PMParrot/Parrot Xtra’s OLUDOTUN AJIBOLA and DARE RAJI, recently had an encounter with Barrister Funmi Adama Magaji, State Postal Manager, Oyo State; she shared her view on why NIPOST has an edge over other competitors and the preparation towards the hosting of the NIPOST National Sport Festival in Ibadan among many salient issues… Excerpts
Can our readers meet you?
My name is Barrister Funmi Adama Magaji, State Postal Manager, Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST) Oyo State. I attended the then Kwara Sate College of Technology now known as Kwara State Polytechnic and graduated with a Diploma in Law before proceeding to Bayero University, Kano where I bagged my LLB in Common/Islamic Law. Thereafter, I did my Law school in Lagos.
It was interesting to know that I was the best graduating female student during my academic sojourn in Kwara State college of Technology; one day my Head of Department, (HOD) called me and asked if I would be interested in attending Bayero University, Kano because the school has requested for the two best graduating students from the department.
I was fortunate to be chosen even when I had not chosen the institution in my JAMB (Joint Admission and Matriculation Board). I did a change of course to the institution and I was offered admission to study Common/Islamic Law, which was a combined honour.
Any Law course who we took under the civil law, we were always mandated to take the Islamic aspect, it was interesting and tasking but I thank God that I was able to cope.
As a trained Lawyer, how did find yourself working in NIPOST?
NIPOST has a very big legal department; upon my resumption, I knew what I was coming in for because I was focused. In NIPOST, our lawyers do not go to court to be watching briefs; we usually handle all our legal matters from the trial court up to the Supreme Court. I still do my work as a trained lawyer in NIPOST.
Can you enlighten our readers on what NIPOST is doing in these modern times?
Many people still have this notion that NIPOST is just a place where you can buy fifty-naira postal stamp. We have diversified and we are able to achieve this because we have outlets all over the country and this has given us edge over our competitors.
In addition, we have the EMS, a courier arm of NIPOST, which is cheaper and affordable and we are a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) meaning that we have our presence in Nigeria and in other part of the world.
NIPOST also has the logistics arms and we recently launched twenty- seven (27) new 10, 20 and 30 tonnage trucks that can help to fast tract the movement of luggage’s from one state to another.
Furthermore, NIPOST was recently unbundled by the federal government; they thought it wise to create a department to manage properties because some of our properties were rotting away. We now have NIPOST Property Development Limited, a subsidiary of NIPOST that is in charge of leasing properties to interested member of the public. We now lease some of our properties to interested members of the public.
We still run our conventional sales of stamps and postage of letters. We have the denotation of stamp for any products sold at one thousand naira and above, individuals can denote their land documents with #50 (fifty-naira) postage stamp and this gives the individual an edge over a competitor who might want to claim the same land.
Another NIPOST project is the Philately Club, which is the collection and study of postage and imprinted stamps. People can connect the Philately Club in NIPOST and join the habit of stamp collection. For instance, people can buy a commemorative stamp of #50 (fifty naira) today and in the next five years, there may be an exhibition and somebody might be in need of that particular commemorative stamp, that stamp bought at a sum of fifty naira now can be sold at the rate of twenty thousand naira. We encourage students to join the Philately Club in their schools.
Oyo State will be hosting the 2022 NIPOST game, how prepared are you for the task ahead?
In NIPOST over the federation, we have the sport and social club and Oyo state will be hosting the 2022 National Sport Festival in Ibadan. We are collaborating with the state government, the Ministry of Youths & Sports in area of logistics, and other important things needed for the success of the program. I am sure we are prepared for the task ahead.
What challenges has the innovation of Information Communication Technology (ICT) brought to NIPOST?
NIPOST has benefited greatly from the introduction of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Firstly, our counter has been automated, it has made postage of letters very easy and individuals can now track their letter from point of postage to point of delivery.
During the sales of JAMB registration form, we participated and performed brilliantly above our competitors. Our competitors could not match us in area of manpower as we deployed some of our staff members and marketers to various location of where the forms were sold and this helped us to achieve great results. This strategy really gave us edge over our competitors.
Furthermore, ICT has brought some disadvantages not only to NIPOST but also to the society; the innovation of ICT has affected the letter writing skills, communication skills of many students. Many students now write poorly because of the usage of abbreviations, grammar among others. ICT has affected letter writing generally.
Some people thought that the advent of the ICT would be the ‘obituary’ of NIPOST, but on the contrary, ICT has actually helped NIPOST in her business thanks to the ingenuity of the top management of the organization ably led by the Postmaster General/CEO, Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi who recognized and tapped into the advantage ICT offers postal system.
For instance, a lot of purchases are made online these days but you will agree with me that there is no technology anywhere in the world that can deliver these items purchased on line unless they are brought to NIPOST to be delivered physically to the purchasers. In this area of online purchases, ICT has really helped NIPOST in her businesses.
