He is one of the leading industrialists on textile productions in Nigeria and a foremost philanthropist. In this interview with MUHAMMAD TANKO SHITTU, Alhaji Mudassir Abubakar says there is joy in giving back to society whatever God gives anyone.
Mudassir Idris Abubakar has become a householdname mustly in this part of the country.
Who really is Alhaji Mudassir?
In the name of Allah, the beneficent and most merciful. I was born and grew up at Goron Dutse, Dala local government area of Kano state. I am a businessman, the founder of Mudatex – Mudassir and Brothers conglomerates, the largest textile manufacturers that offer wholesales and retail textile services in Nigeria and overseas. I am married and happily blessed with kids.
How did the journey into textile business started?
Well, I started my business career early in life at the age of 12 when I served as the closest marketing subordinate to my father during which I was accorded with momentous entrepreneurial experience. That was after my basic secondary education. It all started up as a grassroots market labourer, I oftentimes hawked within and beyond the market premises to make earnings. This turned to be a great source of motivation even as I moved through a formidable beginning. I never felt discouraged on the event that my resource could be insufficient to afford me the desired material needs. I mostly see what I lacked as an act of providence that many times inspired me to redouble my efforts towards meeting those desires. My uncle was also a businessman at the famous Kantin Kwari Market Avenue, from whom I also learnt trading. People often said I was largely regarded as a goal- driven and business- oriented individual who often craved to be self-reliant and always shown readiness to learn every simple and complex business tactic. Again, people said I was very persistent that I could endure untold hardships just to set a root for business. After immense efforts I have set up my own business after years of hard work under my uncle who had practically groomed me into commercial and industrial works.
How satistified are you and has the business aspiration attained greatness for you?
Today, I can say thanks to God that Mudassir has reached the desired age of a business milestone. First, as a sole trader in 1997 with mini shop located at Gidan Sa’idu Dan-Koli in Kantin Kwari Market, Kano to an industrialist and employer of labour. My primary focus was selling Nigerian fabrics at low purchasing rates to get high volume sale, not minding the low profit margin. However, having realised that the business size was expanding, I later invited my other younger brothers who are three in numbers to also join so that we could be in the business together and further broaden the business limit. It is interesting that people are now saying that our collective efforts, hardwork and perseverance has yielded fruitful results, that we have reached the zenith of our business career with the establishment of Mudassir and Brothers as a reputable statutory Nigeria’s business entity that is setting a pace to stand differently amongst equal in the midst of numerous other multinational counterparts.
Are you into other businesses asides textile productions and sales?
We have diversified from Nigerian textile to other various such as electronics, furniture, fashions, kitchen wares, curtains, cosmetics and much more to further boost the economic productivity and human capital needs towards the development of Nigerian economy. Our aim is to as best as possible create and provide job opportunities that would benefit many Nigerians, irrespective of any sorts of regional, ethno-religious or social disparities. So far, thousands of able-bodied young, adults and aged Nigerian men and women are employed notwithstanding other countless roles in discharging our corporate social responsibilities to the immediate communities where our businesses are.
What is your next plan of business frontier?
Two decades ago, I had an inspiration of transforming the country through local production of quality textile products and as Allah wills it, we keep on experiencing growth, migrating from wholesales and retails into manufacturing in line with our earlier expectations. We are now on course towards establishing a brand new textile factory which would boost the state and national economy as well as curbing the ravaging menace of unemployment rate that the country has continued to suffer with. I think that was one of the reasons why having recorded more successes in dividend, the board of the company considered to strategically perfect its name from Mudassir and Brothers to MUDATEX GLOBAL SERVICES after due consultations among relevant stakeholders. In short, our next plan is to put in place more factories, not for production alone, but also for creating more jobs that would in turn create more wealth for the people.
What inspiration should the youths drawn from your entrepreneurial skills?
I strongly believe that education is very important for which I will encourage our youths to pursue with utmost vigour. However, I do not believe that educational qualification or certificate should only be for the purpose of relying on either government or owners of businesses to earn a job.In this light, I am of the view that the youths can pursue knowledge and at the same time learn some businesses on their own which can also make them self reliant One other thing is that they should drive any entrepreneurial ship with patience and perseverance.
Lastly, what inspired you into philanthropic gesture?
My creator has been so magnanimous to me. His benevolences to me are countless and in that light, I only thought it wise that the only simple way to express my appreciation is to also look at His servants, those in pressing need either in groups or individually to also help them, but this is not an issue for much discussion.
