ALLEVIATING POVERTY THROUGH OIL PALM

Sina Ogunbambo pays tribute to Ajibola Adebutu, farmer and administrator, at age 50

Ajibola Bankole Adebutu, the Managing Director of JB Farms Limited and Tosett Agro Industries Limited is the second son and third child of Sir Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu (Baba Ijebu) and Lady Caroline Oladunni Adebutu (Yeyeoba of Odogbolu). But that is no big deal.

The delight of this wonderful parent and indeed, most Nigerians will be that this young man who will attain the age of 50 tomorrow, February 25, 2018 , has taken off, over 3,000 able-bodied Nigerians off the unemployment market, through his romance with oil - palm plantation and processing, tackling one of the major problems in Nigeria.

Perhaps the icing on the cake is the fact that Ajibola Adebutu has contributed to the growth and development of rural areas in Ogun and Cross Rivers States, with this “hobby” that has metamorphosed into an accomplished mission. He has helped tremendously in decongesting urban populace and alleviated poverty.

Born as a silver spoon with every luxury at his disposal, Ajibola rather than take to the life of partying and painting the town red, chose the life of hard work. His farms became his club, taking delight and pride in being addressed as a farmer. JB, as he is fondly called by his family, friends and workers, ventured into oil palm production not because it is lucrative, but for his passion to help the ordinary people have a means of livelihood, provide food for the nation and bring back into reckoning, one of the cash crops that earned defunct Western Region of Nigeria a lot of revenue during the era of the legend, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Premier of Western Region.

A product of Adrao International School, Victoria Island, Lagos, St Saviours School, Ebute - Metta, Lagos, Kings College Lagos , St Columba’s College, Dublin, Ireland and Trinity College , Dublin, this civil engineer ventured into the business in 1988 with a staff of 10, working on a plantation of eight hectares. The focus was on development of oil - palm plantation and processing of the fruits to palm - oil, palm kernel and palm kernel cake.

As at today, he has on his payroll over 3,000 Nigerians at JB Farms Limited, Odogbolu, Ogun State and JB Farms Limited, Oban, Cross River State, working on over 7,000 hectares of land.

In the last quarter of 2017, his new venture, Tosset Agro Industries Limited, Odogbolu, rolled on with a staff strength of 70. Tosset Agro Industries Limited is into vegetable oil refinery.

What really endeared this writer to this bundle of energy and highly cerebral man is his philanthropic gesture, apart from providing employment to mass of the writer’s community men and women.

In form of corporate social responsibility, in Odogbolu Local Government, he provided two solar powered boreholes, renovated a comprehensive health centre built by the federal government and employed a doctor, nurses and other ancillary staff to complement the staff on the payroll of the government.

He has ventured into renovating a block of classrooms, provision of desks and benches for students in one secondary school and he is planning to do such in another school.

Ajibola Adebutu also heed the call of many community development projects brought to his attention apart from support for charities and non - profit organisations which provide free education for indigent students, as well as the less privileged in the society.

The remarkable difference in this son of a multi-billionaire, who himself is not faring badly, is his humility, kindness, respect for elders and preference for peace.

He has been combining his farming job with that of his father’s business since 1988 (from the Face to Face Million Dollar Pools days to Premier Lotto) where he is the Executive Director, Finance.

In December 2017, he had the honour of taking a big farmer, former President Olusegun Obasanjo round his oil - palm plantation in Odogbolu local government and the experienced farmer gave kudos to him for the giant stride he has made in oil- plantation in Nigeria.

Married to Kehinde Mopelola Adebutu and father of four lovely children, Ajibola Adebutu is a deacon and also serves as usher at his local parish of The Redeemed Christian Church of God.

Happy birthday and welcome to the golden age. Ogunbambo is a journalist and public affairs analyst