Solomon Ewanehi is the Group Chief Executive Officer, Solewant Group, In this interview, he shared his life story with SEGUN KASALI.
What were the circumstances surrounding your birth?
Oh, quite funny! I was told my father saw someone called Solomon and that person was wealthy. He loved that and decided to name me Solomon after the person. My growing up was also interesting.
Quite interesting. I give thanks to God. I also want to appreciate my late father, who was always there. He was a retired soldier, businessman and a complete disciplinarian. He always prioritised education, and ensured whatever we did then revolved around it. He ensured that we all went to school. As a matter of fact, I came from a family where everyone is a lecturer. But, in my own case, I got a lecturing job, got into the university environment, but learnt some lessons after my Youth Service.
What lessons?
I had worked for some time before I went back for a second degree. When I got in there eventually, my elder brother said ‘follow your heart.’ He schooled at the University of Manchester. He did his PhD and all of that in the United Kingdom. He was already relating with some business people in Canada. He taught me how to do business in coating, an area not for everyone. Coating is the last finishing line of any project. So, when I shared that story with him, he now told me to look at how to go back to business. That was how I started all over. Everything you see about Solewant, today, I started from the scratch, as the founder and GMD of the company.
With the success you have made out of your career, coupled with educational background, would it be apt to describe you as brilliant from childhood?
Going to school was okay and nice. I like challenges. I like to see that anything you are doing, you give it your best shot. When it has to do with the issue of academics, I take it very serious. I’ll say I was the type that took my academics very seriously when in school.
What was your ambition, growing up?
What I wanted to study is Engineering and that is actually what I am doing now. I felt I needed to do what was tasking, proffering solutions, trying to look at industries and ensuring that things are not just the way they are.
But, what fueled that decision?
What informed it was my father. He was a businessman par excellence. He was always discussing with multinational companies. He brought a lot of businesses. We followed him all through that period. Having done that, I felt that there was the need for me to say this was what I wanted, too. But, it is also interesting to note that I did not eventually study Engineering.
Really?
Yes. I studied Economics and Statistics.
Why the switch?
The switch was necessitated by the fact that it was something that I needed but Engineering was not able to cover in terms of the broader view of what business is all about. Business is not about one aspect of a discipline. When I also started, there was a time we were like: can we look at the aspect of Accounting? But, it wasn’t giving a broader perspective. But, Economics will give you a general overview of what you want to look at in terms of every bit of business you are talking about such as numbers, looking at the outcome of a business, ROI, and Savings. Savings is of two types; it is either you have the money and you have it in your bank or you have the money and you are investing it into business. So, those were the things that got me into Economics and Statistics. I am happy that I studied not just the Statistics but also the econometrics or measurement aspect of it. This was what I did in my first degree at the Old Bendel State University. The second degree was Rivers State University of Science and Technology. As I speak with you, I am still a student.
Do you have unforgettable memories?
While building our first factory, we got to a stage that I had to call the consultant to the hotels and tell him at this level I cannot continue. I asked him: ‘Is there anything we need to give up?’ He looked at me and said ‘What are the challenges?’ I told him it appeared that we were stuck and we needed to stop the investment. The back-story surrounding that investment is that we came into the coating plant project, where Nigerians have never done business like that before. We went into it because we had huge potential and we felt that Nigerians were importing that kind of solution into the country, and the multinationals rendering such service were just few. After carrying out a thorough feasibility study, and before we engaged a consultant, we also gave it to top three universities to help us look at what we wanted to do after we had discussed it with Federal Ministry of Environment. Some resource persons from the University of Port Harcourt, University of Maiduguri and University of Nsukka were nominated for us. These resource persons submitted action documents to us. We looked at them and it was very clear the direction we were going and we started the building of the factory. Halfway the line, the company and the financial partner started having the issue of exchange rate (Naira to USD) and this period was when the foreign exchange crisis was not something anyone predicted. When we started, the value to naira was N158 to a dollar and it eventually went to N520 by the time we completed the factory in 2016. You can imagine the amount of money that we incurred in terms of cost. But, to God be the Glory, we have what we have today.
How did you meet your wife?
I met her in my school while undertaking my Master’s degree. I met her when she was in her 300 level. I saw her coming from a distance and something told me this is my wife. So, I approached her and she walked to me. Eventually, we became close friends.
And what was the attraction?
Discipline and calmness. She is also intelligent.
What would you love to be remembered for ?
I want to be remembered as someone who of course loved giving back to the society and someone who, of course, loved institutions. If we run integrity-driven institutions, we will be able to do great things, and people will start doing things, looking at broader perspectives.
But, how have you been giving back?
Everyone close to me knows that I am nothing other than God has brought me to where I am today. As a matter of fact, he has shown me mercy at several levels. I cannot stop giving thanks to God for the little that I have. He is always there at every point of my life and he has shown mercy not only to me but to the entire Solewant workforce and we will continue to appreciate God for his awesomeness. As you are aware, Solewant is 25. And, a child who is 25 is already an adult. For those who have been there for us, we want to thank them.
What advice would you have for 25-year-olds?
They need to understand that there is always a reason for people to look at them and say you have contributed this and so you have a future. So, institution-driven future is important. They need to run organisations that are governance-based. They also need to be very disciplined. For you to be prepared for the future, you need to understand that you need to receive a lot of trainings. I did my first business with a multinational company, Coca-Cola and I was to supply Line Pipes and pipe fittings. And I really cannot figure out how I got that purchase order contract. But, I took the materials to the plant but they were all rejected. That was when I started facing serious challenges. So, I went down with that kind of transaction. So, I went back home thinking about what to do next and that paid off because I was able to clean up that error that I made in business. It is always what I use in teaching the younger ones at Solewant.
What is that thing you don’t like about people?
Dishonesty. A lot of people say things they cannot do and not always being fair to nature.