
224
TRADE CORPORATION
The African and Eastern Trade Corporation was formed from a merger of the African Association and the Millers Limited
in 1919, the year the Lever Company took
control of The Niger Company. The African and Eastern Trade Corporation was
also a formidable business with tentacles
in West and East Africa between May
1919 and July 1920. Sixteen companies
were brought into the group: T.H. Harris
and Sons Limited (soap works), Poulten
and Noel Limited (preserved foods), E H
Perrin and Company Limited (produce
buyers), Nicholl and Knight Limited
(produce brokers), Loder and Nicoline
Limited (oil crushers), T Middleton and
Company Limited (cotton mills), Thomas
Welsh and Company (cotton mills), S F
UNITED AFRICA COMPANY
LIMITED
On 3rd March 1929, the two leading trading giants - The Niger Company and the
African and Eastern Trade Corporation
- merged as ‘equal holding companies’
named the United Africa Company with
a £13,000,000 capital. The power and
glory of the Company has been graphically captured by Pedler: ‘’Between the
African and Eastern Trade Corporation
and The Niger Company operated at
over a thousand places in Africa, and in
several other places around the world. In
the four British colonies of West Africa,
their combined exports were estimated
at sixty percent of the palm oil, forty five
percent of the palm kernel, sixty percent
of the groundnuts and
fifty percent of the
cocoa. Their combined
imports were on a scale
C O V E R
S T O R Y
action, and enabled it to think of itself as
a company operating in Africa, bearing
responsibilities towards Africa, and depending for its success on the prosperity
of Africa.’’
NAMING NIGERIA
• Sir Herbert Macaulay.
that gave them a corresponding proportion of the totals… there were other
activities among them being plantation
development, timber production, ocean
steamers, lighterage and river and motor transport. The Niger Company also
received income from mining royalties in
Nigeria.
‘’The fixed assets, including land and
buildings, were spread over Africa. A
physical evaluation of the fixed assets
was deemed impracticable as a preliminary to forming the merger. Each company transferred all its assets in Africa,
fixed and floating, and its goodwill with
certain reservations, to the United Africa
Company in exchange for the shares
received.’’
On September 2 1929, Lever Brothers
Limited decided to amalgamate with the
Margarine Unie, a Dutch Company and
with its English counterpart, Margarine
Union to form Unilever. Unilever and the
African and Eastern trading corporation
became the joint guarantors of UAC’s
debts.
In 1939, the reconstruction of the
United Africa Company was completed.
Unilever bought out the equity of the
African and Eastern Trade Corporation
in UAC. And Unilever became the sole
owner of UAC. An intriguing side to the
United Africa Company’s sojourn was
that Unilever, in spite of its control, ran
a parallel management and never tried
to merge UAC with Unilever. As history
records through Pedler: ’’Though the
United Africa Company ‘reported’ its
results to Unilever at the year’s end for
consolidation in the parent’s accounts,
it did not report to Unilever day by day
nor even month by month. This arm’s
length relationship
with Unilever gave the
United Africa Company
a sense of freedom in
In an essay, which first appeared in The
Times on 8 January 1897, Flora Shaw, the
British journalist and later wife of Lord
Frederick Lugard, suggested the name
“Nigeria” for the British Protectorate
on the Niger River. In her essay, Flora
Shaw made a case for a shorter term that
would be used for the “agglomeration of
pagan and Mahomedan States” that were
functioning under the official title, “Royal
Niger Company Territories”. She thought
that the term “Royal Niger Company
Territories” was too long to be used as a
name of a Real Estate Property under the
Trading Company in that part of Africa.
What is important in Shaw’s article was
that she was in search of a new name and
she coined “Nigeria” in preference to
such terms as “Central Sudan” that was
associated with the area by some geographers and travellers. She thought that the
term “Sudan” at this time was associated
with a territory in the Nile basin, the current Sudan.
She then put forward this argument in
The Times of 8 January 1897 thus: “The
name Nigeria applying to no other part
of Africa may without offence to any
neighbours be accepted as co-extensive
with the territories over which the Royal
Niger Company has extended British
influence, and may serve to differentiate
them equally from the colonies of Lagos
and the Niger Protectorate on the coast
and from the French territories of the
Upper Niger.”
In 1905, Shaw wrote what remains the
definitive history of Western Sudan
and the modern settlement of Northern
Nigeria.
THE AMALGAMATION
Southern Nigeria was a British protectorate in the coastal areas of modern-day
Nigeria, formed in 1900 from union of
the Niger Coast Protectorate with territories chartered by the Royal Niger Company below Lokoja on the Niger River.
The Lagos colony was added in 1906,
and the territory was officially renamed
the Colony and Protectorate of Southern
Nigeria. In 1914, Southern Nigeria was
joined with Northern Nigeria Protectorate to form the single colony of Nigeria.
• UAC House.
The unification was done for economic
reasons rather than political - Northern
Nigeria Protectorate had a budget deficit;
and the colonial administration sought
to use the budget surpluses in Southern
Nigeria to offset this deficit.
The Governor-General Frederick Lugard,
who took office in 1914, was responsible for overseeing the unification. He
established several central institutions to
anchor the evolving unified structure. A
Central Secretariat was instituted at Lagos, which was the seat of government,
and the Nigerian Council (later the Legislative Council), was founded to provide
a forum for representatives drawn from
the provinces. Certain services were integrated across the Northern and Southern
Provinces because of their national significance - military, treasury, audit, posts
and telegraphs, railways, survey, medical
services, judicial and legal departmentsand brought under the control of the
Central Secretariat in Lagos.
The process of unification was undermined by the persistence of different
regional perspectives on governance
between the Northern and Southern
Provinces, and by Nigerian nationalists in Lagos. While southern colonial
administrators welcomed amalgamation
as an opportunity for imperial expansion,
their counterparts in the Northern Province believed that it was injurious to the
interests of the areas they administered
because of their relative backwardness
and that it was their duty to resist the advance of southern influences and culture
into the north. Southerners, on their part,
were not eager to embrace the extension
of legislation originally meant for the
north to the south.
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Acto
S T O R Y
NIGERIANIGERIA
merger of the firms into the United African
Company in 1879 in line with a controversial precedent in Asia - the British East India
Company.
S
ir George
Dashwood Taubman Goldie (20
May 1846 - 20 August 1925)
an
was administrator who played a major role in the founding of Nigeria.
Educated at the Royal Military Academy,
Woolwich, he held the commission for about
two years before embarking on his travel to
Africa, and first visited the country of the Niger in 1877.
Drafted to save a British Company from the
brink of ruin in the Niger area, he discovered that rivalry and disunity were the bane
behind the chaotic situation and instigated a
In 1881, Goldie sought a charter from Gladstone’s government. Objections of various
kinds were raised. To meet the objective,
the capital of the company (renamed the National African Company) was increased from
£250,000 to £1,000,000, and great energy was
displayed in founding stations on the Niger.
He was instrumental to the signing of over
400 political treaties drawn with the chiefs
of the lower Niger and the Hausa states. The
scruples of the British government being
overcome, a charter was at length granted
(July 1886), the National African Company
becoming the Royal Niger Company, with
Henry Austin Bruce, 1st Baron Aberdare as
governor and Goldie as vice-governor. In
1895, on Lord Aberdare’s death, Goldie became governor of the company, whose destinies he had guided throughout.
campaigns: Afghan War (1879-1880); Sudan campaign (1884-1885) and Third Burmese War (1886-1887).
F
rederick John Dealtry Lugard,
1st Baron Lugard GCMG, CB,
DSO, PC (22 January 1858-11
April 1945), known as Sir Frederick
Lugard between 1901 and 1928, was a
British soldier, mercenary, explorer of
Africa and colonial administrator, who
was Governor of Hong Kong (19071912) and Governor-General of Nigeria
(1914-1919).
Lugard was commissioned into the 9th Foot
(East Norfolk Regiment) in 1878, joining the
second battalion in India,
and serving in the following
226
In 1894, Lugard was despatched by the
Royal Niger Company to Borgu, where he
secured treaties with the Kings and Chiefs
acknowledging the sovereignty of the British company, while distancing the other
colonial powers that were there. In August
1897, Lugard organized the West African
Frontier Force, and commanded it until the
end of December 1899, when the disputes
with France were settled.
After he relinquished command of the West
African Frontier Force, Lugard was made
High Commissioner of the Protectorate of
Northern Nigeria in 1900, a position he held
until 1906 and for which he was knighted in
1901.
In 1903, British control over the whole protectorate was made possible by a successful
campaign against the Emir of Kano and the
Sultan of Sokoto. By the time Lugard resigned as commissioner, the entire Nigeria
was being peacefully administered under the
Following the Berlin Conference and the
struggles by competing European interests in
the balkanisation of Africa, Goldie successfully fought off the German and French encroachment in the Niger territory.
The hostility of certain Fulani princes led the
company to despatch, in 1897, an expedition
against the Muslim states of Nupe and Ilorin.
It was, however, evidently impossible for a
chartered company to hold its own against the
state-supported protectorates of France and
Germany, and in consequence, on 1 January
1900, the Royal Niger Company transferred
its territories to the British government for
the sum of £865,000. The ceded territory
together with the small Niger Coast Protectorate, already under imperial control, was
formed into the two protectorates of Northern
and Southern Nigeria.
Sir George Goldie died in 1925 and was buried in Gulu, Lapai LGA, Niger State of Nigeria.
supervision of British residents.
Lord Frederick Lugard
George Taubman Goldie
C O V E R
About a year after he resigned as High Commissioner of the Protectorate of Northern
Nigeria, Lugard was appointed as Governor of Hong Kong, a position he held until
March 1912.
In 1912, Lugard returned to Nigeria as Governor of the two protectorates. His main
mission was to complete the amalgamation
into one colony. Although controversial in
Lagos, where it was opposed by a large section of the political class and the media, the
amalgamation did not arouse passion in the
rest of the country. From 1914 to 1919, Lugard was made Governor General of the now
combined Colony of Nigeria.
Lord Lugard married Flora Louisa, daughter
of Major-General George Shaw, in 1902. She
was a journalist and writer for The Times.
There were no children from the marriage.
Flora died in January 1929. Lord Lugard
survived her by sixteen years and died on 11
April 1945, aged 87.
in the
ame Flora Louisa Shaw, Lady
Lugard, DBE (born 1852,
Woolwich, England, UK - died 25 January 1929, Surrey, England, UK), the
daughter of an English father, Captain
(later Major General) George Shaw and
a French mother, Marie Desfontaines,
was a British journalist and writer. She
is also known for having coined the
name “Nigeria”.
She began her career in journalism in 1886
and was sent by the Manchester Guardian
newspaper as the only woman reporter to
cover the Anti-Slavery Conference in Brussels. She became Colonial Editor for The
Times, and in this connection the paper sent
her as a special correspondent to Southern
Africa in 1892 and in 1901, and to Australia
and New Zealand in 1892, partly in order
to study the question of Kanaka labour in
the sugar plantations of Queensland. She
also made two journeys to Canada, in 1893
and 1898, the second of which included a
journey to the gold diggings of Klondike.
E
Her belief in the positive benefits of the
Ernest Shonekan
S T O R Y
rnest Adegunle Oladeinde
Shonekan (born 9 May
1936 in Lagos, south-west Nigeria)
is a British-trained Nigerian lawyer
and industrialist.
He was appointed as interim president
of Nigeria by General Ibrahim Ba
Babangida on 26 August 1993. Babangida
resigned under pressure to cede control
to a democratic government. Shone
Shonekan’s transitional administration only
lasted three months, as a palace coup
led by General Sani Abacha forcefully
dismantled the remaining democratic
institutions and brought the govern
government back under military control on 17
November 1993.
Prior to his political career, Shonekan
was the Chief Executive of United Africa
Company of Nigeria PLC (UAC), a large
Nigerian conglomerate.
British Empire infused her writing. As a
correspondent for The Times, Shaw sent
back “Letters” during 1892–93 from her
travels in South Africa and Australia.
Writing for the educated governing circles,
she focused on the prospects of economic
growth and political consolidation of these
self-governing colonies within an increasingly united British Empire, a vision largely
blinkered to the force of colonial nationalisms and local self-identities. These lengthy
articles in a leading daily newspaper reveal
a late-Victorian era metropolitan imagery of
colonial space and time.
Between 1878 and 1886 she wrote five
novels, four for children and one for young
adults. Flora Shaw was close to the three
men who most epitomised empire in Africa:
Cecil Rhodes, George Goldie and Frederick
Lugard. In 1902 she married the colonial
administrator, Sir Frederick Lugard, who
was Governor of Hong Kong (1907-1912)
and Governor-General of Nigeria (19141919); they had no children. While they
lived in Hong Kong she helped her husband
to establish the University of Hong Kong.
Shonekan is a seasoned and proven businessman with a wide network. His proven
abilities and political neutrality made him a
prospective leader for Babangida’s council
of civilians-run government, a government
which was in the midst of economic turmoil
and later came to a political crisis. On
January 2, 1993, Shonekan assumed office
as the Head of Government affairs under
the leadership of the military president
Babangida. At the time, the transitional
council was designed to be the final phase
leading to a scheduled hand over to an
elected democratic leader.
Shonekan was born and raised in Lagos, the
former Nigerian capital (now Abuja). The
son of an Abeokuta-born civil servant, he
was one of six children born into the family.
Shonekan was educated at C.M.S Grammar
school. He also attended and received a law
degree from the University of London and
was later called to the bar.
He joined U.A.C in 1964, which later sent
Flora Shaw
orD s
ARENA
C O V E R
During the First World War, Lady Lugard
was prominent in the founding of the War
Refugees Committee, which dealt with the
problem of the Belgian refugees, and also
founded the Lady Lugard Hospitality Committee. In 1918, Shaw was appointed as a
Dame Commander of the Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire.
Dame Flora Lugard died in Surrey, England
on 25 January 1929 and her husband died in
1945. In 1905 Shaw wrote what remains the
definitive history of Western Sudan and the
modern settlement of Northern Nigeria.
him to Harvard Business School. At UAC,
he pursued a legal career; a few years after
joining the company, he was promoted to
the position of assistant legal adviser. He
became a deputy adviser two years later,
and soon joined the Board.
In 1980, he was appointed Chairman and
Chief Executive of UAC. As head of UAC,
he was the Chief Executive of the largest
African-controlled company in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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