Shafi Edu
Encyclopedia
Shafi Lawal Edu was a prominent Nigerian businessman and conservationist
from Epe
, Lagos State
. He was born into the family of an Epe chief and trader. As a youth, he attended Epe Grammar School and undertook private lessons in higher education.
. In 1945, he moved to Holland West Africa Lines and soon became the manager. As manager, he organized the Dutch
shipping line's offices in the country and helped in expanding the business to other coastal cities.
Figuring out there were affordable untapped prospects in the Nigerian shipping
industry, he left Holland West Africa Lines, and founded his own firm. Using his prior experience in the shipping industry, he found himself a niche in ship handling and stevedoring. He later expanded the venture into timber
and other commodities. During the 1950s, he entered the political scene, he was elected into the western House of Assembly in 1951, and in 1954, he won a seat to the Federal House of Representatives
. Concurrently, he was also a successful shipping service contractor.
As a prominent Lagosian, he spent a few years as a commissioner
for health in Lagos
. After his resignation, he focused his energy on various enterprises and initiated a broad conservation foundation in the country
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
from Epe
Epe
' is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands.The town has 15,593 inhabitants, whilst the municipality as a whole has a population of 32,989....
, Lagos State
Lagos State
Lagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
. He was born into the family of an Epe chief and trader. As a youth, he attended Epe Grammar School and undertook private lessons in higher education.
Career
He started his business career at the Africa Oil and Nuts Company, a subsidiary of UnileverUnilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
. In 1945, he moved to Holland West Africa Lines and soon became the manager. As manager, he organized the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
shipping line's offices in the country and helped in expanding the business to other coastal cities.
Figuring out there were affordable untapped prospects in the Nigerian shipping
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
industry, he left Holland West Africa Lines, and founded his own firm. Using his prior experience in the shipping industry, he found himself a niche in ship handling and stevedoring. He later expanded the venture into timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and other commodities. During the 1950s, he entered the political scene, he was elected into the western House of Assembly in 1951, and in 1954, he won a seat to the Federal House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Nigeria
The House of Representatives of Nigeria is the lower house of the country's bicameral National Assembly. The Senate of Nigeria is the upper house....
. Concurrently, he was also a successful shipping service contractor.
As a prominent Lagosian, he spent a few years as a commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
for health in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
. After his resignation, he focused his energy on various enterprises and initiated a broad conservation foundation in the country