In the maritime industry, where vast volumes of cargo and complex logistics move by the second, efficiency is everything. But for Mr. Abayomi Obadare, our Deputy Director of Billings and Commercials, the true anchor of any successful operation isn’t just speed—it’s control, transparency, and an unwavering fear of God.
In this month’s Milestone Spotlight, we sit down with a SIFAX Group veteran who journeyed from an auditing firm to the executive suite, transforming the company’s internal checks and balances along the way. This is a story of a leader who stepped into the fire of sudden challenges, armed with nothing but his background in maritime business, a deep sense of discipline, and a resolute faith.
Chosen by Integrity
In the early 2000s, Obadare was the financial secretary of his church. One evening, the council of elders asked him to present the accounts. What he didn’t realise was that one of those elders, a friend of the Group Chairman, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, had quietly been keeping his own record of every kobo that came in and went out. When he read his figures aloud, they matched the elder’s, line for line.
Not long after, the Chairman went looking for an internal auditor. The brief was short. Honest. Hardworking. Tested. Reliable. The elder already knew the man who fit it. That is how, in 2004, he joined what was then SIFAX Nigeria Limited, fresh from the banking sector and a stint with an auditing firm.
Resuming on verbal instructions from the Group Executive Chairman—who was out of the country at the time—he stepped into a welcoming environment. Yet, it was the Chairman’s enduring mentorship that would define his trajectory.
“I will never forget his words of encouragement anytime I was saddled with new responsibilities,” he shares. “Chairman would say, ‘Obadare, you can do it, don’t run away from challenges. That always made me stronger.”
Two decades later, the counsel from the Chairman still guides him.
The Trial: Fixing the System
That strength was put to the ultimate test a few years into his tenure. He had spent roughly three years in the system when an unexpected crisis landed on his desk. He walked into the office expecting a normal workday, only to be given a sudden directive: he was being deployed to overhaul the billing department, which was reeling from severe operational lapses.
To make matters more daunting, there was no predecessor available to onboard him, and the urgency of the situation allowed no time for a formal transition.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Obadare remembers, reflecting on the weight of that moment. “I had to think: How am I going to tackle this problem? What are the sources of the problem? What actually brought about the lapses? I had to pray.”
Refusing to be deterred, he threw himself into studying the system’s structure. Partnering with Mr. Kayode Ogunwole, Head of IT, and collaborating closely with the Head of Audit, he embarked on a mission to build an airtight billing infrastructure. They worked around the clock, setting up robust controls that extended all the way to the final gate.
The result was a revolutionary, watertight control system that fundamentally eliminated financial leakages.
“It was an amazing moment for me,” He says with visible pride. “Since then, if anything happens, you can track it immediately to know where it is coming from and who was involved. You cannot beat the system. If you try to escape, people are waiting for you at the gate. It made the entire process completely transparent, so that even if I leave tomorrow, anyone can use it safely.”
Leadership Driven by Faith and Family
For Obadare, building a foolproof system was only half the battle; the other half was fostering a culture of absolute discipline. Known as a leader who tolerates zero financial fraud, he pairs his strict standards with an extraordinary level of dedication to his team.
Every morning by 7:30 AM, Obadare is already at his desk. But before a single invoice is raised or a commercial decision is made, his department gathers for an unshakeable tradition: prayer.
“When I come here in the morning, they know that before we start anything, we must pray,” he explains. “We pray for the safety of our staff so they won’t have accidents; we pray for the management, and we pray for the Chairman and his family. Before you succeed in life, you must fear God. This prayer has turned into a lifestyle for us. It makes people think twice before doing anything wrong.”
This unique blend of rigorous oversight and pastoral care has earned him the fierce loyalty of his staff.
Whether at Ports & Cargo or across various subsidiaries, his team knows they can call him at any hour. “If a major problem requires me to leave my office to go down there physically, I will leave and go. That is the essence of true leadership,” he noted.
A Witness to Expansion
Having witnessed the evolution of SIFAX Group since 2004, He looks back at the company’s growth with profound gratitude. He watched Ports & Cargo launch in 2006 and saw the group birth thousands of new opportunities as it expanded into a multi-subsidiary powerhouse.
“Looking back from the day I joined the company and seeing what it is today, it is really amazing because more subsidiaries are joining the SIFAX Group fold every time,” he noted.
He believes that the diverse footprint of SIFAX Group makes it the premier incubator for professional excellence in the maritime industry.
“This is a place where you can truly develop a career. God has blessed us with staff who have wide experience across different subsidiaries. Even when our people go abroad or get recruited by international companies, they don’t fail to deliver because of the depth of training they receive here.”
Words of Wisdom for the Next Generation
“My candid advice to any staff joining the company is to develop a genuine interest in what you do. Do not be in too much of a hurry. Some who tried to play games and thought they could be faster than the system are no longer here. Be focused, diligent, hardworking, honest, and ready to face challenges. Those who are ready to endure and stay disciplined will eventually make it in life.”
