Top businessmen and women mostly from Bonny kingdom in Rivers State are coming home to help in the reactivation effort of the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA) as mandated by the king, His Majesty, (Edward Asimini Dappa Pepple 111, the Perekule X1 and Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom).
The rallying got a boost with the arrival of Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke (former DG of the Nigeria Stock Exchange, NSE) at the Bonny Delight Hotel on King William Pepple where an ICT training programme was being executed by Mobil Producing Unlimited through Michharry & Company Limited which engaged the expertise of world class Wright Portfolio Consulting Limited. This added up the push and work done by the likes of the interim president, Lawrence F. Jumbo, an education investor; Iuotamuna Williams, a former commissioner in Old Rivers State and now chairman/CEO of Integrated Ventures Limited, and Chapp Jumbo BJ, CEO of Bie Usha, a maritime and technical services company.
BOCCIMA president Lawrence Jumbo
In his remarks at the closing ceremony of the one week ‘ICT Training and Upgrade’ event which ended last weekend, the president (Lawrence Jumbo) recalled how BOCCIMA died after its 1983 debut due to what he called failed expectations.
He said: “Years ago, I had a dream and it turned out to be an ‘April The Fool’. The reactivation of BOCCIMA this time around looks too good to be true but it is not an April the Fool type of story. We are committed to the mandate of the King.
“We promise to keep this successful. The dream to turn Bonny to another Dubai will sure come to pass. The five days training is something else. This time, we have been shown how to be independent and self-reliant financially. We plan to make businesses bigger. We urge business gurus to join now when it is not too late. We are poised to succeed.
Bonny has young and up-coming persons who must be encouraged to become successful business people.”
He described the training scheme as true to expectations. The multiple investors said: “I commend Wright Portfolio for smooth operations and high quality of resource persons who groomed us. I commend them because the workshop has opened our eyes. The last time (1983) funds could not come in and this discouraged most persons because we depended on contributions of members. When they contributed in the first year and could not get the expected contracts in NLNG, Shell, etc, they got tired and stopped paying. Now, we have learned how to raise funds outside dues and we can diversify our income sources and we will not crash again.”
He said he had been telling his people to work hard because nobody would give them anything free. “Maintain quality and credibility. If they give you a job and mobilization, do the work first. Do not go and marry first and buy bigger cars at the detriment of the business that gave you the money. Deliver the job to satisfaction first. Time has gone when people do business from their pockets. Build up a track record that cam stands out for you.”
Saying he is into education investment (Royal Girls Academy in PH), manufacturing and consultancy, he said there were no fears over the dominance of the BOCCIMA by SMEs but that the training on how to approach international and local NGOs and other funders would help out. He said they have discovered that the women of Bonny would be a strong wing and would attract support. “We will carry out advocacy projects especially environmental issues in Bonny. Governments are neglecting Bonny. We do not have string transport system to Bonny and this is retarding progress. If you are coming to Bonny, the sea can be violent, pirates are waiting for you. So, the government must create a solution. We will advocate for a solution.”
Jumbo said the fact that businesses like to keep their trade secrets would not affect collaboration in BOCCIMA, saying Coco-Cola has not disclosed their formula but they also belong to associations. “We will collaborate on training, business management, etc. We will press multinationals to practise local content fully. We will work together on how to attract funding and other things. BOCCIMA can attract funding from international organizations if we are doing the right time.”
Why modern boating is not going on Bonny route except the NLNG’s
The president threw some light on why only the NLNG has a modern boat system to take people to Bonny. “Business practice is different from business knowledge. People have started boat business for ages and they make money from it. If you want to bring them together to form a bigger business, they will sharply suspect you. What we want to do is to train them to understand that doing certain things right would help them grow.”
He went on: “It is a shame that there is no viable transport business. For instance, to survive, the boat operators overload their boats and the boats go bad quicker. They run and ruin the boats in a matter of one year. If they had run them professionally, the boats would last and you make more money long term. They have practice but lack knowledge. We want to train them and encourage them to grow to global standards. We will encourage them to form cooperatives and may access funds to buy better boats and practise better. They must prepare for the future. For instance, a road is coming to Bonny, they must acquire large boats that would carry tourists that want to travel by sea.”
Preparing for change that will come with the road to Bonny
On how the Island is preparing for a road that would cause influx of vehicles and change the culture of Bonny, the president said it is indeed a challenge. “The road is going to cause change, good and bad. Security will be the first challenge. The other is we are talking about how to collaborate and make the island a tourist destination. It is going to be a collaborative effort between the BOCCIMA, king’s palace, multinational companies, etc.
“For instance, we have been preaching against open defecation. There must be efforts to build public toilets to replace the idea of defecating in the sea. We must build tourist spots and create a calendar villager by the village.
“The king is also discussing the idea of a museum. Bonny used to be a slave export centre and there is a need to gather the relics. Bonny used to be a powerful city that controlled many areas and served as headquarters. The cannons used for wars are still there. We want to harness them and label them. We have had famous kings such as King Adama Pepple 1 like other places such as London where Margaret Thatcher which has a statue that is energized. These things would boost the tourism industry in Bonny.
“Government has neglected us. If your boat capsizes at sea here, you are on your own. There are no coast guards. So, we will create coast guards to save lives at sea and man the new road to protect entry point so that bad eggs do not flood to Bonny.”
Ndi Okereke onyiuke
In her exaltation, the well respected Okereke-Onyiuke narrated how she played strong roles in making the Lagos Chamber of Commerce move from merely existing to what it is today. “I used my position in the NSE to make companies seeking listing on the NSE to join the LCCI. It was wrong for companies to come and make all the money and not rub it off the local economy.
“The chamber helps to give your company credibility. When contracts come out, the organizations awarding them would be sure that since you are a member of the chambers, they are 90 per cent sure you will execute it accordingly. Chambers business is serious matter. If you go anywhere, they will want to know if you belong to a local chamber. So, I urge you to take this seriously.”
She declared her intention to join the BOCCIMA do to them what she did to Lagos Chamber. “Any programme I see in LCCI, and I think it will be beneficial here, I will bring it to BOCCIMA. Invite the big companies to join too. They can help promote the BOCCIMA. I will help to add value. I will register as a consultant.”
She said that chamber membership also helps to check the activities of their members. “You can be de-listed and this alone will make important companies to stay far from you.
We will alert Nigerians that have businesses to join the BOCCIMA. People can register as individuals and also as companies. My coming here has been very fruitful. You must attend meetings always and contribute to the activities of the city chamber. That you are a member of a city chamber gives you five percent edge. Be proud to be a member of the chamber anywhere in the world. There are big business leaders you cannot get close to but being a member of the chamber can do it.”
She urged the members to ensure that BOCCIMA grows this time around. “Do not let it die. Mobilise companies in Bonny to rally round this organization because that is the only way businesses will grow on the island. Invite smaller companies to join. Also, invite companies outside Bonny from Lagos and Abuja and Port Harcourt to join.”
Bara Kabaka Brown
The opening remarks were delivered by Bara Kabaka Brown, an official from Mobil’s Public and Government Affairs Department in Bonny, who said; “Mobil Producing Unlimited is the sponsor of the revival project and we thank Royal Majesty for moving for the revival of BOCCIMA. Mobil jumped at the appeal by His Majesty. Chambers of Commerce brings development, which is for sure. These are activities aimed at preparing for the Bodo-Bonny Road that would soon create the first-ever road access to Bonny Island. Another is the NLNG Train-7. So, Wright Portfolio Consult Limited, a worthy and world-class consulting firm, was mandated to midwife it. Do not be afraid because they will continue to manage the process for some time to come. The engagement starts immediately. Mobil is happy and committed to this project.”
