Masters In Business Administration

So, I walked into my 'regular' sometime in April and ran into my Reverend also waiting with a bowl in his hand. We started talking and he told me how he had been eating at this my 'regular' since 1984. Its 2012 now.

For at least 28years, the women at 'Ghana High' have successfully serviced thousands of bellies across Lagos Island. This is in the same country where they say most small businesses fold up within the first five years of their existence. Ghana High has lasted for almost three decades and judging by the queue waiting with bowls to buy ewa aganyin, I am confident they'll be around for a few more decades.

These women have successfully managed a small business and have never passed through the walls of a classroom. Most of them can hardly communicate in fluent English (they are actually French) and pidgin English is the language of choice in their premises. I assume the highest level of education these women have is probably secondary, even that is me being hyperbolic.

I'm one of those who agree that to make money as a businessman in Nigeria, one should not overlook the low class in the society. Ghana High's management has succeeded in doing this, they make money from the poor as well as the rich. Could this be why they have done so well as an eatery? 

Quality sells itself. The management of Ghana High also appreciate this fact. The quality of the food is quite remarkable and consistent. There's just something about the taste of the rice, it feels like your Mum cooked it for a family gathering. The ewa aganyin is served straight from a steel pot over a burning stove, it's served scorching hot. The 'kpomo' a.k.a cow hide is steamed, boiled and spiced to perfection and the 'moin-moin' is incredibly tasty. It was, 28 years ago, it is now. At least, that much, my Reverend can attest to.

The women have shown the whole of Lagos that you don't need an MBA to run  a successful business. Theirs has outlived many businesses run by thoroughly educated folks.  They have simply mastered their art and remained consistent. They have endearingly warmed the hearts -and stomachs- of Lagosians for decades. Such is this addiction that a certain young man I know who works around there admits he has religiously had his lunch there everyday since 2010.

They have mastered the art of satisfying customers. Yes, they occasionally have disgruntled people who storm out and swear to never come back but understandably they offer service to human beings and making everybody happy is practically impossible. 

Day in, day out, people troop into their premises with bowls of all shapes, sizes, colors and consistencies. All with one mission. 

Interestingly, the organization has a room that is used as storage for food materials. I took a peek into the store one day and the number of bags of grains stashed alarmed me. I was tempted to think there was probably an impending war and they were stocking up for famine like King Pharaoh. Probably another reason for the seeming success of the business, they had enough stock for a many weeks and were likely to be unaffected by soaring food prices nationally. 

The business is a well oiled machine. Each person knows his or her job description and does not falter in the discharge of such duties. 

It was hard to resist not comparing this small organization to the bigger business called Nigeria. A multi-trillion naira business run by 'technocrats'. We have Harvard and Oxford trained Economists and geniuses running the country's economy and I dare say Ghana High is better managed economically.

What Nigeria needs isn't MBA holders but committed people. Ghana High is not filled with MBA or Ph.D holders, but by illiterates who are better business managers than Okonjo-Iweala would ever be in her life. I assume Ghana High would owe G8 and Paris Club in the first year she assumes office as Business Development Manager and they'll probably be broke by the second year. She can have all the certificates on Earth, the fact remains that Nigeria's economy is in shambles and its prognosis has worsened under her watch.

My grandmother always said in Yoruba 'iwe ko kin se ogbon'. Literally, she means intelligence does not automatically translate to common sense. They are two discrete entities.

It takes more than an MBA to run a successful business. Ask Aliko Dangote. Ask the owners of Ghana High.