‘THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD REAWAKEN MANUFACTURING FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH’ – CHRIS AGBEDE, MD/CEO SMITHCROWN NIG. LTD
by Oki Samson
CHRIS AGBEDE, MD/CEO SMITHCROWN NIG. LTD
There are only few business leaders who show concern about the socio-political development of their community. But not Chris Agbede, a man who has demonstrated his capacity as an accomplished entrepreneur and civic leader. He believes his key performance indicators is not limited to business success but also include mentorship of young leaders and political development of society.
This influences his association with political bigwigs like Hon. Olawale AbdulSobur, the member of Lagos House of Assembly representing Mushin Constituency II. He believes his friend Hon. Omititi should follow the steps of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ‘I always encourage him because I believe he is one of the people that can take up the mantle of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a most respected elder statesman in Yorubaland. Asiwaju is a man who believes in selfless service. He is a leader who feels if his individual ambition will jeopardise that of the country, he will drop his own interest.’
As the, Managing Director/CEO of Smithcrown Nigeria Limited, a Development and Construction Engineering Company, Mr. Chris Agbede has built a team of experienced, talented and hardworking professionals whom they have together taken the company to a pole position in the construction industry.
Today, Smithcrown prides itself as a company that endlessly create perfect things.
The business mogul believes the government has a lot of work to do in order to reduce the large population of unemployed roaming the streets. ‘The Nigerian government should reawaken manufacturing where we can employ the service of youths and discourage the influx of expatriates. We have able hands in Nigeria that can take these jobs.’
He continued: ‘From my numerous travels I have discovered that many of them that we label as masters here are not so in their home country, yet our engineers work under them. That is our missing link. It baffles me when I see young graduates riding bike and keke marwa, which cannot serve them in the long run.’
He also notes that agriculture is a major area to reignite the economic dominance of the giant of Africa, ‘In agriculture and other sectors, the government can provide soft loans which will help many of our youths who have the entrepreneurial spirit to start out on their own.’
