The Great Man of the Millennium
Starring in business wisdom
From the moment of time to date.
He is the Ta Nformi Yinkfu. The
Man born with business ideas and
Could only be likened to Farfre.
Douala was,
Yes, Douala weeps and celebrates
The worth of a great lengendary business
Man who touched many lives
Douala morns and cries in the celebrity
To say goodbye Ta Nformi Yinkfu Hon. Dr
Awudu Mbaya the Great
October 14, 2023
Thousands pay last homage to the legendary business icon
THE LEGENDARY ENTREPRENEUR, « CAPITAL FORMATION FROM ZERO »
The young Cyprian left Ndu Town when his first business trainer returned to Nigeria permanently at the end of the Nigerian Civil War in 1971. When Cyprian arrived in Douala, in 1972, he applied for a job with, and was retained by an Export and Import Company called Espoir International, where he served as an apprentice under a second mentor, Chief Dimgba Dimson, a native of Abiriba, in Aba State, Nigeria.
The relocation to Douala was a very consequential move for him. Young Cyprian met and apprenticed with Chief Dimgba, a great business mentor whose distinct business talent enabled him to understand international business and leadership career.
By virtue of his childhood upbringing by his parents and his Baptist Christian roots, the young Awudu believed that hard work, honesty, loyalty and reliability were the keys to success in every domain, including business and international trade. He trained at Espoir International, and at the young age of 22 years, he set up his own business.
THE CREATION OF CAMEROON INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE
(CAMITEX) COMPANY
On 14 September 1974 Awudu Mbaya Cyprian, who had later become a successful businessman and expert contractor, created his first Company CAMITEX International Corporation, with headquarters in Douala where an operating office was set up at their house in CASINO neighborhood, near New Bell in the city of Douala, Littoral Region. Awudu placed his first order with a capital layout of 437.500 FCFA or USS1.750 for the purchase of 500 dozens of ladies' panties, packed in 2 wooden cases from an International Corporation and Export Company based in Hong Kong, Asia. These goods were received and sold during the Christmas season of 1974 and he made a net profit of 175.000 FCFA or US$ 700.000. In today's terms, that may not seem like a huge profit margin. Back then, that was enough to inspire the young and savvy Awudu to continue and build a strong entrepreneurial profile and a database of international business contacts.
Awudu created his second company called International Debt Collecting Agency in 1977; through which he facilitated the recovery of debts owed by foreign manufacturers and suppliers of goods who defaulted locals in Cameroon. During this period, his first Company CAMITEX became a major supplier of raw wooden electric poles to the National Electricity Company popularly known by its French acronym SONEL. As the company grew, he acquired land in Bassa, in Douala and constructed his offices, warehouses and residential apartments in 1979. Awudu made his maiden business trip to Hong Kong and Taiwan in March of 1981, making him one of the first English-speaking Cameroonians to trade with the South East Asian region.
In 1982, Awudu Mbaya Cyprian created his third company called Société Camerounaise de Fabrication des Boutons, (SOCAFABO) to manufacture buttons with a capital layout of 50 million FCFA. SOCAFABO received authorization in January 1923 and went into operations by importing 12 sets of unit plant and spares plus accessories from P.M.G Co-operation in Taipei, Taiwan. Its production capacity in 1984 was 120 buttons per minute, 172,800 buttons per day and 5 million buttons per month. SOCFABO failed due to overproduction which did not match with a very low market demand as people preferred ready-made fashion wears and garments that were imported and trendier. More so, the government did not protect its local industry from foreign competition. SOCAFABO failed as a business venture
Awudu Mbaya was not someone to be easily wavered by the failure of one of his ventures. In 1983-1985, he diversified his business from the core textile importation and button manufacturing into the exportation of tropical wood called Ebony Black to Spain, Denmark and the Federal Republic of Germany. He also exported medicinal plants like Pyguem, Yohimbi and Vocanga to Belgium, France and Italy. These plants were supplied to PLANTECAM in the South West Region of Cameroon. In addition to proceeds from his imported textiles, garments and poles, Awudu reported a net profit of 64.305.000 FCFA from the above activities.
In 1986, Awudu Mbaya moved from the importation of textiles and garments into creating a textile manufacturing company dubbed SO.CA.FA.VE.F. (Société Camerounaise de Fabrication des Vêtements et des Fermetures) Sarl that was registered by the government Arrêté nº 001 of 06/01/1986, signed by the Governor of Littoral Region under regime ᾿C᾿ of the investment code of 1986; with a capital outlay of 23.000.000 FCFA to manufacture textiles and garments especially underwear (panties and breastwears) in Cameroon.
The period between 1986-1986 was a turning point in the business career of the man Awudu Mbaya. It was during this period that he established himself as a successful Cameroonian entrepreneur and industrialist who had diversified from being a major importer and international trader to local manufacturer that employed over 150 Cameroonians and Nigerians either directly or indirectly as they worked either as subcontractors or with subsidiaries of his businesses.
Awudu's standing in international business was confirmed on the international stage in Paris, France when on 6th February 1989, he was recognised and awarded an International Gold Medal on behalf of his company SOCAFAVEF. He had competed against 122 other manufacturers of top-quality ready-to-wear textiles and garments. The quality of brands like Lingerie de France, Labu Paris and Labu Spain produced by SOCAFAVEF Sarl stood out as the best in mark quality and style in the central African sub-region. To receive his Gold Medal Award, Awudu Mbaya was accompanied to Paris, France by his wife Mary; his elder brother and mentor Dr. Solomon Nfor Gwei who was Vice Minister of Agriculture at the time; and a French-speaking friend called Mr. Paul. The Cameroonian community in Paris, France and Cameroon forcefully celebrated this great achievement with him through messages of congratulations and red-carpet receptions.
Facts Sheet - Business
1970 – 1972: Worked with the Highways Department of Bamenda, West Cameroon as a hired Census Clerk
1972 – 1974:Deputy Director of Espoir International, Douala (a private Import- Export Limited Company). He was responsible for business contacts and importation and equally served in their branches in Togo and Nigeria as Acting Manager for 6 Months each.
1974 - 2023:Founded CAMITEX INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, an
import-export company with HQ in Douala and served as its Executive President till today. The company was incorporated as a Private Limited Company in 2003. Today the company employs over 200 personnel (directly & indirectly) with a special focus on the industrial processing/manufacture of utility poles for electricity and telecommunications transmission across Africa.
1983 Р1985:Created Soci̩t̩ Camerounaise des Boutons (SO.CA.FA.BO) with production capacity of 1 million buttons per month and served as its Manager.
1986 – 2023:Director of Société Camerounaise des Fabrication des Vêtements et des Fermetures (SO.CA.FA.V.EF) Sarl, a Limited Company that he created to manufacture textile garments and underwear especially breastwears and ladies’ panties employing over 60 personnel.
1986 – 1990Secretary General, North West Association Poles Suppliers (NWAPS) to SONEL with Pa Ngala, Pa Shey Lukong and other prominent business people from Donga-Mantung and Bui divisions of the North West region of Cameroon.
1980s – 1989Shareholder/Co-Owner of Binshua Comprehensive College, Donga- Mantung division, North West region of Cameroon
1989 – 1996 Founded the NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, a Polyvalent Secondary School in NKAMBE with an estimated student population of 1000.
1992-1995 Board Member CAMEROON O.I.C. BUEA, a vocational training institution based in Buea, South West Region.
2003 – 2006 General Manager of MONEY EXPRESS Ltd., a private limited company that he created for the fast electronic transfer of cash within Cameroon with over 50 branch offices across the country. Before Money Express, cash was mostly transferred between urban and rural Cameroon mainly through Highway bus transportation companies. This was a slow process that took time for cash to reach its beneficiaries. Money Express was a pioneer in the business of electronic money transfer within the rural landscape of Cameroon. Today’s market leaders in the business: Express Union and Express Exchange only benefitted from Money Express’ exit from the industry to grow their market shares.
DIVERSIFICATION OF CAMITEX INTO RURAL ELECTRIFICATION INDUSTRY
During the 1990s, Cameroon continued to live with the consequences of the economic crises of the late 1980s, the devaluation of the Franc CFA, and the socio-political, and economic climate that emerged with the advent of multi-party politics in Cameroon. These posed major challenges to Awudu Mbaya Cyprian as he sought to expand his business abroad into CEMAC and ECOWAS countries.
Hon. Awudu Mbaya Cyprian went into active politics in the late 1980s, at the dawn of the wind of change that ushered many countries into multiparty democracy. Gradually, he climbed the rungs of the opposition party, SDF, beginning as its vice-provincial Chairman in the Littoral Region, before moving back to his region of origin, the North-West and building a political legacy in Nkambe Central sub-division, where he served as Member of Parliament for 23 years. While in parliament, he chaired numerous party and bi-partisan committees, representing the country at the continental and global levels.
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