I am not his father at workshop: Meet Father, Son who begged to apply in father’s Company

Elder Rufus Idowu Olubodun is a renown Mechanical Engineer In Ekiti State. He has about 15 apprentices in his workshop including his son, a mechanical engineering student at the Polytechnic.
In this interview, He explained how he was able to distinguish himself  among Mechanical Engineers in the state as well as differentiate home relationship from work training with his Son.

Beyond News: Good day sir! Can you tell us alittle about yourself?

I am Elder Rufus Idowu Olubodun, a native of Are Ekiti in Irepodun Ifelodun Local Government area of EKiti state. I am a mechanical Engineer and the Chief Executive Officer of my Company, Iyaniwura (I.D)/ Harry Automobiles Ado Ekiti. I started this company about 25 years ago and today It is one of the leading mechanical workshops in Ekiti State and in the Southwest generally.

Beyond News: What made you choose this career and what has singled you out in the profession.

Oh, Great! You see while I was growing up, I developed a great passion for automobiles, I naturally love to build engines and repair cars. I decided not to just love doing but to make it a career path, so, I went to register and learn the work properly from Engineer Rasheed Shafiu Popularly called Alausa here in Ado Ekiti. I spent 5 years and 6 months there.

Beyond News:  Why did it take you so long to learn a mechanic job?

You see, even before I spent Six months there, I was already doing some amazing things among my colleagues, but I discovered that you cannot know everything in a day, I wanted to know the nitty-gritty of automobile engineering, I wanted to try new things and be corrected. At a point, my boss was telling me, Rufus, do you think you sti have to wait any longer? You have known everything, but I told him to give me more time. so I stayed to learn very well and I became well known even before I got released by my boss.

Today, there is no type of car you bring to my workshop, that we will not repair. But majorly we specialize in Japanese automobiles such as Nissan, Mazda, Toyota, Mistubuish, Honda, to mention but a few. We also do towing vehicle services

Beyond news. How easy has this job been for you?

Well! The job of automobiles engineering have gone beyond the old ways, here, we have different modern days technologies, equipments and about fifteen boys including my own son to attend professionally to cars.

Beyond News: Why did you allow your son to learn automobiles?

Just like myself, all my son’s have created interest in this work from their childhood. They stayed with me to see things for themselves and today they can do anything I can do. Interestingly, one of them decided to study Mechanical engineering in the polytechnic Not that he needed to know anything new in the practical aspect, but to blend theories with his practical knowledge and I am so proud he is doing well.

He alongside some other people from different Universities, Polytechnics, Technical colleges are here to have their industrial training.

Beyond News: How do you blend your fatherly and the boss roles with your son at the workshop?

The truth is that I am not the Father of my son at the workshop. He is my son at home and when he comes to the workshop he is an apprentice. Of course, he is a boss on his own though, there is nothing he cannot so as far as car automobile is concerned, but since he is here for industrial training, he comports himself as a learner and he does everything that every other apprentice does.

Beyond News: What are your achievements in this work?

To the glory of God, I am married with blessed children, I have my own assets, I gave my children the best education to the best of my capability and we are all doing well. This work is not for the poor people as many may think. Some even think it is only the men that can do it, here, women are welcomed and respected.

I will only advise the younger ones to be passionate about whatever they do, this is what has brought me fat in this business.

You may wish to talk to My son he is also here.

Beyond News:Good day Mr Biodun Olubodun! we learnt that you are a mechanical student and works here with your Dad, How come you chose your father’s workshop?

Thank you! Initially, I thought I needed to go to Lagos to have another side of experience, but unfortunately, I needed to change like five workshops before I came back here. I discovered that My father’s workshop and the calibre of IT students we have every year, one can never be dried of ideas. Those places I went to in the percieved urban city Lagos were nothing but a desert of knowledge compared to what we have here. So I wrote an application letter to the CEO of this workshop who happened to be my father, I beg to be admitted and work in my father’s company, before my application was later considered.

I have decided to follow this path because I saw my father did great things with it and would also want to lift if beyond where we have now.

.This workshop is another school entirely for us. And our boss, I mean my dad has given us both the home and the work trainings to excel in life. We are his children at home and his trainees at the workshop.