The chairman of Jackal Investment, Hon. Niyi Osibemekun has revealed that he had never at any time regretted employing Somolu graduates who had at one time or the other worked for him in his company as he sees this as a way of giving back to the society.
Speaking to Somolu Newspaper recently, he hinted that engaging the Somolu youths is something he enjoys doing as a way of assisting them in shaping their career and live a good life afterwards.
The Ijebu-born businessman further made it known that the need to employ the Somolu Youth Corpers came into being while he was working in Portharcourt with Palnapina Nigeria with about 8 to 10 of them posted to Portharcourt and he had look for a way get them engaged because getting accommodation and work after youths service was a difficult task in Portharcourt.
“I had to feed them and as well give out my Boys Quarters to house them and that was how Jackal concept set in and eventually, Jackal Ventures was born which apparently was like a finance company”.
“While I was dealing with that, I got promoted and was transferred to Lagos office as Chief Accountant of Palnapina Nigeria. I got to Lagos and the figure keeps soaring as more Somolu indigents came knocking at my door for a job. I had no option than to engage them but the bottleneck was that many of them lack basic accounting knowledge like their counterparts in Portharcourt and some other branches who went through the same process of training and today the rest is history”. he noted
“So, for me, I didn’t employ them to get anything in form of gratification whatsoever because I have enough to take care of myself and family, I only did that to help the youth in my community”.
“And by the time I retire from Palnapina Nigeria, I’ve already had hundreds of them on my payroll scattered all over the country which gave me enough time to join politics when I did. Till today, some of them still come around to greet me. I thank God and I’m happy that I have the opportunity to use what God gave me to put smiles on my people’s face”. he narrated
“For the mere fact that I was born and bred in Somolu, I’m proud of that anytime, any day and will continue to live in Somolu till I breathe the last air. Though, some people called me names for living in my father’s house saying “Olowo t’ogb’ele baba”, that doesn’t bother me a bit. I’m safe, secured and comfortable living in Somolu and that’s what makes me a complete ‘Somolite’.
He adds “As I’m talking to you right now, Jackal Investment which commenced operation in 1998 as a finance company is now into properties with investments across the country”.
The former Chief Accountant of Palnapina Nigeria and currently the chairman, Somolu People Democratic Party (PDP) opined that he’ll continue to contribute his own quota to the development of Somolu in his own little way not minding whose ox is gored.
Hon. Niyi Osibemekun is a businessman, philanthropist and grassroots politician has contested for the chairmanship of Somolu local government on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) twice and a fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN)
