By ROAD TO SUCCESS WITH ADEWALE ALADEJANA, CEO OF SAPPHIRE SCENTS
By Tajudeen Hamzat
Adewale Aladejana is a man who has decided to put the world in his pocket and sell his name out to the world through putting God first and redefining perfume in Nigeria. He is the founder and CEO of Sapphire Scents, a company he started with just about 30,000 naira in 2015, but which is now a multi-billion business that has since spawned various outlets in Nigeria, some African countries as well as the UK and US.
The 33-year-old who was born and bred in Ibadan, Oyo state, South-West Nigeria is the seventh child of a family of nine, and his father was a businessman turned politician.
The entrepreneur who is happily married to Oluwatoyin bagged a Bachelors of Science degree in Mass Communication and got his first job at the Benin office of TY Danjuma Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), immediately after his National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), where he worked for four years before quitting to venture into entrepreneurship.
During his days at TY Danjuma he had issues with his supervisor over a project he was monitoring which later resulted to his sudden transfer to Abuja in 2014 without any allowances, he never let this forced him out of work as he believed his Abuja transfer was a punishment but he was determined to turn the punishment to enjoyment.
On resuming work at Abuja he had to manage with his brother who rented an apartment in Abuja, as at this period when life was giving him great challenge his wife was also seven-month pregnant and they all crowded the apartment hoping things will change soon.
Then one day someone used a perfume, due to his curiosity and rare smell sense, he asked the brand name, Aladejana never knew his ability to recognize perfume the same way he recognize faces was a rare gift from God and his long awaited success was linked to what had been living with him since birth “nose”.
He however asked about this special perfume, and the person said it was made in the Middle East. Fortunately, he had a friend living in the Middle East as at the time, and asked him to buy a bottle of that particular perfume, he started making use of it, and liked the aroma.
He decided to take a bold step to get this same perfume in Abuja where he was able to buy about six bottles of what looked like that same perfume. The talented individual then began research on these perfumes and found out that it was made from something in the Bible that is called aloe, with a continuous research he finally made his own perfume, and was selling it in bits.
His dream of making big money in the business became a reality when one of customer who trusted his special ability asked him get raw materials to make the perfume from the Middle East. But he had a problem, they were no funds available to start the project but what has been ordained with definitely come to past, God used Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, of Coza gave who gave him the sum of N1 million which he utilized and today turned into a multi-million naira company.
Aladejana have always have the wanted be an entrepreneur right from his school days used to run a boutique in his room with a bag full of cloth and people patronize him that aspiration of being a boss never died till he became one
While speaking at the FREE Conference Lagos where he was invited as a guest speaker, he explained how Sapphire Scent was given birth to saying the company started in April 2015 but did not become official until August 24 2015.
Today, Sapphire scent has grown wide and have over 100 distributors in 17 states including the UK and US, they have not only make big huge money but have also sell his product to top personalities in Nigeria and across the globe notable among them are including former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), Olusegun Obasanjo, Ghana’s former President, J.J Rawlings among others.
According to Adewale Aladejana, Who noted that his ultimate target is to be the leading perfume manufacturer that will be patronized all over the World said the name “Sapphire scents’ was taken from the book of Isaiah 54:11, no doubt he is well known for his strong religion belief in God.
Young Nigerian graduates have always complained of being unemployed over the years, using the Nation’s economy as the main problem hindering their success and yet a man have made a turn over for himself with the power of his nose, gaining financial freedom have always been at everyone disposal, to succeed one need to think, discover and utilize their talent and potentials.
Aladejana has proven that entrepreneur is the easiest way of becoming the boss majority of Nigerian youths have been dreaming of becoming. The economy has been falling due to consumption rate that has far exceeded the production rate. If the youths can start small like ALADEJANA and bear the brunt, Nigeria will top the billionaire club in the world.
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