Expansion: Pastor Bakare tasks Coleman Industries Limited on long-term goal

The Senior Pastor of Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare has urged Coleman Technical Industries Limited to build a “transgenerational” business that could be successfully passed from one generation to another.

The cleric made the call at the commissioning and dedication ceremony of the company’s 4,900-square-metre modern headquarters, in Arepo in Ogun State.

While specifying, Bakare cited Ford Motor Company as an example of a business that had maintained its legacy across generations.

“My wish for them is that as their father passes it to them, they will pass it to the next generation and it will continue like that,” he said.

Speaking further, Bakare said Coleman had evolved from a modest beginning into a major African brand, expressing optimism that the company would continue expanding until it achieved global recognition.

He said, “The brand Coleman started as a little mustard seed. And like Jesus said, if you plant it and you water it, it’s going to become a mighty herb that other birds of the air can come and take a rest in it.

“It started very harmlessly some 50 years ago and now it has become a phenomenon in Africa, and we know that it’s not stopping here. It will still be the pinnacle of becoming a global brand as the Lord lives.”

Bakare, who said he had been part of the Coleman family for many years, disclosed that he had watched the growth of the company’s Chief Executive Officer, George Onafowokan, and his deputy over the years.

Earlier, the Chairman of the company, Asiwaju Solomon Onafowokan, expressed delight over the completion of the facility, saying that the company had surpassed his expectations.

Onafowokan recalled that Coleman started from a 2,000-square-metre factory before growing into its present facility, attributing the transformation to God, the company’s employees, customers and other stakeholders.

He urged that the company should aim to surpass its current position in the African cable industry over the next 50 years, disclosing that Coleman is the most ranking on the African continent. 

According to him, the company’s long-term strategy is structured around 25-year development cycles, with the current phase focused on achieving greater milestones and expanding its position in the industry.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive, George Onafowokan, in his speech said the new headquarters represented more than a physical structure, describing it as a symbol of the company’s vision for the next 50 years.

He affirmed that the project was significant because Coleman had evolved into a generational business with a legacy spanning more than five decades.

“This is dedicated to the staff and everyone who has made this possible, the Nigerians who have contributed to the industry, particularly the cable industry and to making Nigeria a household name in the global cable industry,” Onafowokan pointed out.

He added that the headquarters was designed with the future in mind, noting that Coleman would continue to expand its workforce and operations as the business grows.

“The past 50 years are not the whole story. What matters is what happens in the next 50 years, and that is what this building signifies to us – the next 50 years and the positive outlook that Nigerians will continue to be employed by Coleman, by this family, and by generations to come,” he said.

Also speaking, Coleman’s Executive Director, Michael Onafowokan, said the company’s growth had been driven by its commitment to self-sufficiency, local content and the development of Nigerian capacity in cable manufacturing.

He said Coleman had developed a wide range of products locally and contributed significantly to strengthening Nigeria’s cable manufacturing industry.

Onafowokan stressed that no country could achieve self-sufficiency in power without a viable cable industry, urging the firm to continue expanding and placing Nigeria on the global map.

On the company’s workforce, he said Coleman had invested substantially in developing local talent through partnerships with technical schools and universities.

He disclosed that about 40 per cent of the company’s middle managers joined Coleman as members of the National Youth Service Corps and were subsequently retained, trained and developed into management positions.

The Chairman and Managing Director of Sana Group, Dr Alaa Alghadban, who spoke on the construction of the facility, said the project was completed after 20 months of reaching an agreement with Coleman.

He explained that the building was constructed with lightweight concrete combined with prefabricated steel sections, a method he said significantly reduced the overall weight of the structure.

According to him, conventional concrete weighs about 400 kilograms per square metre, while the lightweight concrete used for the facility weighs approximately 100 kilograms per square metre.