Romain Lobo Ntekesha Tshibuabua is the New OCC Deputy Chief Executive Officer

The Office Congolais de Contrôle – OCC, is the DRC Bureau of Standards, a body responsible for inspecting products, machinery, equipment and/or works, as well as the certification of products, systems and people, tests, essays and trials and laboratory analyzes, including invention patents.

Various reports from the General Inspectorate of Finances are producing effects, and following instructions by the President of the Republic, His Excellency Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo who had, in an authoritarian tone, given instructions to ministries and ministers to take all necessary measures to deal with public officials involved with embezzlement and financial malfeasance, contained in said reports, within the SOEs (State Owned Companies) under their tutelage. From theory to practice and from words to actions, it is just a stone through, the Minister of Foreign Trade, Jean-Lucien Bussa Tongba, in an Order signed on July 13, 2021, has suspended from their duties, as a precaution, the representatives of the Office Congolais de Contrôle (OCC), in particular Tshisumpa Placide, Risasi Tabu wa M’Simbwa and Isabelle Kasongo, respectively CBD (Chairman of the Board of Directors), DG (Director General) and DGA (Deputy Director General) of the Congolese Bureau of Standards.

In assisting OCC to do business as usual and fulfill its obligations and assume its prerogatives as the Republic safeguarding body for security of products and food intended for consumption, His Excellency Minister Jean-Lucien Bussa has decided to appoint, on an interim basis, Osango Nsenga Lamber as CBD, Lubiba Mampuya Gaby – CEO and Romain Lobo Ntekesha wa Ntekesha Tshibuabua as Deputy CEO.

Where does the OCC new Deputy CEO hail from?

Mr Romain Lobo Ntekesha wa Ntekesha is the eldest of a large number of siblings. His father was a political scholar who worked under the Mobutu and Kabila regimes, Patriarch Advocate Albert Constantin Tshibuabua Ashila Pashi who passed on in 2012. For many years, he has been, several times, appointed as Minister and Ambassador. Such opulence appearances have had no effect on Romain Lobo’s life and behaviour. Ntekesha wa Ntekesha never wanted growing like a spoiled braid, with everything served on golden and/or silver platters entirely, though it was within reach given the family’s affordability. Observation of an apparent humility since his childishness testifies to the extremely unique character of a child who did not dream of treatment that was different from that of his peers. Tasting the delights of “Bana Ya” bourgeoisie with an immensely insolent extravagance, was not to the taste of the person concerned, nor was hardly a major concern for a boy accessible for many and for all, including children in surrounding and impoverished dwellings, inclusive of his classmates. He had a highly thought-out ploy that did not enclose him in an oppressive prism or diktat. He had his own ritual mechanics that seemed well oiled, which allowed him to shine in the demanding business control world.

Originally from Greater Kasai, more precisely Kasai Central (known for the sad Kamuina Nsapu events unfolding), Romain Lobo Ntekesha was born in Kananga Malandi wa Nshinga. When his family moved for the then Shaba, Romain was enrolled in the Saint François de Sales school; Salesian by his juvenile status, he was forced to leave the institution following the transfer for professional reasons of his beloved Papa, Ashila Pashi, to Kinshasa where he attended Boboto Boys High School, from Grade 4 until matriculation (Matric-Baccalaureate) with an excellent mark, 66% – 3rd ex-aequo of his class, under the leadership of Jules du Bois, the School Principal. Luc Ndala, Mambweni, Ibrahim, Elanga, Jimmy Ndonga and especially Jean Goubal Kalala shared with Romain Lobo Tshibuabua the most sincere friendships, in the true sense of the expression, haloed by the rhythmic sounds that accompanied the rhapsodic melodies from guitar notes performed by Goubal in the bus on which he left to and from school. Goubal performed in one of the parties hosted by Romain Lobo’s sales company, in the private sector. As much as the New Deputy CEO always pays an immensely surging tribute to his late father, for having disturbed his sleep and his peace of mind because of his stiff necks happenstance of which he was a victim like no other, as much as he was a musician of another genre in the Saint Albert College (Boboto Boys High). Romain was a member of Ten Degrees (10°) musical Band when Funk was in full swing with hits, like Kool & The Gang – Let’s Go Dancing (Ooh, La, La, La), Fresh, Cherish To Love, Sexual Healing (Marvin Gaye), The Commodores (Night Shift), The Manhattans (Kiss and Say Goodbye), Billy Ocean (Carribean Queen), as well as the Jacksons Five and the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson (Beat it, Thriller), Tina Turner (What’s Love Got To Do With It), Stevie Wonder (I just Called to Say I Love You), George Michael (Careless Whisper), Indeep (Last Night A DJ Saved My Life), and so on.

He superbly embellished parties and dance feasts with 9 other members of the group to the point of becoming unmissable. An evening, a birthday party without 10 Degrees was not a real one. Knowing that he was the head-child in a family of 13 children, 6 girls and 6 boys, save for him as the first born, he took it easy in the midst of the offspring by Papa Ashila Pashi. The facilities of Boboto Boys High in the technology and technical laboratories prepared by the school for the graduates of its Bio-Chemistry specialization had perfectly predestined him for higher technical studies. Equipped with all this technical background, Mr Romain Lobo Ntekesha wa Ntekesha had no difficulty in perfecting his university curriculum in Louvain – La Neuve (Belgium) where he completed his university studies with a Degree of Agronomist Engineer. With this academic visa, he landed an employment that culminated in OZAC (Office Zairois de Controle)hiring, later becoming OCC. He is assured to leave an indelible mark and forge precious relationships of trust and friendship where he has been and will pass eventually. Romain Lobo is a tireless worker and passionate about everything he does, without wanting to sacrifice the stereotype by attributing this quality to his modest Kasai origin.

From here on, there is no question of pouring into the dithyrambic praise, it is worth recognizing the qualities and merits of Mr Lobo Ntekesha wa Ntekesha and his illustrious career in the OCC, and this recognition bestowed upon him with this appointment. It is also a rendering for so many sacrifices and an objective and moving reflection for such enormous and laudable services rendered to the Congolese Nation and the overflowing activity carried out by the new appointee for more than three decades. It was the discovery of the controlling official profession under the guidance of his mentors, CEOs and Deputy CEOs who took turns succeeding each other. His OCC co-workers who, dazzled by his intellectual and moral qualities as an assiduously remarkable worker and anticipating his brilliant career, suggested to him that he devotes all his energies and soul to this public institution.

The new OCC’s Deputy CEO did not hesitate to take part in internships abroad and, to quench his thirst for discovery; he pushed modesty and humility, which had become second nature to him, to the point of reshuffling conventions. It is in this context that he will be part of the Official Delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo led by the Secretary General for Foreign Trade, Mr Liévin UTWAY BIGOFALA, in the company of other experts from various state SOEs and institutions, at the conference which was held from 6 – 12 July 2013 in Geneva at the headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO), as Deputy Head of the Marketing Department within OCC; the theme of this Fourth Global Aid for Trade Review was: “The Multilateral Forum of Excellence for the Study of Trade and Development Issues”.

Fascinated by a moving simplicity, Romain Lobo Ntekesha is a one-touch all. The dimensionality of his talents did not stop him from empowering himself and helping the community by giving work to the rising youth. The newly appointed Deputy CEO created Maxim Agency Studio 7, an audio-television production company

Following his many trips to South Africa, the Deputy CEO of the Congolese Bureau of Standards, Romain Lobo Ntekesha, is a man who refuses to perpetuate himself on the status quo. That’s how he got into audiovisual by setting up this company, Maxim Agency Studio 7, an advertising and marketing agency in addition to its sporting goals. In the rainbow nation, Romain has had very good relationships with TV channels, DSTV Multichoice and SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation), as well as production houses such as Urban Brew and Air Time. It is as a result of these business trips that the current Deputy CEO has realized the incompetence, carelessness, immaturity, irresponsibility of most TV channels and production houses in the DRC, including finished products which do not comply with the best applicable practices internationally, coupled with failures in terms of sound and footage quality, let alone camera shooting angles. Lack of professionalism is a notorious aberration that needs to be addressed in order to think about excellence. DRC is a country where some stations do broadcast programs for which they have no authorization, or right to, with hollow, empty substance content, without schedule of specifications.

Having acquired an acclaimed international notoriety, Maxim Agency concluded a deal with SABC of South Africa for the live feed broadcast for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Maxim Agency, in collaboration with SABC, had succeeded in broadcasting, on September 5, 2004, the famous game whereby Mbala Biscotte “Pieds de Jésus-Jesus Feet” mesmerized the entire South African defense before serving Musasa Kabamba with an assist for the sole goal of the encounter.

While being a production, advertising and marketing house, Maxim Agency had already developed wings to spread its commercial scope; it is the creation of Ndembo Awards of which Romain Lobo Ntekesha is the sole proprietor. The owner of Ndemo Awards expressed himself in these terms: “Created in 2002 under the initiative of Romain Lobo Tshibwabwa and under cover of Maxim Agency,” Ndembo Awards “pursues the ambition to see talents and prodigies developing in congolese football and be recognized internationally in order to improve the image of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its mission of promoting and rewarding talents in the field of football finds its springboard, each year, in the hosting of the “Awards” ceremony. From its inception, the “Ndembo Awards” is an event that has taken on a more innovative and popular dimension. The public is called upon to participate in the choice of the best players of the year, by casting votes via SMS. Ndembo Awards teamed up with “African Soccer Show” for its retransmission (by this South African channel) to 25 African countries through the show of the same name – African Soccer Show “. Maxim Agency gave the event an international dimension. This constitutes an exhibition for the ultimate visibility, for young footballing talents and an opportunity to be recognized internationally for each winner and to secure his or her career”, concludes the Ndembo Awards brand owner.

When it comes to passion, it is a touch on the notion of enjoyment; a maximum excitement of tension to the limit of the bearable; which differs from pleasure which is limitation and estrangement from enjoyment; this is the credo of the new man in the OCC hierarchy. Lobo Romain’s passion in everything he endeavours, reflects this innocent pleasure that he feels and which translates into a long-term investment for the company whose societal objectives will be fulfilled through his know-how. As it is customary to regularly invoke the standards that guide the services keystone at OCC, Deputy CEO Lobo Ntekesha is aware that there is “a standard today just as important in his regard and in the people’s eyes. This is the ISO 26,000 standard, relating to the Social Responsibility of Businesses/Companies (RSO/CSR). In particular, it will require reporting regularly and responsibly on the legal performance when fulfilling its activities, while inviting it to provide feedback on the achievement of the corporate purpose by the Office Congolais de Contrôle-Congolese Bureau of Standards in relation to the expectations by various stakeholders”. The graduation in the hierarchy ranks inherent in OCC, has taken place in small steps. Here you are, opportunely launched in the realization of a giant leap ahead, sine qua non for the take-off by OCC, to play its part in the concert of the State enterprises, and to combine efforts for the qualitative achievement of objectives the country has assigned to OCC that will have to be fulfilled with aplomb. You have reached the hill heights, there are many mountains to be climbed still.