Wedding and Event Décor expert, Funmibi Adebayo Oduwole needs no introduction in the field of event decoration. The CEO of Rostal Flowers who’s married to an architect has built a clientele among the rich and mighty in the society. Some of the exclusive social events and outstanding weddings include Felix Ohiwere’s 70th Birthday; High Chief Raymond Dokpesi son’s and daughter’s wedding (2008/2009) , Major General Adebayo’s 80th birthday (2008), among many others. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, Fumbi speaks of how she and her husband have been able to manage their business over the past eight years.
You run one of the reputable decoration companies in Nigeria, Rostal Flowers; how did it all begin?
Rostal Flowers started some years ago, about seven or eight years ago. But I’ve always been a flower person because I love decorations. And I love beautiful environment and that’s what made me to start doing it.
So, how did you come about the name Rostal Flowers?
Well, I loved my father so much and he died when he was really young. He died at 49. So, because of my love for him, I planned that anything I want to do in my life, I will always put my father’s name into naming the company. But unfortunately, when I was trying to put the name, it wasn’t easy. And that is why I now mixed the initials of my name with my father’s. ROS is Roseline which is my English name, while T is for Tunde, my father’s name and AL for Albert which is still my father’s name.
How were you able to build Rostal Flowers from the scratch into the big decoration brand it is today?
It wasn’t easy. It’s been really, really stressful, but I just give glory to God because God has always been with us. And he has never made anything difficult for us. We have never been failures at anything we decide to do. So, it’s been God all the way.
You operate in an industry that has become very competitive. How have you been able to remain in the league of top decorators?
Yeah, the thing is we have a brand name we have been able to build over the years and it came on the heel of our perfectionist philosophy. Anything below perfect is not ours. And creativity is our watchword. We are not out to copy people, so, we don’t have problems. Our business is still going on smoothly in spite of the growing competition in the industry.
What inspires you?
Well, decoration is all about you. Once you know it, you know it. Once it’s alright, it’s alright. In decoration, you have to have a sound grip of colour combination. Because if the colour combination is not right, there is nothing you’ll do that will come out well. And it’s always good for you to know what you are doing and be able to advise your client, if their colour combination is really bad and be able to tell them how to put it together. And naturally I believe in simplicity. And do you know why? Simplicity is the utmost sophistication. So, I believe in simplicity in anything I do. When things are simple, elegant and beautiful, that is the identity of my company. In Rostal Flowers, we exceed your expectation. The way, we pack things together. It exceeds just packing rubbish together and all about the creativity in us.
You are married to an architect who is also a politician in Ogun State, Mr. Gbolade Ola Oduwole. Is there any way his profession is impacting on your own business?
Of course! He has really helped the company in many ways. He is a good source of inspiration. Because he is an architect, I’m a decorator; we always sit together, do things, share ideas and so on. He has really improved the business.
You recently expanded your business; can you say a little about that?
Okay. We have a school now in Rostal Flowers at our new office that we are about to open at Ogba, Ikeja. We have a corporate school that people can come and learn how to decorate. The current session is about to end and we are starting a new session soon. And we now import fresh flowers for people to buy for any kind of use; be it for their houses, offices or events.
Can you say a little about your educational background?
Well, I have a BSC in Geology from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.
You said that you’ve always been a flower person from time. Why did you end up studying Geology? Or is there a correlation between the two?
Well, in a way, I can say yes. The truth is my father advised me to do Geology when I finished my secondary education and I was about to fill my JAMB form. He said as a geologist, you could work in an oil company, you could work with Portland Cement and so on. But it was that prospect of oil company that triggered my interest because I know that is somewhere one could make it quick in life. So I told myself: 'If my father wants me to be a geologist, why not?' And I said: 'Dad, I’m going to study Geology which I did. Meanwhile, Geology is the scientific study of the earth, including the origin and history of the rocks and soil of which the earth is made. And the natural flowers are planted on the soil based on the type of soil that is most suitable for the planting of the flowers. So to that extent, you can say there is a correlation between Geology and flowers.
As a florist, is there a connection between love and flowers?
Yes, it gives love. When you see fresh flowers, it makes you happy. And today, people believe so much in flowers. When you give someone a flower, it carries the significance that you really love the person. You can’t compare the effect created when you give somebody a dress, shoe or bag to when you give them flower. Mind you, I’m not talking about the value here, but the emotional effect that comes with it. The feeling is very strong. And naturally, when I see flower, it gives me life, it makes me happy. So I think love and flowers go together.
Be honest, did you marry your husband because you thought as an architect he will be able to help your business grow? Like you rightly said that he has really improved your business?
No, no, no, no! Ola is a very gentle person, and I’m a very tough person. And somebody that would marry someone like me has to really understand my nature, so he brought in the balancing into it with his gentility. I didn’t marry because of wealth or money. I wanted someone that would add value to my life and would understand me very well. And he is a very, very loving person. I wanted love because I lost my father when I was very young and I said to myself any time I wanted to marry, I would want somebody that would love me like my father did. We dated for eight years, but God was just there in spite of all the devil did to set us apart. God knows that’s where I would meet my joy and he stood by us. Ola is very calm, calculative and intelligent, and above all, he is very caring. And, of course, he has added value to my business. I wanted my friend as a husband, and God gave Ola to me.
What is it like doing business together; do you sometimes disagree?
Yeah, some times. You see, I know my job very well, and Ola is very good as far as his own area is concerned. So, some times when he tells me Fumbi, why don’t you mix this colour with this? I’ll say no, you can’t tell me that, this is not drawing. Well, he has a master's degree in Designing from a university in Florida, so he knows about designing things, but some times I tell him no. Because I know another colour would merge better with the colour I’m dealing with. But most times, we both agree on it. So, let me say we sometime disagree to agree.
What were some of the challenges you faced before you became a brand? And what are some of the challenges you still face if any?
I didn’t really face many challenges because when the foundation is right, everything would work out for you. For the first two years of my coming into this business, I was not concerned with profit making. My concern was to build a strong brand and creating awareness about it. And that really helped me. So, I can’t say there weren’t challenges and I can’t say there were because I started with my sight fully set on where I wanted to be. As a matter of fact, there was a time my workers were behaving funny, and I sacked everybody. Meanwhile, I had a lot of events on my hand. But to God be the glory, everything still went on smoothly because I was able to find a way out. So, God has always been my pillar and He says He would make way where there is no way. In Rostal Flowers, we have never disappointed anybody.
What do you do for pastime or other activities you pursue in your spare time?
Well, I’m a simple person. I’m not too social. When I’m not at church, I’ll be at home with my family and some of my very close friends would come around. Even when I go on vacation, I work. When I’m in London, I’m always moving around trying to see new things that are coming up in my industry and other things I can adapt into my business from there. I don’t sit back and browse through the internet. I go there physically to have a natural feel of it.
Have you ever taken a 95 job in your life?
Yes, with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), a subsidiary of the NNPC in Lagos, when I was on my NYSC. And I was there for a year. But while I was there, I realised that I was not cut out for that kind of job because I’m a restless person. I needed a job that would keep me on my toes always. So when I realised doing a job that would keep me sitting in a place for long wouldn’t work, that was when I decided I was going to do my own kind of business. So, all I ever did for anyone was during my NYSC year.
Tell us a little about growing up?
Well, I’m from a very lovely family. My father was a very lovely person that believed he had to give the best to his family. He worked as a non-academic staffer with the University of Ibadan. And I think because of the environment he was, he believed he had to give the best to his family. I went to the University Staff School, UI. And from there, I went to Abadina College in Ibadan and he spent so much on tutorials for us and he taught us to have the fear of God. So the foundation was so right. He made us know that we need to love the people around us. My father loved his family so well that there was nothing he wouldn’t do for them. And that was the same thing he passed on to his children. So, from secondary school, I went to The Polytechnic, Ibadan where I bagged my National Diploma before gaining admission to study Geology at the University of Ilorin.
What were your childhood dreams or did you dream to become who you are today?
Well, when I was younger, I started with making things and selling in school. I started with making stickers that you could stick on books. The daughter of one of the top shots in Orheptal Tonic then happened to be my friend, Funke Ayodele. So, I just went to their house one day and I said Funke, all these stickers, please give me. And she gave me. She knew what I was going to do with them. So when I got home, I drew stars at the back and cut out those stars. And I used a perforator to make designs around them, sealed them with candle and packed them neatly. That was during our holidays, and when we resumed, I took them to school and students were buying at a high price. I also made beads and sold to students in school.
And there was a time my mother’s friend, Mrs. Foluke Oyemade, came to our house and said she imported I.V.Y. relaxer and she was looking for someone to market it. Then, I had left secondary school and I said she should bring the relaxers and she brought a lot and I took them around to sell. So, I have always been an enterprising person. And when I was in the university, I was already going to Dubai to bring in dresses to sell. So, I have always sold one thing or the other. But I started flowers when I was doing my NYSC in the DPR and they even gave me a nickname: Flower Girl. Up till today, when I go to the DPR, they call me Flower Lady.
