•Tells City People The Story Of His Life
Dr. Harrison Agboifoh is one of the leading real estate players in Nigeria. He is the MD/CEO of Landmark Corporate Realty Ltd., a 9-year-old real estate company, which has been ranked as one of the fastest-growing real estate companies, by industry standards.
He is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School, United States of America where he bagged an Associate degree in Project Finance, Capital Market and Real Estate. He received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from The European American University for his commitment to the development of real estate in Nigeria. He is also an alumnus of the prominent Lagos State University (LASU) and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife respectively. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The CEO of Landmark Corporate Realty, Dr. Harrison Agboifoh, is a Chartered Accountant with almost a decade of experience in the banking industry. He is a man with a great vision to make housing affordable for all. Meanwhile, apart from real estate, he also has investments in freight forwarding and importation. He is a result-oriented chief executive driven to establish strategic mutually beneficial partnerships and relationships with people and organizations. He is adept at creating strategic alliances with organization leaders to effectively align with and support key business initiatives. He excels at building and retaining performance teams by developing and motivating skilled professionals.
His professional skills are in the areas of Business Development, Revenue Generation and Strategic Planning. He is a devoted Christian, enjoys playing lawn tennis during his leisure time and is happily married to his wife and blessed with children.
The big news is that Dr. Agboifoh will be 40 in a few days time. His birthday falls on New Year’s day and he has every reason to celebrate. By the grace of God, he is an accomplished man. At 40, he has done a lot of what many of his peers pray to be able to do in their lifetime. From one housing estate, he and his team of young men and women have been able to expand with over 21 estates, scattered around Nigeria.
How did this brilliant Accountant, build this real estate empire at 40?
These and many more were the questions City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE asked Dr. Agboifoh, a few days back when he had an interview with him. He revealed a lot about his success story at 40. What you about to read below, is the first of the 2 part interview with this brilliant real estate developer. It is inspiring.
What’s on your mind as you turn 40?
I am looking forward to my 40th birthday. I give thanks to God Almighty for actually keeping me and protecting me all this while. It’s not easy to be 40. These days, you hear of different incidents like the pandemic, especially in Lagos. I grew up in Lagos. I was born in Lagos. So, I know what I am saying. I give God all the glory and praise for being 40, for keeping me alive.
When I look back from where I am coming from, I want to thank my parents for inculcating in me some kind of discipline. I also thank my wife for actually accepting me, despite my excesses.
Where was growing up?
I grew up in Ojota. I was born in Ojota. I spent my first 10 to 15 years in Ojota, Ramat in the Ogudu area. That was where I had my primary school. My secondary school was in Mayflower School, Ikenne. Then, I went to Lagos State University, I have spent all my life in Lagos. I am a Lagosian. Apart from my surname that is Edo, I think I am a Lagosian. I can actually claim Lagos. Whilst grown up, it was actually very tough. I am the 4th child in a family of 9. My father is a Civil Engineer. I can’t say I am from a silver spoon family. We were from an average family whilst growing up. My mum was a full-time housewife. She gave us basic discipline. My dad had to ensure that we were brought up well. He likes to be proud of his children. He inculcated basic discipline in us. That is one of the things that moulded me into who I am today. Kudos to my mum. I want to thank her for actually, giving me the basic values she inculcated in me.
Whilst growing up, I actually thought my mum was a very wicked woman because every moment, every slight opportunity, my mum will spank me. Of all my siblings, I was the extrovert person in my house. I go out a lot, everybody in my house are in door people. I use to go out a lot. I used to have friends a lot. So they used to spank me a lot, especially spanking from my mum.
I had to give kudos to my parents because all the 9 kids are all graduates and they were well brought up. We are all doing very well. My siblings and I are doing very well. Coming out with a First Class or a two-one is not something new. Its a norm that you must actually come out with good grades, like A. Even the A, they will ask you for your percentage in the A. There was this kind of healthy competition in the family then.
Another person I want to dedicate my 40th Birthday to is my late brother. He happens to be my immediate elder brother. I lost him in August 2011. He was somebody that I actually looked up to while growing up. We were in a kind of healthy competition while growing up. It wasn’t a rivalry. It was a healthy competition. In his WAEC result, he actually had 4 distinctions.
So, he had set a goal for me. I had to work towards overtaking him. All throughout his life, he was somebody that really made me and he made decisions that I have to make it in life. His name is Festus Agboifoh. I was looking up to him. I always say to myself, I must not fail. I must overcome anything he does, in terms of achievement.
That is why he is one of those I want to dedicate my 40th to. He was one of those people who really molded me whilst growing up.
So, how was growing up?
Growing up was very tough. As far as when I was in secondary school, I had always had this thing at the back of my mind that the kind of person you want to become tomorrow depends on what you do today. That was part of what my mum used to teach us and what she used to use as Bible passages whilst growing up, whilst we used to have our Bible study in the evening. My mum used to preach about Integrity and Honesty. They have always been my watchwords, whilst growing up. Also, I have always believed that he who fails to plan, plans to fail.
I have always had that at the back of my mind that if you don’t plan your tomorrow, there is no miracle that will happen. You have to work towards it. Whilst growing up, I was always preparing for the future, the next stage ahead.
When I was in secondary school, I was the youngest in my class. I left secondary school at a very tender age. I finished secondary school at the age of 15. One of the reasons that made me finish school on time was because of my elder brother. My mum said she remembered when my elder brother started to go to school, I actually told them that there will be no peace in this house if I don’t go to school.
So, they really had to package me to go to school during the next resumption date.
Whilst in secondary school, I was one of the youngest in my set. Like I said, I left secondary school at the age of 15 and I entered university at the age of 17 and I graduated at the age of 21, and at 22, I started working. So, I was pushed into the real world, early in life, at a very tender age, which made me to be very strong in life. When I look back at my life, I am always surprised at the things I have been able to do and accomplish.
I left my parents very early. I started staying on my own at the age of 21 or 22. So, you can see that life was not a bed of roses for me. My parents didn’t want me to leave the house. I gave them 1,000 reasons why I had to leave the house. I made a reference to America. I told them that at the age of 18, in America, I would have been at home. I had to persuade my mum. She now intervened on my behalf. She said if you want to be on your own, because of your job, fine. Just remember where you are coming from adn remember the son of who you are. That is the watchword that has kept me going. I had my Masters at 25. I became an Associate Certified Accountant of UK at the age of 26.
One thing that has kept me going in life is that at every point, I always ask myself what can you do today that will actually make future assured. I always have this checklist that I go through. I always ask myself: are you doing the right thing. Is this path leading you to success.
I was in the bank for almost a decade. I worked with one of the best banks in Nigeria. I don’t need to mention the name of the bank. You know the bank already. One of my role models was Jim Ovia. He was my MD/CEO when I was in the bank.
Why was he your role model?
Because he is a very passionate person. He is passionate with his brand. He doesn’t joke with his brand. He is very hardworking. He is a go-getter. He works with his vision. I always tell people that when I look back to when I joined Zenith years ago & I look at what Zenith has become today I am proud of Jim Ovia. I give kudos to that man. I know what Zenith used to be. In those days Zenith used to recruit the best out of the best. Sorry, I don’t know about now. He set high standards. Zenith is still one of the top banks today.
I am glad to have been opportune to work with Zenith, to have that Zenith Culture. We have what we called the Zenith Attitude. Those are part of what helped to build my career path. When I felt it was time to leave Zenith, I told myself it was time to leave the banking industry and I went into the Real Estate industry.
(Part 2 Next Week)
