Adaku Uwaoma is an International Corporate and Protocol Etiquette Consultant and a former Commissioner for Small, Medium and New Businesses Development in Abia State. She is a serial entrepreneur who recently set up a rice processing mill under the brand name Aivada Foods. She speaks on the need for governance etiquette and challenges facing SMEs in Nigeria
You were a Commissioner in Abia State, what would you identify as your major achievements and what legacies did you leave behind?
It was a pretty interesting time. And one of the achievements was securing the Central Bank Target facility, which I facilitated directly to Small and Medium Enterprises operators in the state, and some of them scaled through. It was a long process, but thank God before the end of my tenure, a lot of them came through. Some of them got N700,000 others N500,000 in various categories. That was a huge landmark for me, and it was the first time Abia State got something like that directly from the CBN and I was really excited about the process and its outcome. It was very transparent and people didn’t pay anything to qualify for it. They just went through the process and the money hit their accounts directly.
Another one was the NG Cares the funds from the World Bank for SME operators and other businesses in Abia State. It was a very hectic one, because I met a lot of challenges with the people I worked with in the Ministry. It was challenging to change a lot of things from the way they do things to my different perspective. I had to step on toes, because I believe mine was the right way, and at least I was able to leave that legacy that ‘hey, this should be done this way,’ and I hope that those principles that I left behind still remain.
We also had a remarkable SME Day. The governor, Dr. Alex Ikpeazu was present and we got a lot of SME operators to write their business proposals, and the best proposals won cash prizes which they used to support their businesses, and that really encouraged them. It was nothing hidden, but competitive and it took place right at the event. We also got some people who partnered with us, gave out POS machines and so many things. People benefited from so many things during my tenure and the Ministry was brought to life because it was full of activities, with lots of support from lots of people.
My Ministry was also about new businesses, so we saw people coming out with fresh ideas for their businesses, so I left a legacy of doing what I say. As a leader, people need to believe in you, and that is the kind of leader I am and I am proud to be and what I expect every other leader to be.
How will you describe the role of SMSEs in Nigeria but what are the challenges?
We cannot over-emphasise the importance of SMEs in the country; they constitute a very significant portion of the Nigerian economy, substantially, about 50 per cent of our Gross Domestic products (GDP). SMEs come with lots of entrepreneurial skills, innovation, and employment. The SMEs take a lot of people off the labour market. They also stimulate competition for prices, products, design and efficiency. If this does not happen there will be some big problems where some big enterprises take total control and there will be a kind of monopoly. So the SME operators boost the economy in a very positive way. So we cannot underestimate their roles in the economy of the country.
And coming to the challenges facing SME operators, there are so many. They don’t have access to finance in this country. Actually, when it comes to access to credit, it is not easy. To worsen matters, the interest rate is high. Now there is an energy problem, the non-availability of power and the cost, and poor infrastructure are major factors. Also, there is inflation, cost of raw materials, insurance cost and taxes. It is not even easy to get NAFDAC number; poor management and corruption in the system, lack of training and experience, and these are affecting small businesses. That is why we are bringing etiquette training to businesses which will teach them how to be resilient in businesses.
I have been in business for many years, and I faced these issues in my rice meal, such that sometimes, I was unable to operate. People are ready to do business in the country but the government really needs to come in and make it easier for the SME operators, and that will reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.
You are a politically exposed person, how would you describe the level of etiquette in governance today?
It is something very interesting, because this is very important, from the way you comport yourself to the way you speak in public and relate with people. It is also reflected in your transparency and accountability in governance. Etiquette skills are also part of home training. When the Bible says train up a boy in the way he should go, and when he grows up, he will not depart from it, it reflects the kind of home he or she came from.
For instance, I had a Christian upbringing and my growing up was exciting and had normal life, played in the streets without fear of being kidnapped, where we could run around, visit neighbours and even travel.My father is a lecturer, a Professor at the Nigerian Defence Academy and my mother retired at the American Embassy in Abuja, where I also worked for a while.
My Mom is a very spiritual person. I think that helped in shaping my personality in certain ways. That being said, it is still the fear of God , and when you have that it covers everything that we do – discipline, contentment, and that upbringing makes you look up to God while you actually work hard and you could actually become someone.
Every politician needs to go through etiquette training. We lack a lot of it. I have dined with a lot of leaders, some of them are highly placed, but I found how they eat very appalling. I have tried to discuss etiquette with a leader and he could not even comprehend what I was trying to say. So it is not just about training but also about implementation.
I am also sure that most politicians today have gone through one form of training or the other, especially at the retreat they are given, but I don’t think they had any training in the areas of etiquette in governance. I will describe the level of etiquette in politics today as very low or non-existent. Hence, we need to have a new mindset.
We have a lot of politicians who come and make empty and fake promises. They don’t know that people will hold them accountable for what they say. They don’t know the meaning of integrity. When you make some promises and you encounter some challenges such that you are unable to deliver, you need to return and explain to them such that people will understand and believe you. That is better than to make campaign promises to people to vote you into power and when you get there you fail to fulfill even 50 per cent of the promises.
Look, people know who good leaders are. We have some leaders who are in a particular position and you can trust that they will deliver, but when they are unable to do so, people trust them that when they have the resources, they will deliver. It is indeed a call to every leader that etiquette is important in politics and governance which is why we are carrying out our brand launch of Etiquette Nigeria with the theme Rebranding Nigeria – A Renewed Mindset very soon.
How would you want this to be done differently?
I want every leader to have a renewed mindset towards governance. What we know from experience, as a former commissioner, I worked with a bank; I worked with the American Embassy and I proceeded into politics. There is this impression that when you get to a political position, you are automatically very rich, hence they ask what will you do for me? I’m telling you what I earned as a commissioner was far less than what I earned while working in the American Embassy.
I want politicians to see leadership as service. I want them to have something else they are doing, their businesses, something to go back to. Because if you take it as your career, you will come back to nothing. That is why we hear that some leaders stole billions of Naira while in office, because they don’t know what next. So what we need is leaders with a renewed mindset. If you are going there, you should go to serve, and live within your salary and let people feel your impact while you are in office. That is what I want leaders to do differently and also people’s orientation should change too. We also need to give accolades to leaders that are doing well, because not every leader is performing badly.
