KAMWIRE: Rewarding Humility, Excellence and Greatness

It was another standing ovation for the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of KAM Industries (Nigeria) Limited, Alhaji (Dr.) Kamorudeen Ibitoye Yusuf, when the authority of the Kwara State Polytechnics, Ilorin bestowed upon him the highest honourary award of the institution, Fellow of the KwaraPoly).

ROYAL NEWS reports that while Universities awards Honourary Doctorate (Honoris Causa) it is also in the tradition of Polytechnics to award ‘FELLOWSHIP’ to outstanding individuals who have contributed to humanity and national growth.

At the 23rd combined convocation of the Kwara State Polytechnics held at the newly completed stadium complex of the institution on Saturday, five distinguished personalities were honoured. They are; the Kwara State Governor and the Visitor to the institution, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Erisco Foods, business magnate, Alhaji Kamorudeen Yusuf and Malam Yusuf Olaolu Alli SAN.

KAMWIRE at a glance

Alhaji (Dr.) Kamoru IbitoyeYusuf was born on 16th October, 1966 into the family of Mr. & Mrs. Ibitoye Yusuf of Iwo in Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. He is a full blooded son of the famous Igbomina tribe.

This is the tribe that is well known for their industry andingenuity in trading – They are the baron of buying and selling in Nigeria.

He attended Iwo-Owu Primary School, Iwo between 1971 and 1976 for his primary school education and proceeded immediately to Iwo-Owu Secondary School for post-primary school education. He left the school in 1980 to pursue a life of apprenticeship in the art and science of trading in Metals and Metal Derivatives under the tutelage of Messrs Oladimeji& Sons Enterprises, Emir’s Road in Ilorin, the state capital of Kwara State, Nigeria.

He received rigorous training for an uninterrupted period of 7 years. In 1987 young Kamoru was certified competent to stand on-his-own to start his own business. Through conscientious self-help efforts, he educated himself through ex-mural schooling and home studies he obtained a National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from one of the foremost Polytechnics in Nigeria.

He also acquired immense practical knowledge on the job through his numerous and constant trips overseas to reputable centres of production acclimatized himself with the culture of the Italians, Chinese and the Indians. By the divine priviledge of God, he became a very literate and intelligent man.

Within a period of 10 years i.e 1987 to 1997, he became a foremost Distributor to notable companies in the wire and steel industry in Nigeria. Some of the companies are: Oscar James Nigeria Limited, Nigeria Wire Industry, Lagos, Adediran Steel &Wire Industry, Ilesa, Ola-OluwaAina Wire Industry, Oshogbo, United Wire Industry, Kaduna and Eruka Metal Steel, Lagos.

Through a dint of hard work, self-discipline and uncommon vision, he ventured into manufacturing in 1997 to produce nails and iron rods. As we experience it in Africa, successful manufacturing is an exclusive preserve of the multinationals. African natives who ventured into manufacturing usually end up being bankrupt due to unfair competition from foreign imports and as such natives are confined to buying and selling of finished products. However, with rare bravery and determination, Alhaji (Dr.)Kamoru confronted these challenges whole souled coupled with a unique managerial ingenuity, assembled the best of machines some of which he fabricated locally, recruited a crop of committed and hardworking staff and courted and won the trust of the most conservative banks in Nigeria to set up a manufacturing octopus.

Within 10 years of productive activities, he competed against local and foreign producers of nails and nail-products and by 2008 became the leading producer of nails and nail products in Nigeria. The brand name KAMWIRE is well known throughout Nigeria Wire and Steel Industry. The brand has won many NIS and SON CAP awards for quality from the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) His Company, KAM INDUSTRIES NIGERIA LIMITED is one of the largest employers of labour in Kwara State.He is the first Nigerian Manufacturer to successfully produce Galvanised Roofing Nail in West Africa.

All his predecessors failed and were almost ruined by the venture. In form of a vertical integration, he has established a factory producing Zinc and Coloured Coated Roofing sheets. He is the first African to build the largest Integrated Cold Roll Steel Mill Complex in Nigeria. He recently completed a manufacturing factory for the production of Stone Coated Roofing Sheets, the first of its kind in Nigeria. He is a Council member of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria – (MAN) and the Chairman of local chapter of MAN inKwara and Kogi States.

In October 2008,Alhaji (Dr.) Kamoru Yusuf consolidated his business relationship with his Chinese business friends. He established two companies in Wuxi, China. His company, Kam Industries (Wuxi) Limited is a prominent producer of nail washers in Chinawhile Wuxi Kam Import and Export Company Limited exports to Nigeria and very soon to other parts of the world. In recognition of this contribution to the business community in China, Alhaji (Dr.) Kamoru Yusuf was given a resident permit on merit and he is being courted for partnership by many of his Chinese friends till today. He is also the Chairman/Director of Kamcom India Private Limited, a company he established in 2013 to coordinate his business activities in South Asia.

He is a devoted Muslim and a compulsive philanthropist. He considers watering of others as part of his worship. He has contributed immensely towards the building of many Mosques and other places of worship and has also sponsored many Muslim faithfuls on pilgrimage to the holy land of Mecca. He is a patron of so many Muslim societies and organizations. Alhaji (Dr.) Kamoru Yusuf in a nutshell is an asset to the Islamic community. In recognition of his contributions to humanity and the spread of Islam in particular, he was honoured with the Chieftaincy tile of GiwaAdinni of Central Mosque at Olorunsogo-Ilorin in Kwara State, a title he is holding in lofty and enviable heights.

Alhaji (Dr.) Kamoru Yusuf is a lover of sports and a very social man. He is a promoter of Football as an avenue to engage and develop the youths and channel their youthful energy towards purposeful goals. He is the founder and financier of Kam Football Club and the club won a state trophy in football in 2007. He enjoys swimming and playing of football privately.He has travelled all over the continents of the world establishing numerous business associates in major business capitals of the world.

In recognition of his contributions to humanity, Alhaji (Dr.) Kamorudeen Yusuf has received many local and international awards like, Distinguished Excellence Award by Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, the Concepts University of U.K. on the 3rd November 2009 awarded him a Ph.D. degree (honoris causa) in Human Resources Management and development of entrepreneurship, Merit Award by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Distinguished Personality Award by the Postgraduate Students Association of the University of Ilorin and Excellent Corporate Support Award by 1st Kwara State Sports Council, the Best Entrepreneur of the year 2014 by the Bank of Industry to mention but a few.

He is happily married to his heartthrob, Alhaja Bolanle Yusuf, a graduate of English Language from the University of Ilorin. In addition, she holds a Masters degree in Educational Management from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

She is the Managing Director of Bitkam Nigeria Limited, Mistufik Ventures Limited, Bitkam Ventures and Alhaja Yusuf is a Fellow of the African Institute of Enterprise and Management and Fellow, Certified Enterprise Manager of the institute and sits comfortable well on the board of KAM Industries Nigeria Limited respectively. The marriage is blessed with children and all are performing very well.