Afolabi Saheed Abiodun – Irrespective of Your Academic Achievement, Get Entrepreneurship Skills

While some graduates sit and wait for dream jobs, some go out and create a dream job. Being a First Class graduate is not a guarantee to have an easy ride in life, you have to make your certificate work for you.

I have the pleasure of interviewing the Founder of AFSAB Consult Limited. Indeed, everyone has something to give.

Can we get to know you, Sir?

”I am Afolabi Saheed Abiodun, a postgraduate student at the University of Ibadan.”

Where are you from?
”I am from Ikirun in Osun State, but I was born and brought up in Osogbo, the capital of Osun.”

That’s great. How come you reside in Ibadan?
”After the completion of my OND programme at Federal Polytechnic, Ede, I applied through direct entry into the University of Ibadan for a BSc programme to further my education. Though I was given a scholarship at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, due to my academic performance. My passion for education and imparting knowledge, which I have been doing since my secondary school days made me stay back in Ibadan after bagging my First Degree.”

I’ve known you right from our OND days at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun, and I must say that you are amazing. But I am more concerned about your academic journey. You are a definition of excellence. You made First Class in the University of Ibadan but decided to venture into entrepreneurship. Can you share more about your entrepreneurship journey?

”Interesting question! Even though I made a First Class in Statistics at the University of Ibadan and I was even offered a scholarship by the University for my MSc programme, I did not relent in my entrepreneurship skills. I must confess to you that this skill started immediately I got an admission into UI. That’s in the year 2012, after I had finished spending the 35,000 naira given to me by my Polytechnic management, I decided not to call my parents at home for any needs but with a strong determination for self-employment, I started merging ideas together with some like-minded colleagues via the name “AFSAB Consult Limited” to impart academic knowledge. We commenced with secondary school tutorials, which we later graduated up to the Ph.D. level in terms of tutorials, data analysis management and so on, to the extent that it has been part of me and I have achieved a lot via the entrepreneurship, I’ve developed back then.

AFSAB Consult Limited. I’m hearing this for the first time. Not sure if I know this about you. What type of service do you offer and where can you be located?
”Though the name has not been registered under CAC, I am planning to do so soon. We offer services like Tutorials (Premier Tutorial College), Data Analysis and Management, Computer Services and Engineering, Supply and Installation of Software and so on. The branch office is located at Challenge while the head office is located at Agbowo UI, Ibadan.”

I’m always happy to see our graduates creating something out of nothing. With the rate of unemployment in the country, being a First Class graduate, what can you say about this?
”The rate of unemployment is really much and discouraging due to the poor economic situation in the country, but I must emphasize that entrepreneurship is the key. Of course, it is a course on its own in the Polytechnics and Universities in Nigeria. My view on this one is that all Nigerian students should apply for some of these skills and practice them. We must get to a level where we put self-independence first, then if any offer comes after on, take it; and if peradventure, the offer serves as a small thing to their status or academic excellence, the entrepreneurship skills will definitely compliment it. In a nutshell, everybody is gifted with entrepreneurship skills, discover yours.”

We all know how entrepreneurship journey looks like. You will hit the highs and lows. In a moment like this, how have you been able to weather the storm?
”This is true. It’s not always easy. But I have been able to deal with mine. Since I am in the education line, if there is a strike, survival would be very difficult, but now that everyone knows me with it, I mean the students, institutions and some organizations, we don’t really find it tough to survive anymore. It’s all about being good at what you do.”

I can imagine. You are really a genius and I could still remember how I tried to catch  up with you in school but I realized it was very impossible. What would you tell anyone who wants to attain academic excellence like you?
”Academic excellence can be achieved via the five-letter words “AFSAB“; meaning: Action, one needs to work very hard towards his/her goal and not by only words of the mouth; Focus, one needs to be more determined; Sincerity towards the Creator and the Creatures (Home, Students and Lecturers); Attitude, no matter how brilliant you are, good attitude is non negotiable; and Boldness, one needs to be able to convince anybody with what he/she is up to, people must see that boldness in you.”

I definitely agree on those solid points. Where do your see AFSAB Consult Limited in the next five years?
”With the help of God Almighty and hard work, the Company will be among the pinnacle in Africa.”

If you will ever need help from the government, private organizations or foreign aid, what would you need from them to help attain your company’s goals?
”Everyone on earth knows that money answers all things, in that regard, funding is important for the company to grow, scholarship/sponsorship/grants is also important based on the Academic Research and Data Analysis and Management that we are into. More importantly, if there can be patronage from any of these bodies, I will be happy to work with them and show them what I can do and why the government or any institution should invest in our company.”

I completely agree. I am very sure that many private and international bodies would be willing to patronise your business and also invest into it. My last question, you are a genius and I can attest to that. With our educational system on a decline every day, people like you should pick up a lecturing job. Have you ever thought about that, and if yes, what has been the stumbling block from achieving it?
”Yes, I have thought and still think about it because I have a passion for it right from my childhood days. But these days, politics has taken over everywhere, they hardly use merits; that is why I’m putting more effort into my entrepreneurship skills; if peradventure, the lecturing job comes in, I will take it but my personal skills are mine forever because I will not drop it. Neither will my job affect it. My entrepreneurship skills never affected my academic excellence and performance when I was in school.”

How can our readers contact you?
”LinkedIn – Afsab4ever Afolabi
Instagram – Afsab4ever
email – [email protected]
Phone – 07018395724 or 08063205337 or 08057539556.”

I have a suggestion for you, you will need to do more by having a company page on either Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Promoting your work and updating the page will always give your company more visibility.
In this modern world, social media has taken over and you will be surprised at the number of opportunities that are out there for you.
”No problem, I will work towards that and put more effort.”

Thank you, Afolabi Saheed Abiodun, for the wonderful chat. May your dreams come true.