Encounter with Tony Ekefre, the Second Akwa Ibom CBN Award Winner

Encounter with Tony Ekefre, the Second Akwa Ibom CBN Award Winner
BY DAVID AUGUSTINE


The media was abuzz with the news. It was the talk of the town and people rejoiced. The governor was at the center of the media blitz. He has just come home with yet another award. He has become the warrior of our modern times, coming home again and again with trophies. His Excellency has once again gone out and conquered. This time, from a most unlikely battlefront, the Central Bank of Nigeria. The celebration went on and our dear governor, most deservedly basked in the euphoria.
But somewhere on Abak road, another hero of the CBN award, quietly retired back to his business. Where he carries on his business, there are no airs. It is a modest office in a modest setting, but one filled with initiatives and business ingenuity. He started off with interest in security solutions. He excelled and made his mark. He went into safety and communications installations and allied businesses. He soon became a household name. His business is not as old as his long list of achievements portray. Nevertheless, he has come a long way since his company ACSE Nigerian Limited was incorporated in 1992.
The name Anthony Ekefre, may not ring a bell, but he is the second man from Akwa Ibom to stand erect at the awards presentation ceremony in Abuja for the 2011 CBN award. The Ikot Abasi-born business guru came home with the second best award for Small/Medium Entrepreneur: Small Business Model. He was selected for that award on the strength of what he had made of the newest baby in his ensemble of business concerns, fashion designing and tailoring. The winner in that category was a table water outfit from Kano that trades with the name, Anzal Table Water. Anzal Table Water’s prize made Kano state’s winning tally a record ten.
Ekefre was one of the only two business entities nominated from Akwa Ibom and the only winning entry, save for the governor’s state category award in Infrastructural support to Micro/Small Enterprise. In the state government category, Gov. Rabiu Kwakwanso, also of Kano won in the Poverty Alleviation and youth empowerment, while Gov Isa Yaguda won in Micro Finance activities.
One would have expected Mr. Ekefre to be very happy with the outcome of the award ceremony. However, he says his joy was cut short when he realized that he was the only one in the individual category from Akwa Ibom state in the 14-category award spree, when some states like Kano had ten, Oyo state, 4, among others. He is even more miffed by the fact that in the six years existence of the award, it was only two years ago when EEMJM won in that year’s edition. “I am worried that while some states went home with ten awards, we were only two nominees from Akwa Ibom state and I am the only winner. I am wondering why it should be so. Is it that we don’t have many entrepreneurs? It is funny that I only got to know about the award last year, which means that many business owners in the state do not also know about it. I think that is my major concern for now. I will use the tremendous boost from this award to embark of public enlightenment, telling Akwa Ibom entrepreneurs that the award exists and telling them so many other benefits other states are enjoying that we do not even know about here. It is a challenge. I want us to begin to ask questions why the zonal office of the Central Bank here and the banks operating here have not enlightened the people on the existence of the award and why they have not been nominating businesses from here for the award”, Ekefre had said in a recent media chat.
How did he know about the award in 2011? He said he was notified of his nomination by his bankers, who told him that he should get set for the visitation by the CBN to inspect his facilities. Two days after his bank notified him of the CBN visit, officials of the apex bank came calling without further notice, and without any prior preparations. But to a man that makes excellence his watch word, the visit was a huge success as the bank inspected his offices, his clothing factories, taking keen interest in his book keeping and financial record profile. They made comments where necessary and generally commended the state of affairs in the establishment. He was informed that the CBN officials had one other nominee to visit. He thought that by that he had only one person to contend with in the state. But he was dead wrong as the competition was not between him and his Akwa Ibom compatriot, but with similar enterprises from around the country.
How did he do it? How did he get into the habit of neat, seamless business operations that could meet the highest standard of scrutiny? He said, “It is just natural. I have never gone out of my way to do anything extra ordinary. I just do my business and enjoy doing it, not looking at any body and not aiming at any competition. I didn’t know that what I was doing was to attract the attention it has attracted today. I do my best to play according to rules. I believe that the first law in business is honesty. If you are honest, you can go very far in business. I maintain an open operation, where my words are my bond. If I tell my client that this is this, he should be able to believe me by my pedigree. If your yes remains constantly yes, and those you deal with in business get to know you by your principles of truth and honesty, then you will do well in business. By the way, if I was in default with my bank, or if I am not trustworthy with them, or if I take overdraft and begin to dodge them, do you think they will nominate me for any award. Therefore, I am always mindful of what I do.”
Did Governor Akpabio merit his award? “Yes, he more than merits it. As far as I am concerned, the governor’s encouragement of local enterprise is outstanding! He has this penchant to patronize local businesses as far as such businesses are properly run and are competitive in quality. I can tell you that wherever the governor sees a product by an Akwa Ibom person that meets the required standards, he would never patronize a non-indigene in that area. I am a very good example. You know that the beginning of success for every business is patronage. I dedicate my own award to his encouragement and patronage of local enterprises. He is an inspiration to local enterprise,” he stated.
How about funding? Doing business in the Nigerian economy is not an easy one, not to even good managers like Ekefre. It comes with its own challenges, including funding. But he says, if a business man packages his business well and operates in a well structured financial system, the banks can still be of help. He says, “You will not say that the stream is too far, and therefore you will not drink water” In other words, he believes that no matter the odds, a good business owner must brace up and move ahead.
He has for now in the Engineering and Fashion designing departments, a total of 27 workers. He believes that small and medium scale enterprises hold the key to the solution of unemployment in the country. He says that with more of such SMEs, unemployment could be combated. In his restless quest for business fulfillment and creating opportunities for the employment of Akwa Ibom youths, Mr. Ekefre is soon venturing into an integrated farming scheme that would include poultry, fishery and related farm ventures. He hopes to bring the same finesse and acumen to bear in his new vocation.
To him, the award would be the tonic that would drive him further in his quest to make the desired impact in the economy of the state. He believes that it is the collective contribution of individual Akwa Ibomites that would determine the level the state can go in its drive towards development. He wants to also mentor youths through the exposure and knowledge he has garnered as a result of the award. “I have been exposed to so many things that could be of benefit to our youths here. There are things, I am just getting to know about that I intend to let the youths of my state know and take advantage of. I will do all I can to let them into modern ways of doing business”, he promised.