Abayomi Awobokun: From Grass to Grace
When the story is told of the few men and women who shrugged off the shackles of their humble status to earn for themselves deserved statues in the hall of greatness, Abayomi Awobokun, founder of Enyo Retail and Supply, will occupy the first chapter. From an early age, he vowed to himself that he would rather be a self-made man of means than a fate-made victim of circumstance, and every step of his sojourn towards the apex, he has stayed true to his word.
Abayomi recently celebrated the second year anniversary of Enyo Retail and Supply with friend, investor and chairman of the company, Tunde Folawiyo, the billionaire businessman behind the Yinka Folawiyo empire. If Abayomi had already begun to run the industrial race, Tunde was the one who strapped a rocket to his back and enabled him to fly. And fly, he most certainly has. Enyo celebrated its 2nd anniversary by launching Stillwater, a new mega filling station along the ever-busy LekkiEpe Expressway.
Abayomi graduated with a second class lower degree from the prestigious University of Ibadan. A result that would be dispiriting for many became what bolstered his resolve to rise above all odds. Leaping at the chance to acquire the necessary knowhow in a conducive environment, Abayomi gathered his courage and sojourned abroad. He did all kinds of odd jobs to keep himself afloat, at one point he allegedly cleaned toilets for a living. But fortune, having spun its wheel one way, spun it another. That was how Abayomi found himself as the Area Manager, Halifax Bank of Scotland before his triumphant return to Nigeria to join the marketing team of Oando Plc in 2005.
It is said that if you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision will push you. This was the case with Abayomi, he was determined not to let his background get in the way of his success. He threw himself into his role at Oando, scoring accolades and promotions as if they were going out of fashion. At 31, Abayomi became the deputy COO at Oando Marketing, and in 2011, the deputy CEO of Oando Downstream, Mr Omamofe Boyo, relinquished the position for him and he became the CEO of Oando Downstream at 33.
As a personality making waves in the oil and gas sector, Abayomi after being the CEO at Oando for 11 years, established Enyo Retail and Supply, a customer focused technology driven fuel retaining company. It is believed that his success story wouldn’t have been complete without mentioning Tunde Folawiyo, the chairman of Enyo retail and supply.