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Dear Prof,
Thanks a lot for your brilliant article on the back page of the Punch Newspaper of today as regards Dearth of indigenous CEOs in Nigeria-based Multinationals.
I simply wish we have more concerns from the highest quarters. I am a chartered accountant with over two decades post qualification experience. In 2007, I left Nestle Nigeria Plc. after seven years of career attested with good performance. Why? I stumbled on some facts which made it obvious that even though less than 40 at that time, I had only a step to be at the highest any Nigerian could go as far as Finance was concerned. So, if it is only CEO position that we are denied, it would have been understandable. You may check last on when a Nigerian headed the finance and other key functions of many of these multinationals.
What are some of their antics? You are not promoted unless there is a vacancy. When there is vacancy (i.e. in a case of a staff leaving or being redeployed), it is not automatic that because you have been deputy to the boss, you would step into his shoes. NO. An expatriate who may not even be as qualified as you is often brought in as the boss and you end up training him and doing his job. This would have to be done well as he would appraise you! Alternatively, you may leave! I left when I could not continue taking the insult of being directed by a Ghanaian lady who had not gained admission into the university to have the only degree she had when I had graduated and passed ICAN. She did not have half of my experience yet I was expected to report to her! She would give instruction that was not in the best interest of the company. Attempt to correct this would be seen as insubordination!
While we may therefore bemoan our fate and keep thinking of what to do about it, we need to realise that some of our past leaders brought the woes. The scandalous end of Mr Bunmi Oni's career in Cadbury, the damning audit reports of Chief Giwa's stewardship at the twilight of his career in Unilever fueled suspicion of the multinationals and who can blame them for that? Apart from this, the dog-eat-dog approach of many Nigerians also make us sell our brethren for a pot of portage which the white men capitalize on. An Igbo man would tell the while man why a Yoruba man should not be trusted with power while the Yoruba man would also tell the white man why the Ibo man should not be trusted with the finances of the company. The Northerner is branded lazy, physically and intellectually and should only be kept in positions where his daily bread would depend on the favour he's able to secure from the government.
Some of the "heroes" who were privileged to be CEO were also made Chairman of the multinationals and of course, since whoever pays the piper dictates the tune, they would rather defend the multinationals than protect their compatriots who may still have longer years of service ahead!
There are a few exceptions that even the white men can't discredit. I worked under a Nigerian CFO, Mr Olawale Kuye who was an encyclopedia of Nestle Accounting System. He was exceptionally brilliant and very hardworking. He had all that was needed to be the MD / CEO. When it was becoming obvious that he could have it, he was simply expatriated (I guess against his wishes) to Egypt and from there to Turkey or so where he had to take a bow out having reached the mandatory retirement age! Mr David Ifezulike was a great Factory Expert who made a lot of difference in Nestle Factories abroad. Up till now, other than discrimination against Nigerians, I don't know why the man was not considered as a Factory Manager until he reached the mandatory retirement age and had to take a bow!
One of the expatriates I worked with, Peter Mitchel voiced it out one day, "why is it that you Nigerians are not well treated in our country and even those of us who are expatriates are still better treated here in your own country?". He could not understand why he was respected as an "Oyinbo" when we drag our fellow countrymen on the ground!
Mr Jacques Vauthier who was just replaced as the CFO of Nigerian Flour Mills in September 2018 came into Nigeria as an expatriate CFO of Nestle to replace Mr Olawale Kuye aforementioned around 2004. If you check his educational and professional qualifications, it is not near those of the over 20 chartered accountants who worked under him. Meanwhile, the gap between him and yours truly was huge. He is not an accountant for example. Nigeria was so sweet for him that when Nestle redeployed him from Nigeria to Uzbekistan, it did not take long before he left the Nestle group and came back to Nigeria to head the Finance of Nigerian Flour Mills! Who replaced Jacques in the Nigerian Flour Mills? Another expatriate!
It's painful that even when one thinks a use of the experience garnered there would make one shine in any Nigerian company, our shabby corporate governance makes former staff of the Multinationals appear too transparent and demanding to their fellow Nigerians. For example, I had to leave a PLC I joined in less than a year after leaving Nestle as my conscience could not cope with what I saw in this fully indigenous company. So, while we may challenge the multinationals to stop making us servants only in our country, we need to look inward and stop using our brilliance for corrupt deeds which makes it easier for the multinationals to rather pick on Ghanians, Kenyans if they must choose an African CEO than think of Nigerians.
I don't mind discussing the issue more with you later. You have touched a very important area sir. Well done.
--'Niran Olatona .
+234 8034624986
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