Call her the grand dame of Business in Nigeria and you won’t be wrong. This is because she is a big time businesswoman who for over 4 decades dominated the business terrain like a colossus. That is why everywhere you turn her name is on everybodys lips who does not know the name Cash Madam in Nigeria. It cuts across the West, East, North and South.
That is why on Sunday, April 2nd, 2017 at the new Airport Hotel Marquee, the management of City People will be honouring Chief Mrs Adebisi Edionseri with a very big title in Lagos at the 20th City People Awards For Excellence.
She is to be honoured for her remarkable role in Business. This is one Egba woman who has been in business all her life.
Let’s tell us a bit about this successful woman who in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, dominated the business scene until she retired in 1995 and relocated from Lagos to Abeokuta when she has lived in semi-retirement.
If you are looking for an example of a woman who can be described as an ageless beauty it is Princess Khadijat Kuburat Adebisi Edionseri. This is because she is 83 but does not look it. She looks a lot younger than her age. Over the years she has maintained her pencil-slim frame. She is cute. She is strong. She is full of life. She is athletic. She is smart and still very stylish and fashionable. She still looks radiant.
Cash Madam, as she is popularly called is a lady, in every sense of the word. She is prim and proper. Can you imagine that at 83, she does not wear glasses. She reads letters with her bare eyes and her mental faculty is alive and acute. She remembers dates, ages, names and recalls events that happened in the 40s, 50s, to 60 years back vividly. She likes to tell stories. She has a clarity of thought that is superb.
At 83, she still calculates figures offhead and she has a retentive memory that is uncommon. She is very calculating. And over the years she has learnt to draw a thick line between Business and Pleasure. Business for her is to make money. No sentiments involved.
No wonder over the years she has emerged a big businesswoman, someone who you can call a quintessential businesswoman Can you believe it that there is no form of big business that she has not done from Trading in general merchandise to Supplies for many government agencies? She has done supplies for the Army. She has also done for the Prisons to mention only a few.
She has done road construction. She has done real estate construction, name it. And she has made a huge success of all of it.
What sort of a person is this adorable woman? Where was she born? Where did she grow up? These and many more are the questions often asked about this great woman who is the 1st Iya Suna of Ogun State and the Iyalaje of Egbaland.
City People can tell you a lot about her. We can tell you authoritatively that she is an illustrious daughter of Yewa and Egba. Alake Alhaja Khadijatu Kuburat Adebisi Edionseri was born at Ibara Abeokuta Ogun State to Chief Sanusi Elegbede and Sabitiu Elegbede (Mrs.) Alhaja Khadijatu Kuburat started her education at St Andrews School, Ibara but realised earlier in her life that she had a flare for business. Subsequently, at a very tender age of 10, Alhaja Khadijatu Kuburat opted for tutelage in the sales and marketing of basic products by joining her late sister Princess Bilikisu Akewusola at Badagry in 1945 to understudy the trade. This trading experience took her to Aganna, Olorunda, Idiagbon, Ilogbo, Ota, Coker, lju, and Ishaga Onilado.
Within a very short time she developed a good marketing skill. This resulted in her being the most result oriented sales person in Badagry and its environs in 1954. she was appointed Dealer by John Holt in Ijebu-Ode area of Ogun State, The rapid growth of her business resulted in her being subsequently appointed as a dealer by UAC, CFAO and GBO by 1958 as a whole seller for the Ibadan area of the old Western Region.
When the Ogunpa River disaster of 1960 in Ibadan, resulted in enormous loss from the flooding of her warehouse and shops,her dynamism and quick thinking was instrumental to her decision to register with the Ministry of Works and Ministry of Water Resources as a supplier of gravel and sand. Her business instincts and managerial skill was once again in the forefront as she was able to grow into one of the main contractors of both Ministries. Within a period of 6 years, she was involved in majority of drainage works for roads constructed in the old Western Region and also construction of majority of water reservoirs within the region.
Her commitment and zeal was instrumental to her being invited to become a contractor of the Ministry of Defence. During the Civil War of 1967-70, she was appointed one of the major food suppliers to the Nigerian Army between 1970 – 1995. she built several businesses which including road and Building Construction Company, specialized sales and Distribution Company, Farming, Advertising and Public Relations Company, and a Telecommunications Company.
Notwithstanding her very busy schedule, she gave various humanitarian causes her complete dedication.
So far over 1000 young deprived youth have benefitted from scholarship scheme for primary, secondary and university education.
About 185 others have also been sponsored for post-graduate studies within and outside Nigeria. She enjoys Giving because she believes that Giving is Living, Her ability to give without any reservation resulted in her being christened “CASH MADAM”. She has over the last fifty (50) years supported various good humanitarian causes like hospital project, educational development projects within schools and universities, religious projects etc.
In honour and recognition of her service of humanity, she has been appointed Matron of several associations and clubs like the Abeokuta Sports Club, Ogun Prestige Social Club, Club 20 Ayetoro, Metro Club Yewa, Big Gate Social Club, Abeokuta City Club, Club 85 Ijebu Mushin, Crown 88 Club of Nigeria, Ayo Club Ayetoro, Olowolagba Ladies Club, Alowo Mafisegberaga Club Lagos, Ifelodun family, Ibara Young Star Club.
Others are: Diamond Sisters Club, Sunshine Ladies Club Egba, Crown Sisters Club Egba, Iya Egbe Ogun Prestige Social Club of Egbaland, Club 12 Ayetoro Yewa North, Osupa Egba Youth Wing Idiroko, Classic Sisters Club Iya Egbe Metro Social Club Yewa Land, Iya Egbe City Club, Iya Egbe Irepolodun Social Club of Egbaland, Iya Egbe Bobagbimo Asiwaju Okunrin Akile Ijebu, Iya Egbe Bobajolu Basiri Obirin Akinle Ijebu, Iya Egbe Gbobaniyi Ashiwaju Obirin Akile Ijebu. She is also the Yeye Oba of Ayetoro, Arowo Sadinni of Aiyepe, Iya Suna Ibara, Iya Suna Ijeja, Iya Egbe Adinni of Ayetoro, Yeye Oba of Eruwa, Iya Egbe Anobi Loniigba Alasalatu, Iya Egbe Shamsu Quoran of Egba Land, Iya Egbe Alaluqurian Obirin of Egba Land, Iya Egbe Alhaja Sanmori of Egba Land, Iya Egbe Ajijola Anobi of Egba Land, Iya Egbe Alasalatu Anabilonigba of Nigeria Ijebu Branch, Talented Gents Club of Ijebuland, Iya Egbe Alasalatu of Nigeria and West Africa (AKOREDE), Matron Saaddatul Abaddiyat of Nigeria, Iya Egbe Adinni Ayetoro Yewa North.
She was also bestowed with several titles which includes Iya Suna of Yewa Land, Iya Alaje of Yewaland, lyaAlaje of Egbaland, Iya Suna of Egbaland and now the Iya Suna of the Umbrella Islamic body of Ogun State The Muslim Council of Ogun State. At 83, Mama is a fulfilled woman. She is blessed with children and grand children. She retired at an early age in 1995 and has continued her Service to Humanity within Nigeria especially her home state, Ogun.
