TheHILL | INTERVIEW | JULY 26, 2021.
UBONG BROWNSON aka BRANDO is a household name in Africa and beyond.He has carved a niche for himself and he is celebrated globally for his tremendous achievements.
The Oruk Anam born business mogul in an exclusive chat with our correspondent bares his mind on a whole lot of issues ,how he started his life,the challenges he faced and his success story so far. Excerpt…
Let’s get to know you better.
I am a business man from Oruk Anam Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State.I have been into different businesses and everyone knows me as Brando.I’m happy that am the CEO of EC Global,Brando Exchange and also the Founder /CEO of Brando coin.
.How did you begin your business sojourn
Alright,2013 was when I ventured into business full time and in 2014 I was trained by Malaysians in Port Harcourt on how to do networking business precisely so after the training I became a radical network marketer and since then I have been breaking records In all the business I have been doing so any business I engage in and within three months,I will break record.I have acted as Company Representatives for several companies, Malaysian companies and I have also attained the position of becoming the highest business earner in some countries across the whole world.Most of the companies are not owned by Nigerians so at a point I discovered that if I keep pushing what does not belong to us,it will not favour me and my people so I decided to come up with a lasting solution to what we have been suffering in other companies which is the EC Global and Brando coin.
Is your success hereditary?
.One it is self discipline and also it’s to understand what you are doing.Whatever I do,I understand first and the interest of others which is what always help me in anything I do.I was brought up in Oruk Anam,Akwa Ibom State and it was only in 2011 that I went to Enugu State and I spent about one year and came back to Akwa Ibom State.In 2014,I went to Rivers State where I studied the whole business process.All my life,I have been in Nigeria except the last two years when I started traveling to several countries across the world.
Which schools did you attend in Oruk Anam?
I attended QIC Primary School in Ikot Ntuen,then moved to Harvest Time Christian Nursery and Primary School where I obtained my first school leaving certificate and then I proceeded to QIC Secondary School,Ika Annang and in SS2,I was appointed Senior Prefect.After my secondary school, i went to SAVELIFE INTERNATIONAL OIL AND GAS LTD. where I obtained my certificate with PFD and PPE.
.After being trained by Malaysians,what have you been able to do that has stood you out among your contemporaries?
When I came back and discovered that I can’t sit down and look at my parents I decided to start something for myself.When I was about to start,i used only #9,500( Nine Thousand Five Hundred Naira) three years ago and it took me more than three months to get the money.When I was successful,I started looking at others.I know it’s not easy with them.Looking at my background,I know it’s not easy out there.My father was a Civil Servant and still it was not easy for us what of those that are not doing anything which is why it moved me to think of how I can touch lives positively.Two years ago,a friend of mine came visiting and entered the Federal Secretariat in Uyo and he was amazed by the condition of the place,how weeds were over grown and he complained to me.When I was in Enugu,I know how their Federal Secretariat was,so it was very shameful to me and I had to come up with a way to assist the Government.I set up about 270 Akwa Ibomites across the state who are working as Brando Community workers which they are working across the state which has given us an edge in the State.I have also empowered more than 32 persons with cars last year alone and from next month I will also embark on it again.I know it will help people to be financially independent in life.
.How can someone be a beneficiary of the car gift?
.I don’t have any basis for giving out.I just give it to people that I know has need for the cars.
.How many young persons are working under you and how many have you touched their lives positively?
Like the Brando Community workers that aspect alone they are 270 Akwa Ibomites.I have over 200 staffers working in Akwa Ibom and if I want to count the number of people am paying,it’s more than 700.I have their list and I can tell you where to go and ask them.I am looking for a way to assist my people and to support the Government in any little way I can.
Where will the beneficiaries of your car gift be drawn from?
Majority of the people that I give cars to,I don’t know most of them .I don’t have any basis for beneficiaries.When I see someone and I feel like to do it,I go ahead and do it even without knowing such a person.
How many Akwa Ibomites have you turned to Millionaires?
Personally,I wouldn’t want to mention names but if you want to mention people that I picked from the grass just like I was picked,I can’t count.I have touched on a whole lot of lives.When I did my marriage in Akwa Ibom State last year,there was no hall that could accommodate everyone.Imagine having over seven thousand guests even when It was not announced.We had to use an open field to take everyone.So I can say I have turned many to Millionaires in Akwa Ibom State and beyond.
How do you cope with the popularity?
People don’t really know me by face but if I wear Agbada they don’t recognize me.I go out even to Oruk Anam at least every two weeks and I am here in Akwa Ibom State and I will continue to be here.I want to let people know that you can make it anywhere you are not necessary to travel out but it’s about the mindset and the right direction.
Is there any plan for your people In Oruk Anam?
I did that December Last year in 2020 and before the end of the year in 2021,I will do it again.
How many states in Nigeria do you own offices like this where your business is growing?
I have office in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt,in Ghana, Cameroon,Togo and am working towards fixing my office in Dubai.If you walk into any of these offices,you will see staffers and here in Uyo,we have more than 55 Staffers working daily and I must say that I have not started yet.
Tell us what EC Global and Brando coin is about?
Alrigt,EC Global is purely an e-commerce platform.We are registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).Its just like Konga,Jumia, Alibaba.The world is going global.A time will come we don’t need to be going out to buy things again.You can stay at the comfort of your homes and place an order of anything you want.What we do here is ,in other countries of the world,if you order anything online,the company will pay you.The profits they make, they share with you but here in Africa,it’s like they take us as slaves because when we order things online, they don’t pay us so I said we have to also do it here in Africa.Now,other companies have been coming in the way as e-commerce company and at the end of the day,Nigerians loose money.Since they are not from here,most of our people can’t go there to get back their lost monies. I made up my mind that we will also be part of this and we can do it by ourselves here.We are not black monies and we can also do it,that is why I came up with EC Global.You can order from us,partner with us and we can advertise your products for you.We can advertise any kind of product as long as it’s not perishable goods,then when people buy,we share profits.We add twenty percent to any product which is our gain .You can check our website,you will see a lot of product and you can order it and we will make sure we deliver to you.If anyone wishes to partner with us,we have two kinds of partnership.You can partner with us by giving us money and we buy products and share the profits with the partner in every ten(10) days.We also partner with telecommunication companies to recharge phones for free,you can subscribe your phones as our partner.Before September,we will keep it open for e-commerce.Before then,we will partner with cable networks so our partners can subscribe their networks and even to pay Nepa bills.I’m happy that in less than three months,we were able to touch 17 countries and now we are in 25 countries across the world.Last month when we opened our office here in Uyo,we had global brands who came in to grace the event.I thank all my partners that came to celebrate with us in the office opening.In all, I’m happy because my people are happy.In Brando Exchange,it is just like Binace,you know the owner of Binace is not from Nigeria and you know once you partner with a Nigerian,the effect will be to grow our economy which is why we came up to trade with our partners which is how I came up with Brando coin.We are selling the coin at 70naira, you can buy it and anytime it appreciates you can swap the coin and withdraw it.One good thing about coin is that you don’t loose,the least that can happen is that it will only drop but you can take back your coin.There is no way it will not appreciate because we have given it enough utility.We are going to build estate in Akwa Ibom State,in Lagos, Abuja and even outside Nigeria.We have the plan and the road map is there already.
Do you have foreign partners?
Sure.What I do is that we have company Representatives across the world.For Instance in Ghana,when you want to pay people,you can’t send money to pay them so we have our representative over there.All the 25 countries we are right now,we have partners who are representing me.
What is the guarantee that If an Akwa Ibomite brings his or her money that it’s safe?
Alright,let me start with EC Global.We are not an investment company but an e-commerce company.We buy and sell products for our clients in EC Global.Now,other companies that came and gone in Nigeria, they told us that they are operating like an e-commerce platform and I was pushing because they promised us that and I had to withdraw after seeing they were operating in an e-commerce method but they are not e-commerce.Our own,we are purely e-commerce.We make money from the product,we make money from the advertisement and from buying and selling.
How can one be part of the company business?
For now,Brando coin,the least we are selling is 200 dollars which is about Fourteen Thousand Naira only.One Brando is 70naira now.What if this Brando appreciates tomorrow which definitely it will and assuming you have 200 Brando coins that means you will have Two Million Naira.We are now on Pre sales and it will end in 15 September after that we will out our coin in the market and you just watch how it will appreciate and you will sell it and take out your money back.
Is there any platform or medium one can join?
Yes you can check online you will see Brando app or you type,www.brandocoin.net,the website will open and the app will download it to your phone.You can buy BTC and swap then your money will be there and you will be monitoring it.You don’t need to see anybody to buy it.For people that may not know much about BTC,you can come to our office in 97 Nwaniba Road in Uyo and our staffers will gladly enlighten you on the platforms.We have a telegram group of our people outside Nigeria,we have a Facebook page and anywhere you are in the world and the admins of the group who will be able to put you through.
Does one need to have a referral?
No,you don’t need to refer anybody to do all of this.
How do you intend to go to the hitherlands to enlighten the people there Incase they are interested.
Alright,in Ikot Ibritam ,Oruk Anam Local Government Area,we have a center where people are enlightened,we have in Eket,Ikot Ekpene,Ikot Abasi and their office is also there for Brando coin and EC Global.They do seminars every week.I train the Leaders.Since we are in 25 countries and it’s difficult to go round but I do my best.Like this weekend,I will be in Kaduna, the whole of North will gather there and I will tell them more on what they need to know about Brando coin and EC Global.By next month,I will be in Kano and by November,I will be in Ghana to organize a mega seminar for them.
What has been your contribution to support your state economically and in the area of tourism?
When I did my last event,some of my partners that came had to use Ibom Air and it was fully booked for like four (4) days which made some of them to use Port Harcourt Airport.I took them round the state and we went to Ibeno beach and they bought almost everything that was in the beach.It helped Akwa Ibomites during this period and the economic benefit was massive.I want to be doing that because it will help the poor masses and am looking forward to do it every three to four months.
Have you sought for Government support?
No,no no.I don’t want.
Now you have become successful,is there anything that you think to do for Akwa Ibom people using your brand?
Yes.First,it’s to maintain this company.Thousands of our people are making money here in every ten days and if they are making money every days I don’t think they will continue to depend on Government.Am building a platform that they will have what to eat from.Within three to four months now,we have more than ten thousand partners who are making money so think of how it will be in the next ten years and more.
What will you like to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered for creating impact and touching lives of people across the world.
Are you thinking of going into politics in the nearby future?
I’m not a politician and I won’t even want to be.I don’t want to be a Politician at all in my life.The call came already and I declined.I am a business man and I am okay with my current state.
What is your word of encouragement to Akwa Ibom youths.
My advise to our people is that they should be creative and consistent.I started business with Nine Thousand Five Hundred Naira(#9,500) three years ago where I borrowed people to start this business and I’m talking about three(3) years ago.I had friends that looked for more money but the money I borrowed expanded my business and I bought my first car within four(4)months.I keep telling people,don’t look at big money to start something, start with anything you have,be consistent and people will patronise you and our people should be creative and once you do this,you make it in life.
What’s your last word for Akwa Ibomites?
This is our own,do business with us in EC Global and let’s look at a platform where our people will make money from.It’s an opportunity for us to join hands together.We love you and we have come to stay.
Thank you for having us.
You are welcome great people
