Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre towers high among its peers in the hospitality industry in Oyo State as it exhibits the untiring zeal of re-inventing its product and services in meeting contemporary needs in the sector. Forty years down the line, the hotel still comes strong with resounding fresh vibes. Just as it unveils its upgraded facilities to the admiration of its ever-growing clients, AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, Editor of Oyo Reporters Online, interviews the Chairman of Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre, Mr Adedamola Are and the General Manager, Miss Rita Njokede, on the energy that keeps the hotel soaring high amid stiff competition. Enjoy your reading:
The maintenance culture of Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre is amazing. We see relentlessness on the part of the management despite the biting economy, what is the driving force behind this gesture?
The General Manager and myself have looked at our market and we have seen that there is a lot of new competition.
In addition, we have a name and an enduring brand, having been here for four decades.
In Nigeria, people build things that are poorly maintained, but when you go to foreign countries, as previously mentioned, you would see buildings that have been there for more than 500 years. Some hotel structures are well over 500years old in London. We (Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre) are only 35 years old, although the structure is 40 years old. We believe that no matter how old the building is, we have to keep up with time. The exterior of the facility may be 40 years old, but the interior has to match any structure that is newly built not only in terms of the products, but also in terms of the services and infrastructure. That is the motivation.
You talked about competition growing stiffer in the hospitality industry in Ibadan; how keenly have you been feeling the effects at Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre?
As stated earlier, we have been on the top of the game in meeting up with the market demand amd product offerings.
Do you see outsiders coming into the state for tourism purposes or for projects?
I will say that the focus of hotel clients in Oyo State is mainly for projects. Tourism, particularly in Oyo State, is underdeveloped for many reasons, both in terms of the marketing by the Visitors/Marketing Bureau and in terms of the state creating more awareness. There are several fantastic tourist spots in Oyo State but many people don’t know about them. So, it is unlike what you see when you go to Obudu Cattle Ranch in Calabar, the Mambilla Plateau or the Ibeno Beach in Akwa Ibom; those are well marketed. Of course, everybody knows Lagos, in Lagos, there are so many (attractions) and many are also springing up in Abuja. The marketing and the awareness are not enough in Oyo State, so our hotels are pretty much relying on projects, NGOs and corporations to fill the rooms. This is clearly an area of opportunity.
On the economy, a company here in Ibadan alleged that it buys diesel worth N48 million in one month to sustain production; how are you coping with this kind of situation?
Well, I want to commend the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, for creating additional support; we are now getting more than 20hours (electricity) a day on Band A. However, we want the government to review the tariff. Electricity in April is four times more than what it was at any other point in time. The bottom line is that it has taken a big chunk from our margins, and as a result, it makes it very difficult to operate. Yes, the good news is that we have more power, the bad news is that it is at a very high cost. The cost is unsustainable for economic development in the interim.
Despite the high cost of doing things in Nigeria, Kakanfo Inn keeps re-inventing itself, where lies the hope of recouping on investment?
Well, we have been around for four decades; we hope to be around for, at least, the same amount of time making eight decades. History shows that this company has always reinvested and re-invented in itself and the market. Without that, we wouldn’t be here, so if we have any desire to be here a decade from now, we don’t have a choice but to reinvent and reinvest in our product. I believe that businesses would come and go. That’s the way it is in Nigeria. We intend to maintain our standard and hopefully, reap the benefit of what we have expended. It’s been that way historically and we are not looking at business in the short term. We are looking at our asset investment over the long haul.
What is the niche area for Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre; what stands the brand out in Oyo State in general and the South-West in general?
Naturally, we have been around for a long time and we have services and amenities that most competitors don’t have. We have the environment. If you look at most hotels, you know, they just focus on room sales. But, we have several natural amenities that make even the most home sick feel at peace and relaxed. You still feel the homely vibes around you. If you check out our garden for instance, it is somewhere that people love to hang around.
In addition to that, many guests like to be at full service hotels which we are. We have a spa which is unique from many others. We have the pool, conference facilities, rooms, outdoor eateries, quick bites, restaurant, room service and we have the in house bar.
We cater to so many varieties of businesses that are everybody’s needs. In addition, we are very balanced. We are a corporate hotel, we are also a leisure hotel. We are an NGO hotel and a serve expatriates and hotel ellites as well. We cover every segment and every caliber. We have something for everyone.
What is the number of rooms here?
We have a hundred rooms basically. We have our biggest hall at 2,500 sitting capacity, we have two that are 200 capacity, one that is about 150 capacity, and one that can handle 75 and 40 guests, respectively. They are well segmented.
We see a major facelift here; does this cover all the sections of the rooms?
Some of our rooms are classified as classic, then we have the K- Collections in which we have the luxury rooms, Presidential Villa ones and Presidential Villa twos. Within the K Collection, all the rooms are practically reconstructed and the facilities in our K- Collection are obviously our selling points right now and this is a completely different brand from anything that anybody has seen in this hotel in the past.
So, what’s your message to the general public and your clients?
Two things; Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre is not as it used to be. A lot has changed as we keep evolving. It is a new generation. I’m sure my father would be very proud of the evolution.
Meaning that you are all out to give them the best?
Absolutely, absolutely. It is a new product. We have got the character, the pedigree and the legacy of the past, as well as a very solid foundation accompanied with a fresh new vibe.
For an old guest who was here last year coming in again this year, what are the different things to feel in the room, the bar and the restaurant?
You probably felt amazingly surprised while you were coming into the hotel through the lobby. If the lobby looks this way, you can imagine what the rooms and amenities would look like. The message we want people to get is that Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre is not the way it used to be. It has evolved. We really want them to come in and see the huge difference that we have made here in terms of personnel, services and the high quality that we give here. We would like them to check and see for themselves.
We believe that they would be shocked by the product, the vibes and the services.
You did talk about four decades ago and four decades coming; in the next 40 years, what is your projection for Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre?
God willing, we would be a contender and a leading hotel in the state and our goal is to be second to none. We want to continue to be a diverse hotel company, offering services to every cadre of Nigerians and doing it qualitatively. Most importantly, at any point in time, when you look at the product, when you look at the services, it would be in tune with the leading edge at that time. That’s our ambition.
Since about four decades that Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre has been here, there were hotels that have gone under like some businesses too; what has kept this hotel going?
I think it’s a few things; we have a legacy – the spirit of Dr Lalekan Are lives. I think he has transferred the spirit to most of us working here whom he left behind. It is a little bit different when you have continuity, because we do have continuity. We have a solid foundation. We have exceptional support from the very strong board of directors. Then, our management team are committed to this product and we are committed to this legacy. When you have that in any place, not in just any place, it would create sustainability. There is no magic formula; that’s just the bottom line and that’s what keeps it going.
Yes, you talked about offering high quality services, but how competitive are the rates when compared with what one can get in other hotels in Ibadan?
I think in Ibadan right now, we are privileged to be among an elite class of the top four hotels. When you do something for a while, you tend to have a competitive advantage. We have a lot of experience, practice and an incredibly talented team. So, we are very stable. While other companies are trying to set a standard, we are not concerned about what they are doing, we are concerned about what we are doing. That’s all that matters.
