Boss Of The Week
Sijibomi Ogundele (Sujimoto): Estate Guru Thriving on Quality and Integrity
By Eric Elezuo
Here’s an entrepreneur who has demystified the concept of life starts at 40. He has practically conquered the world of business generally, and clasped like an oyster his chosen field of estate and construction. He is not 40 yet for your information. He is just 39. His name is Sijibomi Ogundele, better known as Sujimoto. He is the Chief Executive Officer, Sujimoto Construction Limited, makers of tasty, luxurious and out of this world apartments.
A strong believer in the principle of nothing is impossible, and holding firm the dictum of ‘Crises are opportunities disguised as problems’, Sijibomi Ogundele was born on April 8, 1981, in Agege, Lagos. It is worthy of note that the neighbourhood is largely non-affluent and basically less than middle class. It is the kind area where no one will expect the calibre of Sujimoto to originate from. The straight talking, positive thinking and focused lad did not let anything hinder his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur in the top echelons.
This is how he introduces himself:
“I speak 5 different Languages and my only passion is Entrepreneurship. My first introduction to business was at a tender age, in Africa’s largest market – ‘Oke-Arin’. Out of curiousity, I would follow my mother to the market, where I learnt every aspect of trading.
“I am the MD/CEO of Sujimoto. We usually say Sujimoto is to architecture what Picasso was to art. We are a dynamic and innovative Luxury Real Estate organization. Our main mission is to revolutionize the Luxury Real Estate sector.
“I came into the Luxury Real Estate Industry at a time when Nigerians were beginning to demand value for their money. My vision is simple; to redefine luxury living by exceeding all expectations. We have gained recognition for being one of the most dynamic luxury construction companies in Nigeria as recorded by Forbes Africa, Channels Television, CNBC Africa, the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce, to name a few.”
Reports had it that Sujimoto lived on a street where only two houses had power generating sets. He practically grew up surrounded by poverty. But unlike most people who abandon reality to fate, he looked at the brighter side, and motivated himself to success. He looked beyond his immediate environment, and that was why as young as nine, he was already visiting the highbrow Ikoyi Island to stay abreast of how the rich live. Of course, the life of opulence cheered, inspired and informed him the way to go. He wanted to test the affluence, and that nurtured his path to life. And so with the simple philosophy of create sugar, and the ants will come, he set out to conquer the business world his own way. He was not just running to highbrow quarters, he also learnt business from his mother who was a marketer for Nestle.
Though Sujimoto was opportune to attend Anglica Ruskin University in the United Kingdom where he studied Law, after he left Model College, Meiran, he maintained that majority of what he knows today were products of reading (books).
Hear him: My first introduction to entrepreneurship was when I read ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill. 10 years in any University would never have given me what I leant in 10 days. This changed my life forever. I understood two things; 1. Look for a product and create a competitive advantage, then, 2. Put customers first. These principles are the foundations of my success.”
He started out his career in risk assessment in 2004, where he moved up to lending in SME’s and then set up Moto finance in Paris which later branched out into Accra, Dubai, Madrid, and New York City, achieving significant Industry Milestones, then later moving into the Nigerian real estate industry.
Regarded as one of the youngest billionaires in Nigeria, Sujimoto has been recognized by Forbes Africa as a brave young entrepreneur. According to records, he cut his first major teeth in real estate when he was living in France. He bought an apartment in Paris, remodeled it, and sold it for double the price to a friend from Qatar. The amount the investment brought within a short time ignited his interest in real estate. He was good to go. His grandma’s lines of ‘there’s no amount of bitter-leaf that can stop the taste of honey’ was basically coming to pass.
His quest for real estate was further strengthened when he met “Akin” at a club in Ikoyi. He invested N50 million into a project for a block of flats in an estate that was being developed. The risk paid off and he raked in over one hundred per cent return at the end of the day.
Having seen how lucrative the business was, he started considering starting a business of his own to take advantage of a new generation of Nigerian consumers who had started appreciating the value of luxury real estate.
In 2013, he founded Sujimoto, in partnership with real estate mogul, Mr Yazeed Alrahji, the chairman of DAERM real estate investment company, Saudi Arabia, and named after a Japanese university professor who he attributes a large part of his success to. He identifies the man as the individual who shifted his paradigm and helped him to become the man he is today. Today, Sujimoto is often referred to Donald Trump of Nigeria as a result of the Midas touch he has brought to estate business.
CEO SUJIMOTO, Sijibomi Ogundele with the winners
He moved from one prolific transaction to another, and soon landed landed his first big project at Lincoln Avenue in Accra, Ghana. It was a set of 16 townhouses of 4-bedroom apartments, a project he carried out in partnership with Wonda World/Petronia. Soon after, he constructed the elegant and luxurious Medici terraces luxury apartments in Ikoyi, Lagos. The apartments are applauded as having high-quality materials with 24-hour security, art, gym and many more.
In 2016, he birth his most ambitious project called “LorenzobySujimoto”. This was supposed to be the tallest residential building in Nigeria and Africa’s first fully automated residential apartments. It was however stalled as a result investor’s fear of the unknown in the Nigerian environment. However, Sujimoto maintained that like a pregnancy, the project must see the light of the day.
In this new age, Sujimoto, as a person and business concern, has cultivated three three fundamental Ps which are already being implemented: People, Prudence and Projects. This are basically required to stem the tide of post COVID-19 era. The Ps represent:
Projects: We have 3 major projects we have in the pipeline that will bring a minimum of 200% ROI to Sujimoto. Most projects will last a minimum of 1 year, so while other organisations are in limbo, folding their hands and waiting for the Pandemic to be over before they take any meaningful action, we have already started. By the time the world is ready to restart, we will be done!
Prudence: We have instituted a diligent spending culture by putting an Opportunity Per Cost (OPC) strategy to every penny spent. We shall only spend what is necessary NOW!
People: The Job market is saturated with lots of experienced hands who had been let off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is our intention to work ONLY with the best. Therefore, we will be employing ONLY the best and the essential.
At the moment, the company on a ‘small exclusive project that will redefine architecture and luxury living’ on Banana Island. It is a terrace house with each apartment, having its own private elevator, 2 kitchens, fully automated, 3 car parks, 2BQs, and 76% ROI. In his usual characteristics, Sujimoto is giving off-takers 5 years warranty on finishing and 100 years warranty on infrastructure. Such magnanimity!
Mr Ogundele has not ceased in his efforts to give back to the society in the best possible way. In 2018, he held a one day retreat for budding entrepreneurs at his Banana Island venue of his latest project. He practically empowered young business minded individuals and gave out gifts worth millions.
Chairman Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu with CEO SUJIMOTO, Sijibomi Ogundele
In 2019, he made a dramatic return to his primary school, New Oko-oba Primary School, Agege, after about 33 years. There he stretched forth hands of fellowship towards teachers and pupils. At the end of the day, 50 pupils received instant scholarship while all the teachers went home with one form of goodies or another.
In his remarks on the day, Sujimoto said, “our tithe at Sujimoto goes directly to people who need it the most. For us, giving back goes beyond CSR, it’s an obligation.”
With a pledge to put facilities in the school in functioning order, he promised to take a ‘part of our profits and give back to different public schools, like Ijebu Ode Grammar School, Model College Meiran, Zaria to Jos, and many other schools, because for us at Sujimoto, giving back is an obligation!’
Sujimoto was also instrumental to rehabilitating and improving the standard of living of Jumoke Orisaguna, better known as Jumoke Oni bread. She was the Agege bread seller, who was turned to instant model by the hands of providence.
How much is he worth? So much to qualify as one Nigeria’s youngest billionaires, and recognised by Forbes. His projects cost millions of Naira, so it is not hard to imagine.
For as many that care to listen, Sujimoto is not interested in politics unless it is absolutely necessary. As at today, he sleeps, dreams and eats estate and construction, and if he ever runs, it will be for the highest office in the land.
“For now, I am 100% focused on Real Estate and meeting the construction needs of Investors who have trusted me with their money. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but If I run, I will run for President, and I am 100% certain to win!” He said.
As far as he is concerned, nothing else matters in business other than quality and integrity.
We duff our hats to you sir as our Boss of the Week…congratulations!
By Eric Elezuo
It was a gathering of distinguished egg heads, prolific intellectuals and ardent academics at the Adeline Hall of the Lead City University, Ibadan, when notable and celebrated Chairman of Council and Pro-Chancellor of the Institution, Professor Jide Owoeye, marked his entry into the septugenarian circle.
The event, a multiple-in-1 classic, featured tribute session, a panel session, books presentation and reading as a well as a defined colloquium. Among topnotch individuals that graced the event were delectable heads of higher institutions of learning including the Vice Chancellor, Edo State University, Uzairue, Sheldrake O. Akindele; the Vice Chancellor, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Oyedunni S. Arulogun; Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ibrahim Gbajabiamila, and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Muyiwa Popoola, who were members of the panel session that discussed critical mechanisms that enhance and safeguard the future of education in the country.
The panelists leveraged on the theme, Nigeria Higher Education and Private Sector Involvement: Navigating the Path, Confronting the Challenges, Exploring Opportunities for the Future. The lead discussant was the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Katherine, Gombe State, Umaru Pate.
Speaker after speaker, the academic giants celebrated the unequaled legacies of Prof Owoeye’s 70 years of impressive existence, especially his scholarly contributions to the standardization of not only learning, but also academic environment in Nigeria with the establishment of Lead City University in 2005.
The ceremony was punctuated with various genres of entertainment including cultural dances, touch of saxophone, talking drum display, drama presentation by students of the institution, and a host of others.
Among the books presented at the ceremony were Asia in World Politics and Knowledge in the Emerging Global Order.
The highpoint of the gathering was the cutting of the birthday cake with various presentations of full size portraits and other gifts items from colleagues, students and staff.
Othe dignitaries who graced the occasion were Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, General Secretary, Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), Wale Okediran, Oyo State Commissioner of Lagos among others.
Speaking on his achievements, a long time friend from the University of Ife days, Chief Momodu, noted that Prof Owoeye has always been a man of letters, who has carved a niche for himself, adding that Nigeria and Africa are proud of him.
Distinguished in every ramifications, and an authority in International politics and relations, with bias to Asia, Owoeye has transverse all areas and degrees of the academic environment, terminating at the professorial level, and capping it all with the establishment of topnotch private university as the icing on the cake of his academic pursuit and inclination. He boasts of bachelor’s, masters and doctorate degrees in different fields of international studies.
For Owoeye, reaching the peak of his profession was when he became a professor of International Relations at OAU in the year 2000.
Born on March 1, 1956, Prof. Jide Owoeye is a teacher, and a very proud one at that, who would not miss any opportunity to introduce learning and exchange of knowledge. That practically explains why his 70th birthday celebration was tailored towards a colloquium and book presentation status.
Owoeye began his schooling at the OLMC Demonstration School, Ibadan, where he spent the period between 1962 and 1967 acquiring elementary or foundational knowledge of education.
Afterwards in 1968, he attended Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, for his school certificate, and left in 1972 before attending Government College Ibadan, for his Higher School Certificate, from 1973 to 1974.
He was admitted into the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, for his first degree.
On graduation, he was employed as Insurance Officer at Akin George & Company, Lagos, as he decided to try his hands in circular career. His stint at the firm lasted between 1979 and 1980.
Thereafter, he made a daring turn into the word of teaching, becoming Lecturer II at the Department of Government, OSCAS, Ile-Ife, from 1980 to 1982. He briefly worked as Administrative Officer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, afterwards in 1983 before landing the position of Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Then, there was no turning back from the academic world. He was made a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, from 1992 to 1993, and then, Associate Lecturer, Foreign Policy Academy, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Centre for Asian Studies.
In a 2019 interview he granted The Punch, Owoeye noted as follows as to what propelled his desire to establish his own university: “I have been in the university system for almost 37 years and 24 of those years were spent in the public university system. I was a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, and I noticed then that if one has passion for education, one should have seen some of the lapses (in the system), and some of those lapses one discovered can only be corrected if one is the head of the institution. I believe if you aspire to have a better university system, it is either you head the institution or you look for avenues to help create one where you can impact upon. That was what brought about the passion to work towards establishing a private university where the quest for excellence can actually be attained.”
Owoeye’s rich trajectory in the world of education is common knowledge, leading to his hold several high-profile positions in Obafemi Awolowo University.
Owoeye is married to his lovely wife, Emuleomo, whom he wedded in 1982, and they are blessed with three children; a son and two daughters.
Meanwhile, a special birthday soiree has been scheduled for March 1, his day of turning 70 proper, at Adeline Hall of the university. It promises to be the mother of all celebrations.
Having spent a lot of energy paying attention to education, Owoeye would love to be remembered as somebody who contributed to quality education (at the tertiary and non-tertiary levels) in this country.
Happy 70th birthday sir!
Photos: Tunde Bolarinwa
Schooled in varioius areas of human endeavour and administration, Mr Kojo Bonsu is an asset, not only to the Republic of Ghana, but the world in general. He has by every standard paid his dues to the development of his country, serving as the current Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China, and having served in many other diverse areas including sports administration and entrepreneurship.
Presently, the face of the Republic in China has taken it upon himself to recreate the investment platform of Ghana in China, mandating the media to begin as a matter of urgency, to make Ghana the subject of focus in their reporting.
In other words, the Ambassador has appealed to the Chinese media to use their medium to promote Ghana. A call that resonate the general mantra of the government of President John Dramani Mahama
According to Bonsu, Ghana boasts of several business opportunities, therefore if the Chinese media take keen interest in Ghanaian issues, it would help attract investors from China to Ghana.
He insisted that the door of the Ghana Embassy in China is wide open to Chinese journalists, especially those who want to positively project Ghana.
Bonsu made the remarks while hosting a press soiree in Beijing, on behalf of the Ghana Embassy, which was graced by a number of prominent media institutions in China.
The programme was mainly used to promote Ghana’s upcoming 69th independence anniversary celebrations and also highlight investent opportunities in the country.
Kojo Bonsu, who is a former Kumasi Mayor, said Ghana is the safest, friendly and best country for any investor to do business, urging Chinese businessmen to heed his advice.
“The Chinese media institutions should henceforth partner with the Ghana Embassy in promoting trade and investment opportunities in both of our sister countries for growth.
According to him, Ghana is a democratic nation, which has conducive atmosphere for businesses to flourish, stressing his desire to work and improve Ghana-China relations.
“Ghana is committed to strengthening ties with China. My country is a stable democracy, has business-friendly environment and rich cultural heritage,” Kojo Bonsu stated.
A native of Offinso, a town in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Michael Kojo (Mensa) Bonsu, thoroughbred professional, both in politics and administration, was born to a respected Offinso Queen Mother and a military officer, among eight other siblings.
He had his Ordinary Level education at the Tamale Secondary School, between 1974 and 1979, where he developed the knack, desire and dream of becoming a football administrator.
Thereafter, he was admitted into the Drayton School in London, but could not immediately assume studies because of the several businesses he was handling at the time. However, between 1985 and 1990, when Bonsu joined giant sports kit manufacturers, Adidas, he enrolled into their football Business Unit at Herzogenaurach, Germany, and in the process obtained a Diploma in Sports Business and Marketing. Presently, he holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations.
After completing his training in sports Business and marketing, Bonsu worked with Adidas and became their first representative in West Africa and served as an Assistant Marketing Officer. He rose to become the kit maker’s manager in Ghana and the whole of West Africa. Within which period he brokered deals between the company and the Ghana football Association specifically the Ghana football national team.
Bonsu’s dexterity in all the things he has laid his hands, including the oil sector, on earned him a citation of honour in 2015 by Managing Director of GOIL, Mr Patrick A.K. Akorli as follows; “You were the key advocate on the board when the monumental decision to rebrand GOIL was taken – the results of which have seen GOIL being propelled to the number one position (retail) among oil marketing companies in Ghana”.
He served as the Managing Director of GOIL from July 2011 to February 2012.
In addition to his legacy of achievements, Bonsu is a director of Tamale-based club Real Tamale United. He was also an executive member of Asante Kotoko.
In 2003, he launched a bid to be the Ghana Football Association’s President. He went against former president of the GFA Kwesi Nyantakyi, politician and executive member of Accra Hearts of Oak, Vincent Odotei Sowah, a former FA vice-chairman, Joseph Ade Coker and former executive council chairman, Y.A Ibrahim. He subsequently lost to Kwesi Nyantakyi in the elections in December 2005.
An ardent supporter of Asante Kotoko and Premier side Tottenham Hotspur, in 2001, he founded and published Agoo Magazine, an African lifestyle magazine.
In January 2010, Bonsu was appointed board chairman of the National Sports Authority then a council under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. He is known and respected for spearheading the re-branding of the sports council until it subsequently became a sports authority.
In 2013, President Mahama nominated him for the position of Metropolitan Chief Executive for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. He resigned in July 2016, following an issue with the Kumasi Traditional Council.
Among many other landmarks, Bonsu would be remembered building the first ever recreational facility, the Kumasi Rattray Park, and organizing the second largest event as part of the celebration of Ghana at 50, dubbed “Ghana As One Gala Night” at Ghana’s Black Star Square with International artists including The Whispers, Shalamar, Pat Thomas, AB Cresntil, Gyedu Blay Amboley, Paapa Yankson and Ola Williams.
It is also on record that in 2014, he secured a loan facility from the Deutsche Bank UAE through parliamentary approval to build the largest modern market in West Africa, the Kejetia Market, called the “Kejetia Dubai,” completed in 2017. He also built the Asawase market, Tafo market, and Atonsu-Agogo market. He renovated the Kumasi Prempeh Assembly Hall. Bonsu’s strides speak volumes.
Bonsu tried his hands at the presidency of Ghana in 2024, but could not win the ticket of his party as Mahama was the preferred choice.
Bonsu continues to exhibit great strides as a distinguished administrator, businessman and political juggernaut.
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