… As Clients Commend Firm’s Integrity, Standards and Business Ethics
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Ogun State based realtor, Dr. Babatunde Adeyemo, has taken some clients and friends down the memory lane of his very low moments in the real estate industry and how providence steadied his steps during that trying period and kept him afloat despite what nearly turned out to be devastating business shocks.
Dr Adeyemo, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pelican Valley Nigeria limited; the firm behind Pelican Valley Estate, Pelican Brief Estate, Pelican Ecostay Apartments and Pelican Greenish Acres Farm Estate, recalled how a devastating windstorm that preceded a heavy downpour almost wrecked the nascent Pelican Brief Estate project two years ago, shortly after it was launched.
Casting light into that era, the multiple award – winning and foremost real estate practitioner said that he visited the project site one morning and discovered that an inappropriately installed concrete electrical pole had fallen down following heavy night rainfall and windstorm that swept through the site, causing the faulty pole to pull no fewer than 30 other poles down as it fell.
He explained that, that singular experience reinforced his resolve to always save for the ‘Rainy Day’ while also anchoring his faith in the abiding mercy of the Almighty Allah to comfort and uplift one during time of stress and storms.
“About three years ago, when we just launched the Pelican Brief Estate..we recorded some sales and in my usual character, I ploughed all the proceeds from sales into adding value to the Estate, through bold electrification projects..unfortunately, few weeks after the completion of the electrification project, an extremely heavy rain and wind came and it was most unfortunate that our inexperienced handlers carelessly placed an electrical concrete pole very close to a drainage, the concrete pole fell and pulled down almost additional twenty five or 30 concrete poles.
“The broken poles was an eye sore in the Estate..I must say here that, that is the reason an ideal real Estate practitioner should always avoid being wasteful and must always save for rainy days..that single occurrence would have brought down the whole nascent Pelican Brief project then..but, to God be the Glory, we weathered that storm,” he said.
Adeyemo disclosed this in his cosy residence within the top-notch Pelican Valley Estate Abeokuta, the state capital, while fielding questions from The Daily Crucible during breaking of Ramadan fast on Sunday evening with family members, staff, clients from diaspora, professional colleagues and associates.
He also identified a particularly touching act of betrayal by one of his staffers, whom he described as a Judas in the house before the unfaithful worker was shown the exit door as another sad chapter of life as realtor.
Noting that the ‘back – stabber’ was someone he picked up from ground zero and gave him a headstart, the realtor said the offensive staff resorted to adopting conducts repugnant to the work ethics of Pelican Valley to the extent of using privilege information to pursue self -serving agenda until providence stopped him in his track.
Adeyemo, an anti – corruption Ambassador, however, revealed that he had since pushed the matter behind him and moved on.
“The second sad moment was when I was betrayed by one of my sacked staffs which I refer to as the judas in our midst…Though I have let that passed and I have left all for God who is the Lord of vengeance to take his course..I will be so ungrateful to God if I am ungrateful for the large turnaround our company had witnessed since his termination,” he revealed.
Speaking on the firm’s range of products which are interwoven and and inter – related, the Pelican CEO said the essence is to build a sort of an interconnectivity, interdependency and self – sustaining community among the Pelican Valley, Pelican Brief estate, Pelican’Eco stay Apartments and Pelican Greenish Acres Farm estates, Kobape, to promote healthy diet and healthy living among clients and estate residents, tourists and landlords.
His words, “We want to take full advantage of the hospitality business in our Estate and the strategy is to grow what we eat as fresh as possible and also create value added products for export, taking full advantage of the new Ogun State Agro Cargo Airport which is just in our neighbourhood. We have perfected our plans by delivering our Estates on the Ogun state Masterplan, through the Government approved layouts we have secured on all the Estates..
“The implications of this is that our Estates and farms are already on the state Masterplan and would not be affected by any present or future lands acquisition by both present or succeeding Government in Ogun state. I would want to use this medium to urge prospective and potential investors, most especially the Nigerians in the diaspora to always play safe with their funds by going for lands with government approvals and approved layouts. Land banking is great but can also be disastrous when it’s not secured… Awoof will always run belle.”
On the masterpiece landscape of the Pelican Valley Estate, he said the creativity displayed there was inspired by globalisation and a product of high end research, expressing with confidence that no real estate company in Nigeria can compete with the unique landscape at Pellican-Valley.
And fielding questions from one of the clients, Adeyemo said he is looking forward to seeing Pelican Valley become a huge global brand in the next five or 10 years, assuring that the firm would continue to raise the bar in provision of basic infrastructure in all its estates to keep them globally competitive.
Pelican Valley Is Brand Of Integrity, Honour and Credibility – Obadina, Others
In his goodwill message, an Ireland based client, Mr. Adewale Obadina, said the Pelican Estates remain a unique brand of honour and integrity in real estate business in Nigeria.
Obadina who disclosed that he has being in rrelationship with the firm for over two years now, described Dr. Adeyemo as a man of honour, integrity and transparent character, explaining that he was able to buld his dream home within the estate ease, even without much stress through the firm.
“When I saw Pelican on the internet with “Pa James” as the Ambassador of the estate.
“This scenario made me to give another trial and to my surprise, the story changed positively. I am proud to do business with the estate and I would not hesitate to do more,” Obadina said.
Also, United States based couple – Mr and Mrs Payne, spoke glowingly of the Pelican Estate, describing it as as the epitome of integrity and a window of opportunity for Nigerians living abroad to own personal homes seamlessly ahead of retirement.
“Dr. Adeyemo is a man of very great integrity, whom we met about 9 years ago when he just started and throughout the transaction with him, he was honest despite not having seen him face-to-face during the transaction.
“This is the second time we are meeting him. I’m very surprised about the development, it is not just buying the land alone, he would tell you the 5years plans and he also has concerns about his clients.
“I see him as someone who is not just about selling lands in Abeokuta but also moving to other parts of Nigeria and international. He has good plans, he has electrified the estates not because he is living here(inside the estate) but because he feels concerned about his clients. I am very impressed with the developments and progress so far made with its estates.
“The company is already on the way to becoming a global brand, because of its standards and business ethics which has to do with not looking to cheat or shortchange clients or compromise standard.
“We don’t live here and many of our other clients don’t live in the country as well, It is very reputable. They don’t cheat people, and there is this confidence that when you purchase land and pay, your your plots will be allotted to you and the return on investment is satisfying.
“When we bought our land, we were not living in the country, but Pelican did not disappoint us. We are happy with this development and we will market this brand to our people,” the couple said.
