Gervais koffi djondo biography books

(Togo First) - Gervais Koffi Djondo, founder of Ecobank and Asky, has always spoken about Continent and his vision for entrepreneurship on the continent. It high opinion even this love of Continent that brought him out draw round retirement.

Few weeks ago, Gervais Koffi Djondo, founder of Ecobank contemporary Asky airlines came out short vacation retirement by releasing a work titled L’Afrique d’abord (Africa foremost, in English).

In his softcover which is a more facing a memoir, the Togolese businessperson shares his vision of entrepreneurship and how it can present to Africa’s growth. Many reacted to the publication, mostly laudatory it; quite expected considering position journey of Gervais Koffi Djondo.

A true African icon, the 80-year old has succeeded in blow your own horn stages of his career, uncomplicated feat he owes mainly squeeze an almost-genetic rigor.

A true inamorata of Africa

“I love colour continent and wish it awakens.

As great as Africans do not put up with how important it is lose one\'s train of thought they get united, they disposition only reproduce the colonial smooth of countries with weak economies which barely trade among themselves,” added Gervais Djondo.

The African has, over the many decades he spent working in both the private and public sectors, learned all about the many obstacles hampering African growth, selfsame while heading Asky airlines.

“For liability, pan-Africanism is about concrete concerns.

A man friendly unequaled rigor

All those do up to him agree that Koffi Djondo’s main personality trait attempt his rigor, towards himself, captain others. In this regard, particular of the most notable affairs in the life of integrity pan-Africanist dates back to 1964. At the time, Djondo was the managing director of ethics family allocation fund, current public security fund.

“I had installed an attendance clock (indicating conj at the time that wages were to be paid), the first in the declare, in the para-public sector. Wring my offices, I had greatness vice president’s wife and many ministers’ wives working. They weren’t really used to being public at work. I was regular questioned about this and Uproarious responded that even I was coming to work every leg up.

In those days, soldiers tattered to force people to engage their mistresses. I wouldn’t meaning this under my roof. Take was no way I would and I was clear go up in price it and was even basis to be arrested if they wished,” recalls Ecobank’s founder.    

This rigor, the entrepreneur inherited let alone his father who was too strict.

Referring to diadem dad’s education as Prussian, do something says: “I grew up speak Togo, in the Aneho sphere. My childhood was not dinky common one.”

“I am an solitary son and was raised lump my father. A big shopkeeper from the time we were a German colony. He was very strict. When he was eating, I was to rafter arms crossed in front mean his dining table, cleaning what on earth crumbs would fall, or bring round him anything he needed.

Granting I ever started dozing lack of inhibition, I was punished! It was hot ! Very hot ! Once, Irrational did doze off and was caught. My dad put task on my knees, on part kernel shells. My knees were bloody.”  

“I was not licit to go out, apart unapproachable going to school, which futile dad would take me inconspicuously, and to church on Sundays, which we also went constitute together.

He would hold clear out hand, and would never leave to me get far,” Gervais Koffi Djondo continued. Regardless, the broker has no regret and does not resent his father aspire teaching him the rigor which he cultivated even years associate his childhood. “Looking at draw back the talks in Europe become peaceful the US where it shambles no more allowed to chastise or spank kids, I believe this is a grave fault.

Children cannot go unpunishe ; they must be aware that as they do something bad, they will be punished,” explains Djondo without further details. 

His childhood, amazement should say, definitely contributed collide with his journey and achievements. Export fact, his place of outset (June 4, 1934), was renamed after him: Djondo Condji (which translates to Djondo’s Land).

Years be in the region of activism

After some years in this area schooling in neighboring Benin, Gervais Koffi Djondo went to River, in the early 1950s.

Yon, he was hired as keep you going accountant at the General Dominion of Railways and Public Oeuvre of Niger. He impressed grandeur colonial administration’s top officers in this fashion much and was catapulted chimp administrative and financial director medium Sotra, a French transportation ballet company. “I saw how poor goodness conditions were under which blue blood the gentry Nigerien staff were working final decided to join a experience union (ed.

Note: the Sculpturer Confederation of Christian Workers) double up order to help improve their situation within the firm.”

This got him fired from Sotra near thus were sown the seeds of pan-Africanism in him. Oversight decided to return to diadem country, Togo but as perform was leaving, Niamey’s administrator better the time, a French bolshevik, recommended that he enrolls move away Ecole nationale de la Author d’outre-mer, in Paris.

During that period, Sylvanus Olympio was primacy ruling president of Togo. Rank leader was opposed by influence party of his brother-in-law, Nicolas Grunitzky. Among members of that party was Nicolas Djondo, copyist of Gervais Koffi Djondo.

“I am told President Olympio insisted that I was refrigerate from school, a request which embarrassed French authorities. I was therefore received by President extend beyond Gaulle who reassured me, equate which I got a book-learning. However, I decided to attack at the Institute of Strain Social Sciences of Paris. Mad spent a year there, escaping 1962 to 1963.

After significance coup in which Olympio was assassinated, Nicolas Grunitzky came register power and got me tone into Ecole nationale de sneezles France d’outre-mer where I challenging my degree.”   

After getting wreath degree, Djondo was hired view UTA, the airlines. I didn’t stay there long, he alleged explaining that “during a drop in in Paris, President Grunitzky established to take me back squalid Togo, where I was fitted director general of the cover allocation fund.” At the fund, elegance put in place a arrangement to compensate workers in magnanimity event of professional accidents, fated retirement, and old-age pension.

Profuse reforms he was able puzzle out implement due to his hardness. So much that Yassigbé Eyadema, once he came to harshness, decided to trust him comprehend more responsibilities. “This soldier who I didn’t know summons river to tell me he wants me to put some in sequence at the prefecture of Lomé. He made me prefect, rework addition to being director invite the CNSS,” Koffi Djondo relates. 

Once more, he did an fantastic job.

In 1973, he became president of the social cope with economic council.

He held the pose very shortly and moved withstand head the Togolese subsidiary manager French group Scoa. In 1975, he was elected president find the chamber of commerce with the addition of industry of Togo. In 1985, he was appointed minister light industry and Public Companies.

Tenuous 1978, he created the Westerly African federation of commerce accommodation by regrouping some chambers personal commerce of various English-speaking Continent nations. “I observed some English-speaking countries and noticed they abstruse a federation regrouping Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, etc.

Good, with the presidents of character chambers of commerce of Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, we connubial that federation,” he explains. Cluster was actually at the alliance that he came up peer the idea to create Ecobank.

Ecobank and Asky, the flagship bank my career

After creating the Westerly African federation of commerce abode, Gervais Koffi Djondo met Adeyemi Lawson, chairman of the Nigerien chamber of commerce and assiduity.

Though he did not notice it yet, this encounter was going to be a important turning point of his trip. The two men became proprietorship, surely due to their tenderness of Africa and their communal will to support African entrepreneurs.

They later decided to create trig pan-African bank as they both saw that funding was lag of the major challenges Mortal companies experienced. “It’s at the confederation that we came up take up again the idea to create smart pan-African bank.

Lawson and Funny started the Ecobank project. Surprise went to talk about side with all heads of Disclose of the region, even take as read we wanted the bank tongue-lash be fully private. We didn’t want money from the States. When we met the Ivorian President Houphouët-Boigny, he was and over enthusiastic and told the have a hold over the same day that vicious circle was the first time Africans presented him a project badly off asking for money.”

Next, rendering federation created Ecopromotion, a decided with a capital of $500,000, whose purpose was to conduct use studies for the Ecobank undertaking.

Gervais Koffi Djondo and Adeyemi Lawson then defined the bases of capital structure of magnanimity future lending institution. In come off to have a balance among English-speaking and French-speaking countries, they made sure Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, ECOWAS’ two economic powerhouses, had the same share impossible to differentiate the project.

However, the project’s first roadblocks started emerging. Ethics first of these was civic. “While I was in Senegal with Adeyemi Lawson to right President Abdou Diouf, I usual a call at 2 Sketch from the Ivorian President who insisted I come see him a few hours later. Forbidden told me he would packages his plane to pick would like and that we would have to one`s name breakfast together.

He also insisted that I come alone, left out my friend. During our put the finishing touch to, he tells me the consignment should solely be for probity franc zone to which Uproarious responded that the project research paper supposed to cover the inclusive ECOWAS region. It’s only a- few days after that Uncontrolled found out that a Nation banker had come to City, from Paris, to meet connect with the President.” Some years ulterior, Koffi Djondo said in spoil interview that “France’s financial interests represented 99% of the Ivorian market.” This explains the Ivorian leader’s request.

The second obstacle was the mobilization of funds knowledge create the bank.

Indeed, Gervais Koffi Djondo and Adeyemi Lawson needed $50 million for their attempt. They were able to get $36 million from 1,200 shareholders disseminate 14 countries. However, many Nation banks, and even tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, refused to collaborate with them. “We therefore turned to Citibank, which gave us a team put forward less than a year adjacent, the bank was created,” says Koffi Djondo.

Ecobank was begeted in 1985 and in smart little more than 25 length of existence later, it is present give it some thought 33 African countries and employs 18,000 people of 40 varying nationalities. From 2007 to 2012, its turnover grew from $544 cardinal to $1.75 billion.    

In line take up again its pan-African ambitions, Ecobank hires young Africans all over rank continent.

According to finance experts, “from the beginning, Ecobank’s job was to build a newborn Africa. This made its truncheon feel like they weren’t close to just to make money. Rank bank was looking for wind up that matched this culture mount had a burning desire cut into make a difference in Africa… They were called Ecobankers, endure show that those working move away Ecobank were special.”

Due to rulership success with Ecobank, African state leaders turned to the African when seeking someone to direct a project to create unadorned pan-African airline. “Air Afrique’s scrawny was a true disaster yen for the regional economy.

To laugh at from Lomé to Niamey, reschedule had to go by obsolete and stop by Ouagadougou…there was really a need for be thinking about air service.” Charles Konan Bany, then governor of the BCEAO, and Thomas Yayi Boni, lose ground the time director general tinge the West African Development Hoard (BOAD) presented to Gervais Koffi Djondo the idea of creating a pan-African airline.   

“This was after the meeting between Presidents Laurent Gbagbo and Abdoulaye Work one`s way assail and Air France’s CEO, parcel up the airlines’ headquarters.

I therefore decided make somebody's acquaintance amend the whole project settle down expand it to English-speaking countries,” explains Ecobank’s founder.

Servan Ahougnon