Her story is that of a child who grew up knowing what she wanted for her future. Young Princess Toyin, born, bred and nurtured in Ilesha, Osun State was given the best of attention by her jewel of inestimable value, her mother the late Mrs. Fajuyigbe. Her mother was a successful businesswoman who was a big-time trader in soya beans, yam flour, beans, rice and corn all in bags. It was from this hardworking and successful woman that Princess Toyin Kolade learnt the rudiments of business and how to make ends meet without much trouble.
After traversing the basic educational attainments for a young girl viz-a-viz the primary and secondary schools, young Princess Toyin preceded to the prestigious University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife.
While at school, Princess Toyin remembered vividly how she was assisting her precious mother’s business back in her hometown of Ilesha and she decided to fend for herself by delving into buying and selling activities. Princess Toyin did this to be more responsible even while being a students, assist her mother in her own little way and ensure that she did not lack all what she needed while at school. Hardworking Princess Toyin usually travel all the way from Ile-Ife to Lagos, purchase clothing materials which she takes back to school for sale. This she did until graduating.
Having done with studies, Princess Toyin Kolade went straight into business realizing that it has so much being inculcated into her. According to the beautiful lady of glam and class in a recent interview, Princess Toyin opined that “When I was in the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo Universiy, I used to come to Lagos to buy clothing materials which I sold in school. I had brothers who were working at the Tin Can Island and Apapa ports then. It was during those visits that I became interested in ships, cargos as well as everything that went on in the ports. That was when I decided that I was going to venture into it one day. The business started small but with the grace of God and my doggedness, the business has expanded into a conglomerate and into diverse areas. I have also ventured into the oil and gas business which is described as a shark infested terrain but to me it is not any different from other businesses.”
Indeed, growing a business of such was not an easy task as it seems like a male-dominated entity. Just like she expressed, it too her the grace of God and personal doggedness to sustain the pressures that attached to the business. Knowing full well that she will get to the top of the ladder, Princess Toyin Kolade established Fisolak Global Resources and Rashkol International Logistics Limited. Today, these two business concerns are giants in their categories and market leaders at all times. As the Chief Executive Officer of these two highflying companies, Princess Toyin sees to their smooth and effective day to day running. Born into royalty, Princess Toyin Kolade is always guided with the mentoring principles of her late mother, whom she confessed really impacted huge and extreme business prowess into her. This is really working on her as she applied all what she learnt from the late mother into her own business thereby creating a different and unique niche for her.
On how she actually found herself in the art of buying and selling, Princess Toyin said ”I started doing my personal business of buying and selling early in life that by the time I was 21 years old, I had close to five million in my bank account. This was because I was so well mentored by my late mother and I also believe that mentoring is the way forward for any youth that wants to succeed in any profession. One must find someone to look up to and learn the ropes diligently from. The fact is that it is never too late to have a mentor or role model. Apart from my mother, I also have a role model in Hajia Bola Shagaya. I love her because she is one successful business woman who has refused to mix business with politics.
On the challenges confronting businessmen and women in the country, Princess Toyin Kolade expressed that keeping a business afloat in Nigeria is no child’s play. She said further that the challenges are almost the same for most business owners. The issue of electricity is a serious issue, the government wants business owners to produce their goods in the country, they want Nigerians to patronize made in Nigerian goods meanwhile there is no constant electricity to operate. If we can overcome this issue, Nigeria will be one of the most industrialized countries in the world because we have the raw materials, we have the labour and we have the talent to work with. It will also bring in a lot of investors into the country.
However, many close allies and business associates of this wonderful and beautifully created woman can conveniently attest to the fact that she is a cheerful giver, a free-minded generous lady and a personality that detests suffering and poverty to a fault. She hates seeing people suffering around her, hence she usually does all within and sometimes outside her capacities to alleviate the poor living standard of the people.
As a philanthropist, Princess Toyin Kolade has helped a lot of people too numerous to mention. This was affirmed to by all people who are privy about her generousity and who have also been touched by her in one way or the other. As a matter of fact, Princess Toyin Kolade hates talking or making unnecessary noise about people she has helped and those she has groomed to becomes somebody in life. Married to an indefatigable, handsome senior Customs officer, Kayode Kolade, Princess Toyin is a top socialite in Nigeria and beyond. No one could mention the list of top ten sociable and amiable women in Nigeria without the name Princess Toyin Kolade surfacing. She is a mother and grandmother, sister and aunty to many and above all a proud Ijesha lady.
On how she gets her inspiration, the sultry princess affirmed that God is her inspiration and she is grateful that God has continued being there for her every day and in every way. She said, God has been her staying power in a terrain where others crash. According to her, anytime she wants to take on a new business, she always take the business proposition to God in prayers, she does venture into any new business if she did not get the assurance from God. Princess Toyin Kolade went further saying that “I give him all the glory. Then my husband, incidentally we met in church over 20 years ago and it was love at first sight. This is why my home is my first priority, my husband can testify to. I don’t joke with my family, I don’t get carried away by money because I know that when you are h “appy at home because you make your family happy, your business will blossom.”
Narrating on her relaxation schedules, Princess Toyin Kolade said on a persona she notes if she may say so, she is one of the busiest business women in the country which leaves her with little or no time for breaks or vacations. There is no time to rest well except when she travels out of the country. Most mornings she wakes up and there are about a hundred people waiting to see her, so she seldom have time for herself.
The Ijesha princess advices to those who just want to venture into full time business is that first and foremost business isn’t for the faint hearted, one should pray very well before venturing into a new business, study the challenges that others in that chosen line of business have encountered in the course of that business, try to see how to maneuver and emerge better than them. Princess Toyin Kolade is a prophetess and a huge lover of fashion and good music.
