The time was few minutes beyond 10pm. The street was Okeke Okonkwo, close to the Hausa settlement in Abakiliki, then a town in Anambra State, but now the capital of Ebonyi State. It was in the late seventies. The scene was the shit carrier with his bucket perfectly placed on his head and his broom dangling by the side. He was on a routine call in the area.
Though very young, I could remember vividly how it all happened. Yours truly was born and brought up around the neighbourhood, in a very big compound of one room apartment each (popularly called face-me-I-face-you), one of which uses the bucket toilet system. Then, the men who carry out this function are regarded as failures and are relegated to the background. So it was that we were in the habit of making fun of those who cleared human waste.
The story was told about a white man who came to the country sometime ago and was asked about the most challenging experience he had during the visit. He said the most abusive thing he noticed was toiletry. This, according to him, was because every morning he saw people lining up the roadside and passing wastes. He therefore thought everywhere was toilet. And that was the situation in major towns and cities across the country until a young man came up with an idea that revolutionized the business of carrying shit, thereby keeping the environment cleaner and safer. Born in Lagos, he had his early education at Ipetu-Ijesa Grammar School, Ipetu-Ijesa, Osun State. He was not really in the good books of the school as a youngster (but come to think of it, most individuals who were rough in their school days are actually making it these days). He attended Accra Polytechnic in Ghana briefly before proceeding to United Kingdom where he graduated in Graphic Design and Business Administration from Eastern College of Technology. And just like most change masters, he was not a first class student. Surviving abroad after his studies was not easy as he was made to do all kinds of jobs in England. To make ends meet, he found himself doing security jobs for private individuals and government. He later worked for American Express Cards, UK Security Division as a credit card fraud investigator. His belief in Nigeria made him to come back, though a tough decision to take. Surviving became more difficult as he was made to sell things like his car stereo to be able to feed. It got to the point where he began to think it was a wrong decision coming back and was thinking of going back. Thank God for friends like Danladi Bako who knew his potentials and encouraged him to stay back. Then he got a job as Chief Security Officer to Late Chief M. K. O. Abiola. Little did he know that a new chapter had been opened for him and indeed the entrepreneurial industry in Nigeria. The turning point came in1991 during the planning of Kola Abiola’s wedding. As the man in charge of security, he discovered that it was only two toilets that were available for the 10,000 guests expected at the occasion. He brought this to the attention of the planning committee, who in turn mandated him to look for a mobile toilet company. He couldn’t see any for none was in existence. He then decided to construct one. And with three containers, he constructed 18 toilets, 6 toilets in each container. And it worked! A child of circumstance you will say. But because he was in the security business, he didn’t’ give his invention a second thought and went on doing his security consulting job. Then one day, he decided to have a career change and remembered the mobile toilet. We all know that one idea leads to another, especially if you are the positive thinking type. He decided to put tires on his invention and the first wagon mobile toilet was in business. For four years that the wagon was displayed, not a single order came. Having done extensive research into parties in Nigeria, he knew it will work; it’s just a matter of time. So, to keep body and soul together, he went on consulting, doing security business here and there. The break came in 1996. Somebody hired the wagon toilets, and ever since then it has been a different story. In 1999, on a trip abroad for an Interpol conference, he saw some plastic mobile toilets, took interest and later imported 40 of them. The change came when it became difficult to be importing. That was when he decided to look inward. From 2002 till date, DMT Mobile Toilets, his corporate outfit has been able to manufacture more than 2000 mobile toilets equipment of international standard. The interesting thing to note is that most of the toilets were purchased by users in foreign countries while the rest are used around the country. The first mobile toilet was constructed with N90, 000 and today they’ve invested millions of naira. Today, DMT toilets are being used as official toilets in some states. They have over 19 branches in Nigeria, though Lagos and Abuja remain the strongest points and 7 branches in the West African sub-region. Their services are being felt in the three-tiers of government in Nigeria. Their services were felt at the 8th All African Games, COJA, in Abuja where they supplied and managed over 300 mobile toilets. Also during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, CHOGM, hosted by Nigeria, they provided and managed over 100 toilets. DMT’s presence is gradually being appreciated in major events organized by individuals, corporate bodies and government. DMT’s plan is to provide enough public toilets in Nigeria, thereby contributing its own quota to the preservation of the environment. They are also looking at empowerment in the area of job creation. For instance, for every toilet out there, two people will be able to manage it. Lagos State Government plans to display about 3,000 public toilets. That will amount to at least 6,000 people being given employment and empowerment. Their vision is to have a functional toilet with in every three electricity polls. An idea he got from an Indian called Dr. Sullam. Dr. Sullam has about 1.5 million toilets scattered all over India. This figure indicates that the man has provided work for about 4.5 million people if one toilet is maintained by two persons. You can imagine the number of jobs being provided by human waste. DMT is looking at other projects that are shit or toilet-related. They are about to open a plant located on ten acres of land provided by the Ogun State Government where they will process human waste into fertilizer, generate biogas and other things from it. They are also willing to go into franchise with those who are interested. The road to success was not all rosy, for Otunba Gadaffi had to sacrifice personal comfort and enjoyment to build DMT to what it is today. Every little money he made was re-invested into the business. Before his death, Otunba Gadaffi can afford to take a holiday to any part of the world or embark on a boat cruise round the world for three months without blinking. He had maintained his focus. Contrary to calls persuading him to go into other areas of rentals, he insisted that for him it’s mobile toilets alone. Quoting M. K. O. Abiola when he said “The business of government is serious business and you need a serious business man to take the business seriously”, Otunba Gadaffi observed that going into shit business is a serious business and one must be a serious person to do it well. There is always an opportunity waiting to be grabbed by those who open their eyes. Start small if you must, exercise patience, but don’t be complacent. God has a purpose for everybody. Determine His purpose in your life and stick to it. Have confidence in yourself, believe and be proud of your source of livelihood. Plan and prepare before going into any venture and when you do, be willing to sacrifice until you get to the top. It’s my dream to see that Nigeria becomes what God has in His original master plan. He has given us the mandate to start where He stopped. He has done His portion; it’s left to us to complete our own part of the covenant. Let’s make it happen. God helping us, we will.
God bless Nigeria!