This week, Amuletiko Stephen Pelumi, an entrepreneur, NUESA’s Public Relations Officer and a final-year student of Educational Management was interviewed by Sonaike Peter for Indy Press. The conversation centered on his background in business, his education, and student leadership.

  

Hello, can we meet you?

My name is Amuletiko Stephen Pelumi, a 400-level student of educational management at the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan. I reside in the Great Independence Hall and am a finalist. I am into the telecommunications business. I mean, I sell data bundles, airtime, pay electric bills, cable subscriptions, results, checker pins, and the likes. I am also into crypto exchange. I am currently the Public Relations Officer of the Faculty of Education.

Tell us about your educational background.

Ok, educational background. Well, when I first entered the University of Ibadan, I was a very good student… .. 

I mean, starting from your elementary school.

From my elementary school, oh! oh!, is it the school I went to?

Yes.

Ok, the school I went to. Yeah, I went to… It’s been a long time. For my primary school, I went to God’s foundation Primary and Nursery school, JSS. 1 to JSS. 3. Then, I went to Arora Community Grammar School, and from SS1 to SS3, I went to Ojo High school, and here I am at the University of Ibadan.

What pushed you into the telecommunications business?

Wow! Well, I intended to go into business. I intended to do something for myself, you understand? And was thinking what I could do, to be making money for myself, I am trying to help the public as well. I am always passionate about people getting good results from what I do for them. So I decided to go into this particular business. Of course, data is life; everyone uses data. Even though you don’t have food to eat, it is very important that you have data on your phone. 

At the same time, what really for me is swift delivery because people always like it when their data delivery is fast. Everything you do, you have to be swift with it, you understand. I would like to note that it is not only data I sell, It is a telecommunications business; it’s just that people are more familiar with data.

For how long have you been into this business?

I started the business in 2020, during the lockdown. 

What have been the challenges so far?

Challenges?

Yeah.

To be sincere, there is nothing you opt for, there is nothing you engage yourself in that you won’t have challenges or you won’t have shortcomings. When it comes to challenges, I would say the challenges I experience in this business are network issues. This network space is dynamic; it is not static. You get what I am trying to say? Currently, the MTN network is bad; in a few seconds, you can experience a downturn in the MTN network, and in this instance, customers are trying to get data at this particular moment. Network issues have been the major challenges that we data vendors have been facing.

The same thing goes for cable subscriptions. There can be scenes when you are cable subscribing to a person and they have to go to the MTN office because of issues. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. And also, in customer relations, some customers’ temperaments are always high. They get angry so easily. When they text you, they want you to text them back immediately. You know we are dealing with different people in this space, and the ability to understand everybody and adapt to their own perceptions is my major challenge.

So, all in all, network issues, customer relations, and timing, are the challenges I face.

How have you been able to tackle these challenges?

Thank you for that question. In this life, I believe that for every problem, there is a solution.  being in this business for a few years, I think I have been able to tackle every problem I face. How?  Of course, people have different opinions and perceptions of things. What I have tried to do over time is study different people, and understanding them equips me with the skill to relate to them.

And also concerning the network issue, what I do is give them information about the network space. For instance, if MTN or GLO is having a down time, I will get them informed so that they fully understand they have to wait until the issue is resolved. Giving them prompt information about the space is one of the measures I take to tackle the issue.

Some people started this particular business and gave up along the way, perhaps because they felt it was not lucrative for them, but what made you resilient?

Hmmm, wow! Thanks for that question. As a person, there is no way you will start something that you won’t feel like trying to give up at some point. As a person, there is no way you will be optimistic about something that difficulty and challenges will not come into play, but how you tackle these challenges is what matters. Over the years, the few years that I have started this business, I don’t think there is a scenario where I wanted to give up. Any situation that comes, I see it was meant to come, and as a person, I have to manage that kind of situation.

As a person, it is something I wanted to do, which is why I say that for everything I opt for, I go in with my full hand. This is my business; this is what I’ve been doing. Even though I have the mindset of giving up, my God will tell me no, because with God, all things are possible.

You are a businessman, NUESA’s P.R.O., and at the same time a student. How have you been able to strike a balance between your primary and secondary assessments on campus?

Wow! Thank you very much for that question. I am NUESA’s P.R.O., yes!, a student, yes! and at the same time, I am into business. Of course, striking a balance has been a headache for real because I understand that being NUESA’s P.R.O. comes with a lot of responsibilities, and that’s my secondary responsibility, so to speak. Meanwhile, being a student, my primary assignment takes a lot of commitment and dedication, and being a businessperson, oh! My goodness, you have to be alert; you have to be 100 percent at every point in time.

As a person, I have a to-do list. A to-do list is an avenue for you to list what you want to do in ascending or descending order, depending on the person. This is what I do, and it has been working fine for me, but at the same time, I must say it has not been easy. 

So, setting my priorities right and doing a to-do list has been the measure that has been helping me so far.

Considering the state of our economy, what does it entail for any business to thrive, especially a small scale one?

We are in a state of inflation in the country, and it is as  result of the exchange rate. We could understand currently that the naira is about 1500 to the dollar. This alone causes a lot of chaos in the price of goods and services. I would like to say that to thrive as a small-scale opener, it’s going to be hard.

As a person, you need to understand why you are going into a business, and at the same time, you have to get started with the benefit analysis. Before you start a business, you must look at your costs because the money you use to buy a commodity today is not the same amount of money you use to buy the same commodity tomorrow, considering the state of our economy right now. As a person, you have to make your decision fast while at the same time understanding your cost—how much is the thing you want to get? So, it is a gradual process. Even though you are a small-scale owner, it is a gradual process, and you are still going to get to the top. Just ensure you have a deep understanding of what you do, you plan right, and your resources are in place even though you don’t have everything available for you to start up the business. The economy is just an indifference; it is just a shortcoming; it is just a challenge, but it is something you can overcome. People are making it big in this economy; people are starting a new business within this economy. It’s something you can do; just plan right, have a deep understanding of what you want to do, get the available resources even though it’s just your capital. Start now! Start immediately.

As NUESA’s P.R.O., what is the impact of student leadership on you? How has it shaped your life as a person?

As a person who knows fully well what leadership means, I have been holding leadership positions, not just as a P.R.O. I was an honorable member of my class representing my constituency, which is my department at the faculty level. I was the clerk of my faculty in my third year, and now I am The Nuesa’s P.R.O. I have been holding this leadership position for about three years now, which has sharpened my mindset.

As a leader, there are features, there are attributes you have to possess. As a leader, it has helped me in terms of my studentship, taught me how to make decisions at the right time, and taught me how to multitask. It has really helped me in terms of my relationship with customers. It is an improvement on my own side.

What are your hobbies?

Hobbies: what do I do personally?

Yes

I love making money. ( Mr. Pelumi laughed.)

That’s your hobby?

For real, for real, for real.

So, you don’t watch football games?

Emmmh, well, sometimes I watch movies, but I set my priorities right. Sometimes, I may not watch a movie in a year because I have other things I am doing that are more important than movies. For real, I do have fun; I am a Chelsea fan; I watch football; and sometimes I read financial books to sharpen my mindset towards things because mindset is the key. And recently, I fell in love with chess playing. So these are my hobbies.

If I may ask, is Mr. Pelzs in a relationship?

Eeeh?

Are you in a relationship?

Am I in a relationship?

Yes

Ah! This question is delicate. Personally,  I am not in a relationship.

Really?

Yes, but I am not single.

How?

Ok. I am not in a relationship.(He laughed) 

Finally, as a final-year student, what has been your final year experience? Smooth, or vice-versa?

Omo, being a finalist, has its positive and negative sides. This positive is, I am leaving school. In a few months, I will be out of UI. I have been in school since 2018, how many years have passed now? Six years later, I am still in the 400 level.

Well, as a finalist, I am still doing about 7 courses; last semester, I did about 6 courses. Even as a finalist, I am still doing all of these courses. Well, the feeling has been so good and not so good—not bad, not bad. Good and not so bad, you understand?

Alright, Mr. Pelumi. I must really appreciate you for your time.

Thank you so much, Mr. Peter.