As part of a plan to expand his business, Oyebamiji Oyedele, a Lagos State-based bakery owner, travelled to South Korea to attend a trade exhibition in 2011.

While still at the exhibition, Oyedele, whose company name is Emroyal Ventures Ltd., met a trade delegation from Indonesia. The Nigerian baker’s interaction with the leader of the Indonesian team went well and with time he began looking forward to establishing trade relations with companies from Indonesia.

Unfortunately, and when Oyedele was eventually ready to start trading relations with the Asian country through its embassy in Nigeria in 2013, it ended badly for his expansion plans.

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MEETING HERRY HARJONO

Oyedele told FIJ that he visited the Indonesian embassy in Lagos to have a discussion with the country’s trade promotion council representatives in 2013.

“I met the Indonesian commercial team and we started deliberations on how I could start importing baking materials from Indonesia,” said Oyedele.

“This was when I met Randolf Silaen, the marketing manager of the trade promotion team stationed inside the embassy.

“With time, I introduced myself to the Indonesian team with my company letterhead. I again told them how I first met their team in Korea and how I would like to be importing baking materials from Indonesia.

“More importantly, I also added that I would like to do that via their embassy attaché in Nigeria.

“Along the line, Silaen introduced me to Herry Harjono.”

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TRANSACTION WITH HARJONO

During that period, Harjono was the Chief Executive Officer of PT. Russindo Panca Perkasa, an Indonesia-based company that purchased goods on behalf of foreign buyers.

“Harjono and I started trade talks and I later found out that the prices of commodities he gave to me were too high,” said Oyedele.

“At some point, however, I was able to negotiate prices down to an amount I felt my company could work with. After reaching an agreed price, I was told by my Indonesian partners that I would have to show seriousness by committing some money to the importation of the baking products I planned on buying from their country.

“They told me the reason for this was because some Nigerians had in the past made them commit resources to business deals that later did not materialise.

“In the end, I made a part-payment of $5,000 to Harjono.”

FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IS HANGING!

Oyedele told FIJ that Harjono’s company told him that it had to go through the Nigerian embassy in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, to carry out documentation on his behalf.

“Along the line, they sent me a document that I needed to do a NAFDAC registration here in Nigeria,” Oyedele said.

“They eventually sent the documents to me and after this, I travelled down to Abuja myself to do all the necessary things required of a registered company.

“Along the line, Harjono made me understand that the factory belonging to PT. Bina Karya Prima, the Indonesian company he was supposed to help me purchase the baking materials from, got razed by fire.

“As a result of this, I was unable to get samples of the baking materials I needed for my business growth from his company. That made things difficult for me and my company.

“After this, I visited the Indonesian embassy in Lagos to tell them that if the transaction can no longer continue, my money should be paid back to me since we can no longer go ahead with the business again.

“I even went as far as asking for 70 percent of the money back but I did not get any response from them.

“Harjono also disappeared and never responded to my messages.

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“I also reached out to PT. Bina Karya Prima, the company Harjono wanted to help me purchase the materials from, but they told me they had no business with me. They also told me they were not aware Harjono took $5,000 from me and that I should liaise with him in order to get my money back.

“Till we speak, I am yet to get my money back from the Indonesian. It has been 10 years and my $5,000 is still hanging.

“Now, the company that got razed by fire is back in business. As a matter of fact, some of their products have been sighted in Nigeria. I spoke with the company and they said my money is not with them. They said that I should ask Harjono.”

FIJ sent three separate emails to PT. Russindo Panca Perkasa, the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre, Lagos, and the Indonesian embassy in Abuja, for comments on the matter between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning. They had not responded to FIJ’s mails at press time.