Johnson Okili: More than two decades as hotel manager

To travellers, tourists, holidaymakers that have travelled to Mbarara, the name Johnson Okili is familiar. Okili was recognised and awarded by the ministry of Tourism in conjunction with Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda Hotel Owners Association as the first Ugandan manager to serve in one unit for more than 20 years, at a function held at Serena Hotel Kampala in October last year. This was during the annual general meeting for Uganda Hotel Owners Association. He has been a manager at for the last 20 years.

Inspiration
During holidays Okili used to stay with his brother in Bugolobi, Kampala. The brothers were fond of catching up at Silver Springs Hotel. During these outings, he admired Koffi, the then manager whom he describes as warm, smart, and hospitable.
“I told my brother I wanted to be like Koffi in future. I promised to go for a course in hotel management,” he recalls, adding, “But even back in my village in Lamogi, Amuru District I was unknowingly doing hospitality business.”
Okili says he had a neat house with gardens and his place was always used for functions such as hosting the chief.
Pursuing the dream
After secondary school at Sir Samuel Baker SSS, Okili joined Hotel Tech Int-UK programme at Uganda House in Kampala for a certificate in hotel and catering. During holidays, Okili had a stint at Hotel Diplomate in Muyenga.
“I at times offered to do voluntary work in hotels during my holidays because of the passion I had for this job,” Okili explains.
He then joined National College of Business Studies for a diploma and had his industrial training at Katatumba Resort Hotel. In 1992, he joined Lake View Hotel as a food and beverage manager.
He worked for one year and in 1993, the then Kenyan manager Isiah Kojwang secured for him a scholarship at Utaru College, Kenya to pursue hotel management.
“I feel he picked me because of my work ethic and commitment to my job,” Okili explains. I returned and still served as a foods and beverage manager until 2000.” He was then appointed general manager, a position he has held to date.

Survival
Okili has served under three different directors; Gordon Wavamunno, Hassan Basajjabalaba and Fenne Mwesigwa of this hotel that has often changed management. He has stayed at the top.
“Knowing my employer targets has been key. For example, people would ask how I managed to work with the first director Mr Wavamunno because they thought he had a complex personality. In my view, he is very practical and wants value for money. You could not joke around the workplace with such a man. He taught me a lot.”
Being professional is key at any job. “Most people after getting employed, they put professional ethics aside and go for monetary value. I have worked hard to put professionalism, career building and my reputation first.”
Being principled has been key to Okili’s success for all these years.
“Some managers are unrealistic. They make promises beyond what they can deliver. You tell an investor or director that you will bring in Shs100m a month when you know it is impossible but because of the desire to get a job and you assume you will survive on this job.”
According to Okili, some managers have failed to differentiate between a manager and a director and after getting employed they over step their mandate.
“It is better that as a manager you know you are a technocrat and the other is an investor, separate your roles.”
The soft spoken dark tall man cannot agree more that discipline has been a vital recipe for him to rise through the ranks. When he had just joined the industry, he did as instructed. Okili always envisioned himself in a bigger and better position.
“When they are training us, they tell us that customer is king. Humbling yourself and a client leaves happy you do not lose anything. But most managers want pride and recognition. On top of this, I’m a good listener, if my boss tells me A, I don’t do B.”
Okili’s traditional charcoal suit and striped tie speak about his personality. He does not believe in flashy dress code and sitting in office to give orders. “How will you know things are not amess if you give orders without supervision? I rarely sit in office. I go to the kitchen, reception, in the gardens, halls of residence, health clubs to ensure everything is in order,” Okili says.
While every principle stands and feels like trading on hot coal, he mentions that growing up, telling a lie was a taboo and he has lived to this. His transparency has made him a darling to the three directors. “I have never been issued a warning letter,” the 50-year-old says.

A supportive family in all this
“My wife (Jane Frances) especially is a very understanding person, she has mastered the nature of my job and is very supportive. This hotel business, if you don’t have a refined wife you cannot manage.”
“For example, during campaigns when my wife was contesting as Amuru Woman MP, I was supposed to be by her side and at the same time be on job. I could not do much because my job was demanding.”

Not a job for the fainthearted
Unlike their counterparts in Kenya who have better schools and colleges in leisure, hospitality and hotel management, governance, Okili says Uganda has not invested much in the hospitality sector.
Most institutions up to university are packed with theory. Business colleges are not regulated because they are opening like hardware shops, in some of these you find Senior Six drop outs as instructors.
“A person with a diploma in hotel management in Uganda cannot explain the job he or she is supposed to do, he does not know what a fish knife, red wine glass is and communication is very poor. Such a person becomes defensive in service because they don’t know.” This is the reason that is commonly advanced by most people that Kenyan managers are better in hotel business than Ugandans but this is because in Uganda there is no good training.
There is a culture all over that people don’t want to pay yet they need good services. So, dishonesty of some clients makes hospitality management challenging.
There are also social challenges of race and nationality. Some people want to be treated exceptionally. For example, when a black man may want to be served first before a White man, when you serve a White man first he says you are giving him a priority because he is white.
Sometimes people’s expectations are too high yet what they offer is too little.
The directors or employers targets are too high and at times they tend to make unrealistic demands. Some go into this business they don’t understand, hotel business needs patience.
There is also the effect conflicts, disasters and negative publicity which scares away tourists and greatly impacts on our revenues.
“In Uganda unlike other countries, the media takes advantage of conflicts, disasters to blow these out of proportion, take an example of Aljazeera, there are pictures they can’t show when there is a conflicts in their areas unlike here in Uganda, where there is some irresponsible reporting in some sections of the media.”

Achievement
Okili notes one of his biggest achievement being the hundreds of young people who have passed under his guidance, counsel and training and are doing exceedingly well in the hospitality sector.
“I have trained, guided, counselled, advised many young people that come for internship placement here, and many of these are managers and in other big positions in most hotels here in the country and in the region. If I travel throughout this country and most countries in the region I can’t pay for hotel services because of the products that have passed under my guidance.”

Networking at home and internationally
“Today, if I sought refuge outside Uganda with a medical worker, lawyer and politician I think I stand better chances of surviving than any of these. This is because through my work I have made many connections and friends”.
“I also joined Lake View Hotel when it was a two-star hotel and have seen it grow to a four star hotel. And before I retire I will have to leave it a five-star hotel.”

Advice
Okili who wants to try his hand at politics in five years to come advises government and the ministry of Tourism to enable that the tourism sector grow and there has to be better training of personnel and supervised regulated facilities.
He also notes taxes are high which frustrates investors. and he also appeals colleagues to be honest, disciplined, practical, and patient. And to the young people, Okili says, hospitality courses remain better and rewarding but are often not taken seriously.

What Johnson Okili’s WORKMATES SAY about him…

“ Mr Okili has a number of titles you can give him, he is a shock absorber, where there is need, he is there to handle all the business. He never criticises but corrects and advises and leads by example. He is one person who will not blame you without correcting you. He has practically taught me many things. With him besides getting employed it is like a school or a college. ”
Isaac Mucunguzi, foods and beverages manager

“ He is not only a manager but a parent. Mr Okili socialises with every worker here and besides work, he counsels, advises us as a parent. For example, he has taught me to develop financial discipline. He tells you why you need to save and how best you can invest your money for the future. Our boss goes a step ahead to advise how you should conduct yourself and how to dress when you are not on duty. This is exceptional and always a reserve for parents.”
Gloria Ndamutse, waitress

“ When there is demanding business, Mr Okili wakes up at 5am, we make breakfast with him not as a supervisor but he takes part in the actual work such as serving and cleaning utensils. Sometimes we fail to define him. He is hardworking, and a blessing to us, especially those of us that have worked with other supervisors before.”

Joseph Abaho, chef

“ Okili is a confidante. He will tell you today this gentleman or lady is off duty or should be off because of personal reasons. He is close to workers that they can comfortably talk to him. I’m his personal assistant but he is rarely in his office, sometimes at 6am he has to call to remind me that I should be at work. He is my boss who arrives at office between 5am and 6am.”
Salma Marina, administrator

Quick notes

Mr Johnson Okili, 50, was born in Lamogi, Amuru district.
He is married to politician Jane Frances Okili and they are blessed with three children.
He went to Sir Samuel Baker, Hotel Tech Int –UK programme, National College of Business Studies and Utarii College-Kenya.