HISTORY OF FOBTOB

The Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) came into existence after house unions in Nigeria were restructured into industrial unions.  Prior to this restructuring exercise, the three prominent and registered unions of senior staff within the food beverage and tobacco industry were:

1. Flour Mills of Nigeria Senior Staff Association
2. Nigerian Breweries Management Staff Association and
3. Management Staff Association of Guinness Nigeria limited

Upon the restructuring exercise,, these house unions fused together to form the nucleus of the Food, beverage and tobacco senior staff association which received its certificate of registration under the Trade Unions (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 1978.

The union has thus come of age.  The union organizes membership mainly from the private sector with few Government Owned companies and organizations.

At the elections conducted at the inaugural Delegates  Conference, Chief R.A Alabi of Guinness Nigeria Limited emerged as the First National President, Mr J.C Tamuno of Flour Mills of Nigeria Limited Apapa, became Vice President; Mr P.U Itabor of Nigerian Breweries Limited; National Treasurer and Messrs P. Adeniyi, R.C Winter and Alhaji S.s Amego were the Trustees.

At the 1st Biennial Delegates conference held in 1980, Mr J.A Iledare of Nigerian Breweries Limited was elected as National President and remained in office till November, 1984 following his re-election for a second term in office at the 2nd Biennial Delegates Conference in 1982.

Mr Dele Olowogorioye of Cadbury Nigeria limited who had been the association’s social/publicity secretary from 1982, was elected as the National President at the 3rd Biennial Delegates conference in 12984 , a position he resigned in July 1985 following his upliftment to management position which excluded him from membership of the Association.

Mr Wole Olusanya of Flour Mills of Nigeria Limited, then Vice-President Lagos/Western Zone was elected by the National Executive Council  until May, 1986 when he was elected National President at the 4th Biennial Delegates Conference.  At the 5th Biennial Delegates Conference in May, 1988, Mr Wole Olusanya was re-elected as national President for a second term and final term.

Chief Emeka Chinwezze of West Africa Milk Company o(Nigeria) Plc, who has been the Deputy national President from 1986 to 1990, was re-elected National President of the Association at the 6th National Delegates Conference in May, 1990 fro a one-term period of 4 years from 1990 to 1994.

At the 76th National Delegates Conference in May 1994, Mr Bayo Abioye of Nigerian Breweries Plc, then Deputy National President, was re-elected National President from May, 1994 to May 1998.

At the 8th National Delegates Conference held on 2nd May, 1998.  Mr Charles Ighalo (JP) of Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc who was until then the Deputy National President was elected National President for a four-year term.

Also at the 9th National Delegates Conference held on 4th May, 2002, Mr G.T Babalola, the then Deputy National President was elected as the incumbent National President.

The National Secretariat of the Association was formerly Located at No. 48, Oguntolu Street, Onipanu, lagos.  The Association got its own property to house the National Secretariat in 2004 and moved into the Glass House property located at 32, Isaac John Street, Igbobi, Fadeyi, Lagos on 4th October, 2004.