Q 1: Can we meet you?
Mr Pelumi: My name is Coker Oluwapelumi Emmanuel, I’m from Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Q 2: What’s growing up like in Abk, like can you tell us a bit about your childhood?
Mr Pelumi: I didn’t grew up in Abeokuta, I grew up in Ile-Ife, Infact, my grandfather gave birth to my Dad in Ile-Ife, and I was also born in Ile-Ife, I have been an Ife person for a very long time.
Growing up at Ife is cool, Ife is like an headquarters for my Uncles, they come around, so, growing up at Ife was cool, I had a very good family, people loved me, friends and family. Growing up in Ife was cool and calm.
Q3: Can we have a short in sight into your secondary school journey, and your entry into OAU?
Mr Pelumi: The journey started at about eight years ago, I was a beneficiary of Rauf Aregbesola Opon-imo, and I was the student parliamentarian for Ife East between 2014/2015 student parliamentary session, so I got the learning pad in my SS2, which aided my studying and was responsible for the success of my admission. Infact, I owe my admission to Rauf Aregbesola learning pad(opon-imo) that was how I was able to get admission because I was attending a public school as at that time. I attended Moremi High School, inside Obafemi Awolowo University, that was how I was able to gain admission into the great prestigious citadel of learning, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Q 4: How was your stay in OAU like, what were the activities you were engaged in?
Mr Pelumi: My Experience on Obafemi Awolowo University campus was great, when I got to campus in my first year, I had a little bit of experience, I was into blogging. A lot of people on campus then when into blogging, so, when I got into campus, I got some money from my uncle, and I ventured into blogging too, I started an online radio and television, including Edu consultancy services, that were the first business engagement I had on campus.
Also in my first year, I got into politics on campus, and I contested for the Secretary of my hall which I won the election, and from that point, it has been roller coaster throughout my stay on campus. In my second year, I was the Press Secretary for Students’ Union President on campus, the SU was proscribed and my part three and four was more of me bringing in business. I did House of Coker Fashion , and so on. So, I basically, I have been an entrepreneur from my days on campus. It’s worthy to note that everything I have been doing since my days on campus are related to digital adventure, with the fact that I believe that technology is the next phase of human interaction, very soon, people will not have to leave their homes to do stuff, everyone will be in their room and be able to order stuff and make things happen, even from their closet, so, I have been an advocate of technology and digital interaction for a very long time, for about seven years ago.
Q 6: You run a logistics company, what’s the inspiration behind it?
Also, how have you been able to come to limelight within a short period, what are you doing differently?
Mr Pelumi: The inspiration started about 2 to 3 years ago. I started from posted posters around campus for a living, there was a time in the year 2017/18 when I was pasting posters, so I got a job from a client to paste posters from a student who was into import and export, I did his job excellently, and I got his contact, since then he has been supportive of my endeavors. So when I left campus during the pandemic in 2020, I took up some writing job, and I was writing for a company in USA, after the pandemic, their sales went down, and I have to find another means of survival, I told my brother that I no longer have my writing job, and he asked if I can start working with him, he taught me everything to know about import and export, and since then, God has been faithful. From pasting posters for a client who’s into import and export and to becoming part of his network as an import and export person.
Q: Can we have your organization address and other details as regards people reaching out?
Instagram: instagram.com/Shipwithpie
Twitter: Twitter.com/Shipwithpie
Wa.me/2348139499537
Q: What has been the journey since then, the challenges and feedback from clients?
Mr Pelumi: Since 2021 the biggest challenges I have had is Government/Custom, custom charges are not always stable, and always go up unannounced.
Secondly, as regards the government, the storage facilities at the airport are very bad, the country where we receive items from have a good working system, the items will get to Nigeria safely, but when they gets here, there’s an issue already, so but with Pie logistics, we can guarantee 99.9% safety, unlike other logistics solutions, that’s one of the things that made us stand out.
Also, challenges inspire us to do more and be better, believe that a time will come when we will be on top of our game.
Q: What advice can you give to young people out there on personal development, most especially young people who are looking up to white collar jobs?
Mr Pelumi: To folks who are looking up to white collar jobs, one thing I will say is that they should take a bet on themselves, but they should be cautious of the bet they are taking, I know it’s personal, but we really don’t know the future.
Before I used to be a fan of don’t go for a while collar job, but I won’t lie to you, i have seen people making big from white collar jobs, so if you’re sure of yourself go for it. The advice is that young folks should not lie to themselves, if you’re selling anything and whatever you’re selling can’t feed you, do away from it and try another thing, but if it can feed you, put more energy into it.
If it’s white collar job that can feed you, get into it, if it’s normal daily hustle, get into it, and put in your best to whatever you lay your hands on.
Q: Lastly, is there any other thing the public know about you and your brand that we haven’t touched?
Mr Pelumi: Yes, we are building a technological solutions at pie logistics, the name of the mother company for Pie Logistics which is the import section of my company and Oja Abule which is the export company. The mother body is COPE Tech Solutions Ltd, and it’s a registered company by law of Nigeria. We are building tech solutions that will serve people in the future on how they can buy things from USA and serve people in the future on how they can send items from Nigeria to abroad, and how they can buy items from Nigeria and ship to other countries.
Oja Abule is a tech solution we are currently building, once we are done with it, it will help Nigerians abroad to buy food items almost the same price they are selling it here in Nigeria. It will be one of the best thing that will happen to Nigerians living abroad, as they will not have to spend more on getting food items as they used to spend.