Queen Victoria Of Nigeria’s Oil Industry: Success Story of BOVAS & Company Limited

HUMAN history would easily be taunted as distortion of reality, if failing to make recourse to heroic antics of some empresses, in handling global challenges that was threatening the desire of mankind to conquer the environment. The corollary of this is that human world as achieved today would have been a mirage if only men but no women strive. Feminist writers like Marian Levy (1952) in her parochial view believes that the human world is ” made in women”.

Little then should one wonder that many empires, kingdoms and even modern societies have queen mothers, queen mums, queen dowagers and heroine of all sorts that their folklore flourishes in their wider celebrations in monument of their heroic contributions to the development of society.

Though, in the traditional African society, the women’s roles were exclusively those of house wives and motherhood. These two roles as far as African women are concerned were the main sources of respect, prestige and status.

Their contributions to nation building were not considered significant and were not recognized as such in the society but Mama Victoria . A Samson does not share the same feelings and believes on these critical issues, she has been able to encourage, support the women to be self-reliance, leaders and a sense of important tools who has a significant role to play in the society.

From very humble beginnings, in 1980, she was a dealer under Texaco Nigeria Ltd., now MRS Plc. Mrs Victoria Samson further distinguished herself by winning the most priced Texaco Plc Best Dealer Award in sales, marketing innovativeness among others for the Latin American/West African Region. And shortly, an indigenous independent petroleum marketing company was birthed, and christened BOVAS group.

The Managing Director of BOVAS & Company Limited, Mrs Victoria Samson is a marketer per excellence armed with an experience of over twenty-five (25) years in the Oil and Gas industry as Dealer with both Texaco Nigeria Plc and Mobil Plc. For the records, she was the first Nigerian to win the highly competitive Texaco Latin America West Africa (LAWA) Award for Best Overall Dealer in 1990 for the highest sales in both regions combined.

Due to her managerial acumen, dexterity, ingenuity and hard work, subsequently, BOVAS opened her first service station in Osogbo, the capital city of Osun State Nigeria in 1991 with a view of assisting the government towards making petroleum products more accessible to everyone. The Company now operates service stations across the country and has several more under various stages of construction, which are to be delivered at intervals.

Maintaining a rhythmic progress, a Liquefied Petroleum Gas Plant was added to the group’s products in 1995, mainly to cater for the domestic gas customers in the southwestern part of the country.

The LPG plant, which was situated at Jegede Bus Stop, Akanran Road, Ibadan, Oyo State commenced operations also in 1995. Its supply LPG directly to homes and other major domestic users of LPG and also provide refilling services. The company has also introduced innovative LPG Auto Skid Units at selected service stations and locations across the nation.

Adhering to Marxian theory, Mrs Victoria A. Samson believes that there is a structured forms of conflict in the society which generates from the relationship between bourgeoisies who monopolized our political, economic and social resources and the proletariats that are separated from the process of materialism.

“Mama BOVAS” further posited that such exploitative and domineering power of the bourgeoisies will evolve into conflict in which the proletariats will in revolution revolt and overthrow the property class to establish the SOCIALIST ORDER that put the masses in control.

Not minding the risks, Mama BOVAS did not only revolted the oil cabals in their heartless characteristics of milking Nigerians, but put the masses in control. When a litre of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, was sold for N200 and above in Nigeria, and Motorists were stranded as a result of unending queues at many filling stations. Then, the scarcity also forced motorists indoors. The level of scarcity increased and the situation was further compounded as the price was jerked up by various petrol stations.

During these perilous periods, BOVAS, an independent marketer, sold its products at the official price. BOVAS has been a major marketer easing fuel scarcity in Nigeria.

BOVAS’ management philosophy is based on Solid Foundation, Confidence, Truth and Vigor. BOVAS, also provides employment opportunities for the Nigerian Youths and people want to work with the reputable company because it has not only created an environment that encourages team building, project management, skill transfer, and career development but also maintains adequate safety and security of its employees, customers and environment.

The company’s MISSION and VISION is to create an Effective and efficient Distribution network of Service Stations, operating with Integrity, Honesty, Reliability and Excellence, as well as to be a Household name in Petroleum Products in Nigeria which the company has achieved through a dedicated team.

BOVAS is growing through expansion to cover other parts of the West Coasts, other African countries and beyond.

It is a fact that cannot be erased that the beautiful, dutiful, hardworking, Mrs Victoria Samson has contributed constructively, effectively and positively to the society. History will remember her as a compassionate Woman of distinction who has great passion for the downtrodden.

 

By Idowu Ayodele, Ibadan.