Boss Picks
My Story: Being a Judge is a Position of Honour, Not Money – Hon. Justice Adama Lamikiran
FAMILY HISTORY
I am native of Agbede in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. I was born into a Muslim family. My father Alhaji A.R. Ali, was a Public Servant with the Federal Ministry of Labour; my mother,AlhajaAminat Ali, was a full time house wife. She devoted all her time bringing up all her children with moral chastity.My father worked in many states of the Federation; Ibadan, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Sapele, Jos, Akure, to mention just these few. He eventually retired in Lagos State as Principal Labour Officer.
My parents had nine (9) children – four (4) boys and five (5) girls. I am the 5th of the nine children. Sadly, and may their souls rest in peace, three of us are no more. God knows the best always and we must always submit to Him in all circumstances be it good or bad, favourable or unfavourable, for He is our Maker. Most of my siblings were born in Ibadan and Lagos. I was born in Ibadan where I spent my early, formative years including attending my primary education. When my father was transferred to Lagos, we moved with him and it was there, I had my secondary education.
EARLY LIFE
I attended Ansar-ud-Dean Primary School, Oke Ado, Ibadan, and later, Aunty Ayo Girls’ Secondary School, Lagos. I did a one-year Higher School Study at St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, before I gained admission to study Law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from where I graduated with a degree in Law in 1978. Thereafter I proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, and I was called to Bar in 1979.Between the period of my birth and when I was called to the Bar in 1979, I had not lived in my State. We only visited my home town occasionally when my father was on leave. Therefore, after my call to the Bar, my father insisted that one of us must go to our State of origin to work, it became natural that the one to go home was me since I had not lived there.
Looking back, it would appear that the unseen hand, some call it fate, for the first time after I had become a Lawyer, took me back to my State of origin where I worked briefly, at the then Bendel State Ministry of Justice as a State Counsel.
It was during my stay in Benin that I met my husband, Lt. Col. (Dr.) Philip Iyayi (late), then a young ArmyOfficer. My husband was not only a fine medical doctor, he was also a trained combatant soldier. He underwent several military trainings both locally and abroad.
Being from a muslim home, my parents forbade me from marrying him because he was a christian. However, I had always known what I wanted, especially in matters of the heart. So I stood my ground. The rest is history as Iyayi and I became husband and wife with lovely children, living happily thereafter until the Grim Reaper took him away in his prime in the C-130 military plane crash at Ejigbo, near Lagos, in 1992, amongst other fine military officers who were on training for Senior Military Officers at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Jaji. Till date, I still regard my late husband as a rare gem of unfinished greatness, knowing his competence and intellect, each time I reflect on how he was cut down in mid passage, in his prime. He was a devoted, loving husband and father, kind, compassionate, and would leave no stone unturned to ensure that Officers and Men received the best medical care. Again, as always, the Creator knows the best and we His creatures, must continue to lovingly submit to Him as no one knows the mind of God.It was after I had children with my husband that my parents came around and accepted him, long before his passing.
All Judges of Rivers State origin in the service of the Rivers State Judiciary, and Federal Judiciary, serving and retired, have been given retirement accommodation on owner-occupier basis by the Rivers State Government. Similar provisions for all the Magistrates are in the offing
After our marriage, we lived in Benin City for about two years and my husband was posted to 3 Battalion Nigerian Army EffurunBarracks, Warri. I had to leave my job as State Counsel in the Ministry of Justice, Benin, to join him in Warri. It was exactly the same way I was following my dad to wherever duty called, that I was also following my husband, to wherever duty called. I had been both a loyal daughter and a loyal and submissive wife. It was clear that my father and my husband were nudging fate in the right direction.
In Warri, I worked with the Delta Steel Company, OvwianAladja, as a Legal Officer.We were in Warri for about 3 years when he was posted to Elele Barracks i.e Air Mobile Brigade Field Ambulance, Nigerian Army Medical Corps Elele in Rivers State. I could not immediately join him at Elele because of my job, at Aladja. But I ultimately did so later.
While in Rivers State, I was miraculously, in 1986, appointed a Magistrate in the Rivers State Magistracy. It was miraculous indeed because I was not one of the candidates selected to be sworn-in but was placed on the reserved list. There was delay in the swearing-in but unfortunately one of the candidates to be sworn-in passed on. That was how I was called upon to replace her. God had destined me to be appointed a Magistrate that time. This signalling, unknown to me, that this was my last bus stop in my movements from city to city first with my father, before my marriage, and later with my husband, after marriage.
We lived at the Elele Barracks for about 3 years, from where I was commuting to work at Elimgbu Magistrate Court where I first understudied Hon. Justice Mary Peter Odili, JSC who was then a Senior Magistrate. Later the Nigerian Army provided accommodation for us at the Zuru Estate, Obi Wali Road, Rumuigbo, when my husband was posted to Military Hospital, Port Harcourt, where we lived until that day when the sad news came that my husband was no more.My movement within city this time, not across states – resumed in course of my service, as a Magistrate, to the people and Government of Rivers State. I worked at Elimgbu Magistrate Court for about 4 years and thereafter, at Isiokpo, Emohua and Port Harcourt Magisterial Districts. Port Harcourt was my last Magisterial District. Literally and figuratively, this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.
SOARING HIGHER:
In 1998, it pleased God and He made it possible that I was divinely appointed a Judge of the High Court of Rivers State, along with my Brother Judges – Hon. Justice E.O. Agbara (Rtd.) now late), Hon. Justice Joy Akpughunum, Hon. Justice S. Iragunima (Rtd.) Hon. Justice B. Ugbari (Rtd.) and late Hon. Justice A. Wodu.
Judging whether as a Magistrate or a Judge, is challenging, tasking and exhausting. I was committed to my work, irrespective of all the challenges I faced whether from the Bar, colleagues, staff or even litigants. Many of those challenges border on irrelevances and trifles, rooted, I must confess, on resentments that one is a non-indigene. As all of us know, this is a Nigerian challenge, although its occurrence and severity varies from place to place. All the same I thank God and the people of Rivers State for the opportunity to serve first as a Magistrate, a Judge and a Chief Judge. Indeed Rivers State is exceptional and accommodating.
Howbeit, I was not deterred, indeed, nor discouraged because I always remembered how miraculously and divinely I became a Magistrate and later, a Judge. Moreover, there was work to be done which I had sworn to do. A military officer, Admiral Nelson of Her Majesty’s Navy in England, became famous for his now popular statement that “England expects that Each man would Do His work”.
I was expected to do my work which I had sworn to do and neither discouragement nor sentiments, or even resentment, from any quarters should stand on the way. Being the daughter of a Federal Civil Servant, who had lived and schooled in several cities across Nigeria, having received education at different environments away from mine, and being the wife of a military officer who had lived in different cities, I was naturally equipped, as I was, to work with and find my way around people who, for no reason but as evidence of our being imperfect humans, saw me as a stranger. With tenacity and perseverance, I thank God I succeeded.
Although initially I had challenges all because I was seen as a non-indigene,I did not allow any trifle or sentiments or prejudice, no matter how magnified to be an important issue by its sponsors, to hold us down in our genuine quest to improve on what we met on ground in aid of justice delivery
It was challenging, I must confess. I state that I was despised, neglected, even refused all forms of benefits apart from my salary, all because I was seen as a non-indigene. What helped me greatly to adjust was my background as I stated, and the fact of the inherent zeal to work, whether as Magistrate, or as a Judge, it was not about the money because the salary was really nothing to write home about then. There is something sacred about passion to work for the State, for the people, for humanity through Judgeship. This I did with all my heart. Being a Judge is a position of honour, not money. In this position, honour triumphs wealth. It triumphs over every other consideration as it seeks only to enthrone justice and justice is an attribute of God, our Maker.
SOARING EVEN HIGHER
No one can accurately foretell the future in details. That is certainly beyond human ability. Only God, the Creator of the universe, possesses all the necessary facts and can control events. God is spoken of as the one who tells the beginning, the finale, and from long ago, the things that have not been done. God knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end.And so it was that being a non-indigene, as I was always referred to or described even by my colleagues, the thought of becoming a Chief Judge never crossed my mind, not even in my wildest dream. Only God knew it to be a possibility, a reality, someday.
I never knew God’s ways and thoughts are quite different from those of humans. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD” Isaiah 55:8. The day God destined finally came. He made available His instrument, His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Chief (Barr.) NyesomEzenwoWike, CON, GSSRS, POS (Africa), who has a determined heart and does not discriminate. Not standing on ceremonies and putting aside all the sentiments and prejudices that have hobbled this otherwise great Country of ours since its founding. His Excellency, as if against the run of play, appointed me the Chief Judge on 8th day of March, 2016, making me the second non-Rivers indigene, after the White South African Michael Holden CBE, to be so appointed the 8th Chief Judge in the history of Rivers State. His Excellency is fully aware that I am eternally grateful for the honour of the momentous appointment and he needs no telling to know the depth of my gratitude.There is no error in God’s word. No man can stop the Hand of God. It is an act of God through the instrumentality of His Excellency that I was made the Chief Judge of Rivers State.
As Chief Judge of the State, we continued with the traditions we met, making improvements here and there and discarding whatever was no longer working or serving us. Although initially I had challenges all because I was seen as a non-indigene,I did not allow any trifle or sentiments or prejudice, no matter how magnified to be an important issue by its sponsors, to hold us down in our genuine quest to improve on what we met on ground in aid of justice delivery. As a wife to a Military Officer and moreover as a Judge, I have always known that you yield to nothing and refuse to be cowed or blackmailed or derailed or intimidated in the honest discharge of your duty. Trifles or sentiments therefore, could not qualify to hobble or deter me in the honest discharge of my duties, although sometimes one is misunderstood and derided.I focused on how to improve justice delivery, how to quicken it, knowing as all of us do, that it is never an ending quest, it is a continuous work in progress.
It is tempting to begin to catalogue what one was able to contribute and achieve in the office one is leaving or retiring from 8/3/2016 to 25/5/2021. I have successfully resisted that temptation and would rather leave it to history, who is a better Judge. All my previous addresses during the legal year ceremonies of the Rivers State Judiciary of 2016/2017, 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021, contain catalogues of the landmark achievements during my tenure, all enabled by His Excellency’s Government.
According to Ellison Shoji Onizuka, the American Astronaut of the US spacecraft, the challenger fame, “Every general has the obligation to free men’s mind for a look at new worlds…. to look out from a higher plateau from that of the last generation”. We did so. Each Chief Judge is in charge of a generation in the life of the Judiciary he heads and should look from a higher plateau than the last. We did so, and it is my hope and prayer that succeeding generations of Chief Judges of Rivers State, in particular, my worthy successor will look from even higher plateau than mine, since it has to be one of successive improvements away from deterioration and backwardness.
The office of a Chief Judge is a University of its own where one learns the salutary lessons of a life time; the strengths, weaknesses, predilections, prejudices and bias of Brother Judges, Magistrates, Judiciary Staff, the members of the Bar, the litigating public and other stakeholders in the administration of justice. That is human nature which every man or woman must acknowledge and cope with in the management of men and materials in any organization or society.At all times, and in all things, the common good of all and benefit of Administration of Justice prevailed and all and sundry contributed to our success story in the Rivers State Judiciary.
My tenure enjoyed robust and cordial relationship and co-operation from the leadership of the entire Bar in Rivers State, the Rivers State Police Command, the Federal Correctional Centre in Port Harcourt, the Press and other agencies.
It bears repetition for the sake of record, that all the achievements of the Rivers State Judiciary during my tenure, I owe them to the boundless benevolence of His Excellency in particular and the regular unhesitating release of funds to the Judiciary for human and infrastructural developments.
All Judges of Rivers State origin in the service of the Rivers State Judiciary, and Federal Judiciary, serving and retired, have been given retirement accommodation on owner-occupier basis by the Rivers State Government. Similar provisions for all the Magistrates are in the offing.
For me as the retiring Chief Judge of Rivers State, I am proud and exceedingly happy that His Excellency built a palatial residential accommodation for me. This was also replicated in kind to my predecessors in office. What space and time will not permit to recount, we leave to History and Historians to tell as in the case of Rivers State Judiciary.
JUSUN STRIKE
From all accounts, Rivers State Judiciary is second to none in human capital and infrastructural developments in Nigeria. I am very proud to say that Rivers State is not bewildered with the problems many State Judiciaries are facing like non-payment of salary, lack of funds to run the Courts, poor welfare packages for Judicial Officers and Staff, poor infrastructure, etc. The Judiciary Staff Union of
Nigeria (JUSUN) embarked on nation-wide strike from Monday, 5th of April, 2021 to press for the implementation of financial autonomy of the Judiciaries of the States of the Federation of Nigeria. To all intents and purposes, this is a well-intentioned agitation for the good of the JUDICIARY. Also, gratifying is the usual supportive protest by the Nigerian Bar Association, both at the National and State Branches for the financial autonomy of our Judiciaries.
But here in Rivers State, regrettably, the JUSUN Rivers State Branch or Rivers JUSUN and its self-serving leaders took their agitation and their luck or opportunity too far as they exposed their worst instinct in resorting to name calling and denigration of the office of the Chief Judge of Rivers State. And when my office extended official invitation to them for explanation of the financial autonomy status and level of compliance by the Rivers State Government, the JUSUN Rivers leadership bluntly rebuffed me and turned down the invitation. They used the media to down play or deny some laudable achievements of the Judiciary of Rivers State.
Administration of justice suffered set-back, generally in Nigeria during the strike; lawyers and litigants were the worst-sufferers. Judges and Magistrates of the Rivers State Judiciary generally had no access to case files and Exhibits in Chambers for judgment writing.
I must not fail to place on record the maturity and self-restraint exhibited by the leadership and members of the NBA Rivers State Branch over their responsive and responsible support for the agitation for judicial autonomy, especially when my office later availed them with the compliance status of the Rivers State Government. But same cannot be said of the Chairman, Governing Council of the Eastern Bar Forum, Mr. S. Long-Williams, who taking shelter under his office, threw ethics at the Bar to the wind, through the media used the occasion to issue a 24-hour ultimatum to the Chief Judge of Rivers State to explain or confirm compliance status of the Rivers State Judiciary. History, they say, will vindicate the right and just in all human affairs.
Financial autonomy for Judiciary is good but from the posture of JUSUN Rivers, especially and my impression is that they do not really understand what it stands for and do not appreciate the commendable compliance by the Rivers State Government.
All factors considered, let me declare for the avoidance of doubt that the Rivers State Government is already complying with the financial autonomy for Rivers State Judiciary before the JUSUN strike and we are assured of continued greater and total compliance.
Considering that we are imperfect humans, it is not possible that there will be contact or discharge of official duty without conflict. Conflict, like contact, is inevitable in human affairs. And with it comes the giving and taking of offence. It is not possible to please everybody. If you want to be liked by everybody, then you cannot be a leader. Here, it is appropriate that I ask for forgiveness from all those it was our inexorable duty to offend in line of duty.
Your Excellency, my Lords, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, having forgiven each other we must also now praise and thank each other for successfully working together.
I thank sincerely, my staff in my court and chambers: Nyengibi, Lizzy, Confidence, my hardworking and diligent Registrars of court, Veronica (my Secretary and prayer partner), Kelechi, (my very hardworking P.A.) Sunny, Jennifer, Ibiso (my Legal Assistants), Henry (my protocol officer), Michael and Hector (my drivers), Monday (my trustworthy Orderly), Nengi and Mangibo, who worked with me diligently, many times late and not sulking when sometimes I shouted at them. It was because I wanted them to be up and doing. Because I was punctual, they were also expected to be punctual. I thank them immensely for their support.
All my Brother Judges of the High Court and Customary Court of Appeal, I thank you all. In particular, My Lord Justice Enebeli, my Brother Judge and friend, permit me to say I am very grateful. In times of difficulties, I call on you, you are always willing to render advise and help. I also thank my Lord Hon. Justice O. Gbasam. The Chief Registrar, the Deputy Chief Registrars and the entire staff of the Judiciary, you all supported me and made my tenure successful.
I thank all the members of Branches of our Bar in the State for their support. I thank the Hon. Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-OwajiIbani for the cordial relationship between the Legislature and the Judiciary. My friends in the Executive Arm of Government; the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy W. Danagogo and the Hon. Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Z. Adangor, SAN – I thank you so much. I thank all the members of the Judicial Service Commission and the Secretary and Staff for their team work and support.
I thank the Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT, IbifuroAsawo and his team and the Rivers State Judiciary Information Technology Committee headed by my Lord Hon. Justice E.N. Thompson for their hard work and for the success of the E-Filing and other automation of the Rivers State Courts Management Information System. Thank you for making Rivers State Judiciary the first to fully embrace E-filing of court processes.
I thank all the members of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council for their hard work and contributions towards the Administration of Criminal Justice in the State. Now the Magistrates visit police stations regularly to inspect their detention centres. Also we have an office at the court complex for Correctional Officers to help supervise and enforce non-custodial sentences issued by Magistrates and Judges.
I thank the Chairman and all the members of the planning committee of the valedictory ceremonies. I am grateful to you all. God bless you.
My family, my children, my grandchildren, my in-laws, today is a special day and you have always been there contributing to making it so. I thank you and I love you all.
I cannot thank you enough, the courageous and very focused Governor of our State, together with his wife, my Brother Judge, Her Excellency, Hon. Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, I thank you both. I have already stated that His Excellency already knows fully well that I am grateful to him. Because of that, I just want to say thank you and to pray for your continued success and that God continues to hold you securely in the palm of His hands.
Looking back, it is evident that God guided my steps up to this day. I am eternally grateful to Him, Owner of life. I am so far, pleased with my years. I could not be more grateful to all. I have now been listed in the roll of not just a fulfilled woman but a woman blessed by God – I have the gift of life, good health in retirement, illustrious children, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, supporting in-laws as well as all the wherewithal as Constitutionally guaranteed, to make my retirement peaceful and joyful, courtesy of the Government of Rivers State under His Excellency.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great thinker, aptly stated thus “if we are related, we shall meet again”.And so if we are truly related, whether in service or upon my retirement, we are related, and shall continue to meet in life after now.
We shall continue to meet again and again because we are, I believe, related.
By Eric Elezuo
Love him or hate him, you can’t fault him. He is an enigma. A definition of class, humanity, intellectual discipline and entrepreneurial acumen. He is the very epitome of when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. And of course, a reference point and research material when it comes to philanthropy. Dr. Mike Adenuga doesn’t give little or give just for giving sake. He gives to sort and solve a lasting challenge. Yes, he is Dr. Michael Adenuga Jr., ‘The People’s Billionaire,’ and without introduction, the brain behind the increasingly success stories recorded at the Globacom Group, among his many other conglomerates and subsidiaries.
Known by many appellations, such as the Spirit of Africa, a rare gem, walking kindness, moon amongst the stars, owner of wealth beyond money, the mighty oak, the man with the gift of Foresight, the Bull, Pillar of sports among a whole lot more, Adenuga’s image looms large. He appears little, and achieves so much more. Hardly seen, but gracefully and consistently felt.
Adenuga qualifies for the engravement of ‘the gods have come down to us in the likeness of men’. Yes, this is because his agenda is solely centered on affecting the lives of people for the very right reasons, and that, among a plethora of many other reasons, has qualified the Duke of Giving and Enterprise to emerge as The Boss Man of the Decades.
For decades, even prior to the awesome establishment of the Glo brand, Adenuga has remained a never-say-never entrepreneur, conquering territories, breaking new grounds, establishing new vistas and reaching for new horizons. And in all, carrying along all and sundry in his gains and expansion.
Even when the business atmosphere proves cumbersome, Adenuga rises taller than usual, ensuring that dependants as well as service receivers never lack nor complain.
In 2025, among his many achievements, Adenuga exhibited one of his most prized business and entrepreneurial skills with the strategic transaction between his Conoil Producing Limited and TotalEnergies. This is one deal, whose implications stretch beyond balance sheets into Nigeria’s long-troubled oil production narrative. The humongous nature of the transaction and impetuousity associated with it have placed Nigeria on a pedestal only the likes of Adenuga can negotiate for in the oil industry. That’s how big the Bull is.
Seen as a big boost for Nigeria’s oil and gas production, the major production deal was signed in Paris, at TotalEnergies’ headquarters in La Défense, Paris, by Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., Chairman of Conoil Producing, and Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.
Also, in 2025, Adenuga held the most outstanding meeting with the President of France, negotiating another deal that promises extreme generosity for the Nigeria and its economic. Though the details of the deal is still close to the chest of the Chairman, its manifestation is expressing green as the ebullient colors of the Globacom Group, under the magnificent management of Mrs Bella Disu nee Adenuga.
He held similar meetings with the President of Ghana, Dr. John Mahama, earlier in the year.
In 2024, he rose from a year that has been replete with economic downturns, where several enterprises and entrepreneurs were counting their losses, and significantly raked in over United States $700 million, to shove up his fortune. A feat, only the very ready can achieve.
According to Billionaires.Africa, a news magazine that tracks the progress or otherwise of African billionaires, Adenuga, in spite of the harsh economic environment, occasioned by policy somersaults of the present administration, proved that his business acumen supercedes environmental economic variables, giving him the leverage to not only have its head above water, but to smash every available class ceiling of average.
The magazine wrote, “Amid a year marked by currency depreciation across several African nations, including Nigeria, billionaire businessman Mike Adenuga solidified his position among the continent’s wealthiest individuals and the world’s 450 richest people. Adenuga, who built his fortune in telecommunications and oil production, saw his net worth rise by $700 million in 2024, a testament to the resilience and diversification of his business empire.
“As of Jan. 1, 2024, Forbes, the U.S.-based business magazine renowned for tracking global billionaire fortunes, estimated Adenuga’s wealth at $6.1 billion. By Dec. 31, 2024, his net worth had grown to $6.8 billion, ranking him as the 448th richest person in the world. Adenuga’s wealth is anchored in his control of Globacom, Nigeria’s second-largest mobile telecommunications and digital services provider, which boasts over 60 million subscribers.”
Adenuga has proved over the decades that he is not the regular billionaire. He is of the stock that is not regulated by stock market figures, but by liquid cash. And that explains why his wealth and net worth supercedes whatever figures churned out by any institution, or any position he is placed in the billionaires’ list.
Adenuga is, for all intent and purpose, in a world and class of his own. This is because his business trajectory and personal philosophy are uniquely his, and therefore worthy of emulation.
Sitting atop one of the most cherished and subscribed network, Glo, Adenuga has not only inspired lives, and practically lifted not a few to enviable heights.
Known for his diverse investments in oil, gas, telecommunications, banking, construction, and real estate, Mike Adenuga notably shook up the African telecom sector with the launch of his telecommunications network, Globacom Limited (Glo), in August 2003.
Also referred to as The Guru, Adenuga is like the proverbial Iroko tree, who is unlike any other. In terms of humility, pedigree, magnanimity, wealth and portfolio of investments, he is one of a kind.
When the Federal Government decided to give indigenous businessmen licences in the dollar-denominated but capital-intensive upstream oil sector, Adenuga was one of those who applied.
Unlike others who sold their licences for quick money, Adenuga was vision personified, and decided to go into full scale prospecting and exploration. The gamble paid off as one of the wells that was being drilled struck oil, making his company, Consolidated Oil, the first indigenous Nigerian company to discover oil in commercial quantity. The epoch making discovery on December 24, 1991, changed many narratives.
Despite his success, Adenuga believes business must have a human face, it must add value, it must have an impact and ultimately, be socially responsible. These are some of the core values that he considers before throwing his money into any investment.
That is not all, he also firmly believes that the world is a field of battle and you must prepare to win, not some time but all the time. He’s a mountain climber like the Tibetan Monk, who believes that you must survive all odds to get to the top.
Incredible tales have been told about his amazing capacity for work. He is known to sleep very little when there is work to be done, and he expects his staff to imbibe the same work ethic. Though generous, he is said to have zero tolerance for incompetence or sloppiness. With him, one must be on their toes every time.
It is therefore, no surprise that his targeted investments and the grace of God Almighty have placed him well ahead of the authentic list of billionaires. His never-give-up spirit is well known and it is this force that has driven him to achieve feats many mortals will think are impossible.
Adenuga has no rival. He is a symbol of endurance, entrepreneurship, extraordinaire and self-made business titan, who is certainly one of the wealthiest black men in the world.
HIS EARLY LIFE
Born on April 29, 1953 to Oloye Michael Adenuga Sr and Chief (Mrs) Juliana Oyindamola Adenuga, the Yeyeoba of Ijebuland, Otun Gbadebo of Ikija and Iyalaje of Ijebu-Igbo, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr was not a silver spoon kid, but his parents were comfortable.
The indigene of Oru, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State was born and schooled in Ibadan. He attended the famous Ibadan Grammar School. He had his university education in the United States. He majored in Business administration with emphasis on Marketing.
While in school, to augment the allowance sent by his parents, he worked as a cabbie (Taxi Driver), putting in many hours of work a week. This culture of back-breaking hard work shaped him for his ambitious business adventures later in life.
HIS FAMILY
Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr is married to Mrs. Titi Adenuga (nee Adewale). She provides the comfort and stability that such an incredibly busy man requires. His children are Oyin, Babajide (Bobo), Paddy, Bella, Eniola, Bimbo, Sade and ‘Niyi Jnr. He also has grandchildren.
HIS BUSINESSES
As soon he finished his studies in the United States, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. returned to Nigeria. His mother was into business, and it was under her tutelage that he began trading. It is probably because of the tremendous impact that she had in his life as Business Adviser that he adored her so much. She passed on in 2005.
Dr. Adenuga Jr, who is the youngest of his parent’s five children, began by selling removable car stereos. Probably sensing his business acumen, he was allowed to run the family saw mill factory in Ogun State.
He began to steadily grow the business. First, he went into the importation of saw mill equipment, then veered into importation of beer eventually hitting it big with his importation of lace.
Recounting those early days, the businessman extraordinaire said he was returning home from a trip in the United States when he missed his British Airways flight and had to fly Swiss Air. On that flight, he was lucky to sit next to the owner of one of the biggest lace manufacturing companies in Austria.
He, it was, who convinced him before the flight touched down to give lace importation a shot. He took this advice and the reward was good. Later, he also went into tomato puree and vegetable oil. He was a sort of Jack of all trades and master of all. By the age of 26, he was already a millionaire.
As he grew older with more financial muscle, he decided to streamline his operations and look for investments in key sectors of the economy to concentrate on. That was how he began to structure the Mike Adenuga Group where he is Chairman.
When General Ibrahim Babangida decided to break the monopoly of foreigners in the oil industry and encouraged Nigerians to participate, Adenuga was one of those who took up the challenge.
His company, Consolidated Oil applied for and was granted some oil blocs. It was a very risky decision and even his mother advised him against it. He spent over $100 million on evaluation, interpretation and drilling. His courage and tenacity paid off when Consolidated Oil became the first Nigerian company to explore, discover and produce oil in large commercial quantities. Now called Conoil Producing Limited, it is currently the leading indigenous oil and gas exploration and producing company in Africa.
Years later in year 2000, he bought over the moribund National Oil and Chemicals Company (NOLCHEM), taking over the government’s majority shares. He has since injected fresh funds into the company and rechristened it Conoil Plc.
Conoil Plc has over 450 retail outlets all over the country and is the acknowledged leader of development in modern retail outlets such as mega stations and non-space pumps in new-look retail outlets. It is the market leader in aviation fuels.
Adenuga’s most ambitious project yet is in telecommunications. His company, Globacom is the Second National Operator in the country. The first is the government-owned NITEL. It is obvious that with Globacom, Adenuga is not interested in short-term profit, he is there for the long haul and of course, his desire is to give Nigerians and Africans world class telecommunication services.
When he launched the network, he was two years behind the others, Adenuga’s entry strategy was to be innovative and aggressive. He waged a price war, democratized and demystified telephone services. Today, the ultimate risk taker has taken Globacom from the nadir to the zenith of the industry.
Glo was the only operator in Africa to launch its operations on the superior 2.5G network which enabled the convergence of voice, data and multimedia technologies.
But more importantly, it launched operations on Per Second Billing, thus ensuring subscribers only pay for actual time spent on a call instead of the practice of billing customers N50 per minute even when the call cuts off at just 2 seconds. It also crashed the cost of SIM card from N30,000 to N6,999 and later N100, thereby making it possible for low income earners, students and artisans to own GSM lines today. It is now one of the most recognizable brands across the continent.
The network currently has over 60 million subscribers, and is the most preferred network in Nigeria, with a vast network of already laid fibre crisscrossing all parts of the country.
The Globacom network comprehensively covers over 400,000 communities, all the 36 states and all major highways. Globacom has highly successful subsidiary networks operating in other West African countries.
Reputed to be very hands-on in the operations of his businesses, Dr. Adenuga, whose daughter, the cerebral Mrs. Bella Disu is the Executive Vice Chairman, Globacom, still gets briefs on the day-to-day running of his business empire.
Glo 1 – This is the only solely-owned high capacity submarine cable with connection to the USA and running from the UK through African and European countries. It has been and continues to be a huge commercial success at the heart of the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
It is remarkable that it is a Nigerian company that has pulled off this ambitious project. One of Adenuga’s close associates said the idea of building a submarine cable berthed when the entrepreneur went on a business trip to Paris, the French capital, sometime around 2008.
While there, he found out that telephone calls to Nigeria were epileptic unlike the connection between France and other parts of Europe. When he made enquiries about what could be done to solve the problem, he was told it was to have an international submarine cable. There and then, Dr Adenuga decided to build Glo 1, and the rest is now history. The project is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit and foresight of ‘The Guru’.
Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr also has vast holdings in the banking, real estate and infrastructure sectors of Nigeria.
It is not hard to imagine that Adenuga is the richest man in Nigeria, and indeed Africa, and of course when one quantifies wealth in terms of liquidity, and not stocks. He is unmatchable.
HIS SUPPORT FOR SPORTS
His passion for giving is not only personal, the culture has also been imbibed by his companies especially Globacom. Through Globacom, he became the biggest supporter of football in Africa.
For so many years, the company supported the development of Nigerian sports through the sponsorship of the Nigerian Premier League and the national football teams of Nigeria when no other corporate organisation wanted to touch the assets.
Globacom spent billions of naira in developing the Nigerian league and clubs, and this culminated in Enyimba Football Club winning the prestigious Champions League twice in a row, while the Super Eagles won the Nations Cup in 2013.
In that same 2013, the company signed a N1.9 billion deal with Nigeria’s league Management Committee. The company also did same for other associations and major leagues in Africa.
Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. also started a football revolution with the sponsorship and transformation of the yearly Glo/CAF Footballer of the Year Awards. He is the undisputed pillar of sports in Africa.
HIS GIANT STRIDES IN CULTURE AND CREATIVE INDUSTRY
Nigeria’s entertainment industry has also received a massive boost through Adenuga’s love for the arts expressed through Globacom.
No company in the nation’s private sector in the last two decades, has consistently invested largely in Nigeria’s entertainment industry like Globacom Limited.
Adenuga’s vision is reflected in Glo’s youth-driven ecosystem. There is no strata of Nigeria’s entertainment industry that you will not find the signature of Glo on it: from music to acting to comedy to sports, etcetera, the list is long.
Glo has come to be regarded as a network of stars. No corporate organization has had the kind of constellation of entertainment heavyweights as it brand ambassadors as Globacom. All through the years, the cream of the country’s musicians, footballers, literary icons, actors, actresses and comedians have either be signed on as brand ambassadors or featured in the company’s commercials.
Some celebrities who have graced Glo’s Hall of Fame include: King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Osita Osadebe, Oliver d’ Coque, Prof Wale Soyinka, Yusuf Maitama Sule, Nelly Uchendu, Onyeka Onwenu, D’Banj, MI Abaga, PSquare.
Others are Rita Dominic, Ini Edo, Juliet Ibrahim, Matter Ankomah, Davido, Wizkid, Flavour, Gordons, Basketmouth, I go Dye, Teniola, Brother Shaggi, Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Osaze Odemwingie, Joselyn Dumas, Michael Essien, Anthony Joshua, Tobi Amusan, Ime Bishop Okon, Asake, Chike, Kizz Daniel and a host of others.
While the commercials that featured these stars helped to market the Glo brand and make it a household name, the partnership benefited these celebrities very well as it served as strategic public relations for their individual brands and its attendant financial gains.
So far, no corporate organization has touched the lives of these celebrities like Glo. The advent of Glo has really been a blessing to celebrities in the industry and beyond. The most interesting factor is that Glo is still in the business of investing in the industry despite excruciating economic realities in the country.
This explains Glo’s humongous investments in talent hunt shows in the last eighteen years. It has sponsored shows like: Rock ‘n’ Rule, GloNaiga Sings, Laffta Fest, and the world number one music singing talent reality TV show, X Factor, which birthed in Africa for the first time in 2013.
Others are Slide and Bounce concert, an entertainment tour which went round all the geopolitical zones of the country as well as Glo Mega Music Show and Glo’s Battle of the Year, which gave the winners a life-changing N9 million prize money, a Toyota Hiace bus valued at N25 million and other prizes.
Glo has also been in the forefront of showing the celebrities in the CNN Glo-Sponsored African Voices Change makers.A host of African talents have featured in the international programme.
Similarly, the nation’s art and culture have also been positively touched by Globacom. From Ojude Oba in Ijebu-Ode, Ofala in Onitsha, Lisabi in Abeokuta, Imeori in Abiriba, Oru – Owerri in Imo state, Afia- Orlu in Nnewi, Anambra State and Abia –Ugwa in Isiala Ngwa, Abia State, among others. The company has through sponsoring the festivals not only brought them to international limelight, but has also turned the host cities into major tourist attractions.
HIS PASSION FOR PHILANTHROPY
He is without doubt, the most generous Nigerian alive. He gives ceaselessly and carelessly. He is an angel of mercy; giving is living for him. One cannot help but open mouth wide whenever they open his philanthropic envelope
Describing Adenuga’s large heart in an article, The Boss Newspaper Publisher, Dele Momodu, wrote “Everyman should wake up and pray to meet and become good friends with the Spirit of Africa. Trust me, it is worth every second of it. Just imagine a man who dashes out the same kind of cars he drives to friends.
“Dr. Adenuga believes that his friends are entitled to the same kind of material things that he wishes for and buys for himself. He has no jealous or mean streak in him in that respect,” he wrote.
Adenuga’s former close aide, Bode Opesietan also stated “Dr Adenuga’s generosity is legendary. He gives personal rewards like no other billionaire. If God has given you this kind of resources, it is not for you and your family alone” he would say”.
Also during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Adenuga was the first to donate N1.5 billion to fight the dreaded coronavirus scourge. He set the stage for other Nigerians to contribute to the management of the scourge. That is typical of the Guru, he leads, others follow.
According to Adenuga “How much money can one individual or his family enjoy? You must spread it and touch lives…that is what brings true happiness and joy. What’s the point if your friend is wealthy and it doesn’t show on his friends”.
There is nothing more to add. When it comes to philanthropy, Adenuga is in a class of his own! Indeed generosity is in his DNA!
HIS PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE
Dr. Adenuga loves integrity and loyalty. Because he hardly goes out, he is able to monitor people and events quietly from his desk and home.
Aside from this, He has had to navigate his way through the murky waters of Nigerian politics. Dr. Adenuga avoids and shuns politics like the plague. He does not believe that he must be involved in politics for his businesses to survive or thrive.
All he campaigns for is an avenue to do business on a level playing field because he knows that he can survive and outlast most people. He considers himself one of the fittest and the best, if not the fittest and the best since he is methodical, calculating and highly industrious and energetic, and does not like attracting unnecessary attention to himself or his business.
Among many of his pluses, Adenuga is sagacious, methodical man, and rewards excellence. He does not suffer fools gladly. Most of his offices around the world are open 24 hours.
HIS LIFE STYLE
You can call him an enigma and you will not be wrong. He is a very shy gentleman, a trait that many mistake for arrogance. Before Globacom, Dr Adenuga Jnr was one of Nigeria’s silent billionaires. He was making his money without fanfare. Then came Glo, and he became one of the most recognizable Nigerians alive.
Till date, he hardly attends public functions and even if he does he sneaks in without any fuss and leaves even before the Master of Ceremony recognizes his presence. He has said to as many that care to listen that he orders to live under the parapet.
Despite this elusive persona, those who have met him can attest to his ebullient nature. He is one man who catches his fun when he is in the mood. He has very fine and elegant taste. A connoisseur through and through.
Contrary to what many think, he still finds time to unwind most times only in the company of his inner circle of friends and family.
Dr. Adenuga is neither ostentatious or extravagant in his style and dress. For him moderation is the value of life. In the early days, it was obvious he loved safari suits, but these days nice flowing shirts which mostly have his personal crest emblazoned on them are the norm.
Of course like all billionaires, he loves powerful cars, nothing over the top or attention-seeking. And as per flying, he has the accoutrement that fits his jet set, super executive lifestyle, which means he has long forgotten what it looks like to fly commercial.
HIS LOVE FOR FRANCE
Dr. Mike Adenuga has always had a great affection for France, and had long established a cordial relationship with the nation between the recent President Bola Tinubu incursion into French territory. He often visits the country, where he also owns property, and has maintained a productive and valuable relationship with French interests.
It was out of this desire, love and affection for France that he ardently supported the development of Alliance Française in Lagos, in the wish to see that its activities, efforts and initiatives could be enhanced, and its reach and appeal increased.
The brand new, ultra-modern Mike Adenuga Centre was unveiled by French President, Emmanuel Macron in 2019.
It is for this great act and his humongous investments that the French president deemed it fit to bestow on him the country’s highest national honour.
HIS HONOURS ROLL
For his contribution to economies and communities across the globe, Dr. Mike Adenuga has been appreciated with so many awards, traditional titles and honours. The most prominent are the national honours from Nigeria, Ghana and France.
In Nigeria, he holds the highest civilian honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), this honour was hitherto reserved for mostly vice presidents.
In Ghana, he was awarded the highest civilian honour of Companion of the Star of Ghana (CSG). According to then President John Mahama, who conferred the indefatigable businessman with the honour at a state ceremony: ”You have touched many lives in Ghana. You have provided employment for our teeming youths, artistes, footballers and many more. I am particularly proud of you. This award is our way of a saying a simple thank you.”
The entrepreneur extraordinaire was also decorated with the Chavalier de la Legion d Honnuer (CdrLH), the highest National honour of France, by French President, Emmanuel Macron.
Explaining why the French Government decided to confer the honour on Adenuga, President Macron, who described the consummate businessman as a true model of Africa, noted that he had contributed immensely to the African and French economy.
Adenuga is an impressive African treasure, business phenomenon and this generation’s Mr. Consistency, and so deserves the very best of toasts.
Congratulations sir!
By Eric Elezuo
From whichever angle one views it, Bella, the beloved daughter of billionaire businessman, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., is an enigma, a point of reference and research material for acumen, industriousness and resilience. She is the typical of the never-say-never spirit of the Nigerian women. Yes, she has taken hers a niche higher, infact beyond the reach of competitors.
Nigerian women have shown resilience, strength and character in administration, government and entrepreneurship, contributing more than their quota, and giving vent to the growth and development of the nation’s socio-economic sector. Among them is the impactful Executive Vice Chairman of the A-list communications outfit, the Globacom Group, Mrs. Bella Disu.
A strong purpose-driven professional and boardroom guru, whose administrative skills, intellect, experience and academic trajectory have remained a subject of reference, Bella, as she is fondly called, is a woman, who though has a privileged background, carved a niche for herself, climbing through ladders and cadres to get to where she presently is, and more importantly, can boast of the desired leverage and ability to defend her position.
Born Belinda Ajoke Adenuga, on May 29, 1986 to the duo of Emelia Adefolake Marquis, a Nigerian entrepreneur, and the global phenomenon, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., Bella received her early education in Lagos, at the prestigious Corona School in Victoria Island before enrolling at Queen’s College for her secondary education. In 1998, she transferred to Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, where she concluded her secondary education.
She proceeded to the University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations, and later, a Master of Science degree in Leadership from the Northeastern University, also in Boston.
In January, 2021, Abumet Nigeria Limited announced her appointment as Chairman of its Board of Directors. Abumet Nigeria Limited maintains worldwide partnerships with reputable manufactures and maintains a state-of-the-art production facility, located in FCT Abuja, fully equipped with cutting-edge machinery and technology.
Abumet is a subsidiary of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, and a leading solutions provider for the planning, processing and installation of aluminium and glass products, from single standard windows to sophisticated facades and large-scale design masterpieces. She replaced Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, upon his resignation from the board. Bella is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Management of Nigeria (MNIM) and the Institute of Directors of Nigeria (MIOD).
In addition to her French National Honour of Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres (“CAL”), and currently the Executive Vice- Chairman of Globacom Limited, she is also the Chief Executive Officer of Cobblestone Properties & Estates Limited, and a Director on the Board of Mike Adenuga Centre.
In less than four years of her leadership, Abumet’s profits, according to Billionaire Africa, surged to 307% in 2024, marking a major turnaround from losses in 2021.
The paper reported of her exploits as follows: “As a Non-Executive Director, she helped boost Julius Berger’s revenue to N566.2 billion, pushing it into Nigeria’s top 50 listed firms.
“At Abumet, Disu is driving innovation in façade technology, deploying unitized curtain walls for improved insulation and energy efficiency in Nigeria’s construction sector.
“Nigerian business executive Bella Disu has led Abumet Nigeria Limited, an innovative glass and aluminum manufacturing company, to record-breaking earnings, with profits quadrupling at the end of the 2024 fiscal year. Her leadership has not only steered the company back to profitability but has also reinforced the business acumen that runs deep in the Adenuga family.
“In a LinkedIn post, Disu, who has served as chairman of Abumet since 2021, shared the company’s turnaround: “Abumet is reaching new heights, and I’m excited to share our latest achievements. I am especially proud of the remarkable turnaround we’ve achieved—transforming from a loss in 2021 to delivering a 307 percent increase in profit in 2024.
“At just 38, Disu has earned her place among Africa’s top executives under 40, proving her ability to drive business success while steadily stepping into the legacy of her father, billionaire Mike Adenuga, who ranks among the continent’s wealthiest individuals with a fortune of $6.8 billion. She took over as chairman of Abumet’s Board of Directors in January 2021, succeeding Bamanga Tukur at a time when the company was struggling with steep losses.
“Since then, Disu has orchestrated one of the most impressive corporate recoveries in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector. Under her leadership, Abumet returned to profitability by the end of the 2022 fiscal year, bouncing back from the impact of COVID-19 and the financial challenges of 2021. The company sustained its profit in 2023 before posting a fourfold increase in 2024.
“Reflecting on this achievement, Disu credited the success to strong leadership and teamwork: “This success is the result of strategic leadership at the Board level, the dedication of our management team, and the collective effort of every Abumet employee.”
“Bella Disu expands Abumet’s market reach
As a 90-percent subsidiary of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Abumet plays a key role in the construction giant’s success. Bella Disu, who also serves as a Non-Executive Director at Julius Berger, has played a ‘much more’ active role in driving growth in the building solutions sector. By the end of the 2024 fiscal year, Julius Berger’s revenue rose from N446.1 billion ($296.4 million) in 2023 to N566.2 billion ($376.2 million) in 2024.
“Profit after tax also increased from N12.74 billion ($8.5 million) to N14.97 billion ($10 million), boosting the company’s market capitalization on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) to N202.1 billion ($134.3 million). This has placed Julius Berger among Nigeria’s top 50 publicly listed firms, ranking 35th on the NGX.
“Under Disu’s leadership, Abumet has strengthened its market position by expanding its sales and marketing efforts. The launch of its Lagos sales office has helped grow its market share for made-in-Nigeria window and door solutions, while its EVONIGGLASS insulated glass brand has gained wider recognition. Despite market challenges, the company has posted record-high revenue and profits, exceeding expectations.
Abumet deploys energy-efficient curtain walls
Looking ahead, Disu is focused on pushing innovation in advanced façade solutions, leading Abumet’s efforts in glass and aluminum manufacturing.
“Abumet is deploying unitized curtain walls that will completely envelop the façade, ensuring not just aesthetic excellence but also enhanced energy efficiency through modern insulation technologies,” she said.
With a strong record of turning businesses around and driving growth, Disu is cementing her leadership in Nigeria’s business world. Her influence now extends beyond construction, telecommunications, and real estate into the country’s broader manufacturing sector, where she continues to make a lasting impact.”
Bella’s trajectory in the world of enterprise is a clear case of the demystification of the proverbial a tree cannot make a forest’, as she has conscientiously turned tables around wherever she found herself, bring in new ideas, new innovations and structural discipline that completely overhauls a system for all the positive outcomes.
Hers, is a case of continuous rise in the business world, and the home front. She is a better definition of a virtuous woman, and at less than 40 in age, the sky holds no barrier to how much more Belinda Ajoke Olubunmi Disu nee Adenuga could achieve in the coming months.
In November 2025, at a Techx Ikoyi event, Bella made a strong case for positivism, using herself as a veritable content and well researched material. Her speech titled, Say Yes Now! Why Readiness is a Myth, is still much talked about as presented in full below:
I was 38 when I finally met my whole self. Bella Disu — the change maker, the creative, the lifelong learner, the woman unafraid to keep evolving.
It’s interesting though, I didn’t meet her in a moment of perfect readiness. I met her after I got tired of constantly walking within the same walls. Today, I’d like to share the story of how I stopped waiting, what it taught me about why we hesitate, and what happens when we finally say yes. 
A while ago, I decided to try something new. Not in business, but in my years-long fitness journey. At one point, I weighed 110 kilos. At another, 64. By my mid-30s, I had found a rhythm: 160 grams of protein a day, strength training four times a week, 10,000 steps daily. Slight work, right? I had three walking pads — one in my bedroom, one in my study, one in the office. Don’t ask. I’ve never been one for small measures.
But it worked. Of course it did. Until one day, I realized this is my life — walking in place and staring at the same walls. So, I thought maybe it’s time to move differently. Maybe I should learn tennis.
Yet, as soon as the thought came into my mind, I hesitated. I asked myself, “Should I do it? Should I wait? Wasn’t it too technical, too hard, too late?” After all, who starts tennis at 38?
Despite not feeling quite ready, I found a coach, showed up on the court, and soon I was playing tennis three, sometimes four times a week. And then, to my horror, I discovered that tennis doesn’t even give you that many steps. All those side-to-side moves don’t count. But by then, it wasn’t about steps anymore. I was hooked. And now I am often amazed at the physical and mental growth that has since happened all because of one small decision. I’d asked myself, “Should I do it? Should I wait?” And something in me answered, “Say yes now.”
But I’ve thought about why I hesitated in the first place. And it’s that for years I thought I had to wait for the right moment, for more qualifications, for a different version of myself. Psychologists call it destination addiction — the belief that happiness lives at the next milestone. So, a certain weight, title, or degree.
And I know I’m not alone. How many of you have asked yourselves: “Should I do it? Should I wait? What if I fail?” We all know that familiar voice that whispers, “Not yet.” So, if the antidote is that simple — say yes now — why don’t we all do it?
We don’t because hesitation is a conundrum. It wears the mask of readiness. And I used to mistake readiness for a finish line. Then in 2014, I met a coach I had invited to facilitate an HR session. And after the session, he said, “So tell me about Bella.”
I froze. I really did. I could talk about my work, my father’s mentorship, even my wedding — which is probably my biggest claim to fame at the time. But about me, I… I really didn’t have much to say. So, I was thankful when he offered me a complimentary session and said, “Let’s talk to Bella from 10 years ago. What would you tell her? And 10 years ahead — who is she?”
To be honest, that future Bella was hazy. But his questions drew out interests and passions I once buried. So he then said, “What’s stopping you from going after them? You can be many things at once.”
So I said a mental yes to his words — and it opened doors to pursuing diverse interests: a first master’s, later an MBA, writing and publishing my first children’s book, impacting lives through the Bella Disu Foundation, and gaining the courage to walk into rooms that once intimidated me.
You see, each step reinforced something critical: readiness is not a destination — it’s a posture. And we become ready by doing.
Today, I’m no longer a woman hesitating in life or business. And that transformation has seeped into organizations I lead. I’ve led through discomfort many times. I’ve restructured a board and redesigned corporate strategies. And I’ve dealt with the late nights, the doubts, and that familiar restlessness that keeps leaders awake thinking, “We have to make this change.”
Yet conviction, grounded in facts, gives me a sense of urgency. And that to me is leadership — seeing what could be and moving towards it. Viewing urgency as a journey toward clarity and not chaos.
And this is particularly important because organizations wrestle with hesitation just like individuals do. Some companies choose to wait for perfect timing — and lose their moment. Others say yes now — and change industries.
I’m sure you all are familiar with these three companies that sat at the same intersection in the 1990s. Remember Kodak?
Kodak saw digital images coming and froze. Blockbuster saw Netflix and laughed. Why? Organizational loss aversion. The fear of letting go of a successful past to pursue an uncertain future.
In contrast, Apple saw the same digital future and accelerated it. The difference? Two companies chose to protect their past and failed. One chose to create its future and thrived.
And that story isn’t foreign. It’s happened right here at home, too. Just think of how we went from seeing the glory days of a popular quick-service restaurant that defined our childhoods to the success and triumph of newer ones like Chicken Republic and Kilimanjaro.
We’ve also seen the rise and agility of fintechs pushing banks to challenge their long-held ways of doing business — and in doing so, unlocking entirely new markets and customer segments.
The companies that say yes now prove that courage and speed matter more than size and comfort. Therefore, the companies that thrive, the leaders who excel, the people who grow — they all share one thing: they’ve come to recognize the mask of hesitation and take it off.
When hesitation says “not yet,” they know that doing creates readiness. And when comfort offers its gentle cage, they choose the discomfort that leads to growth.
Indeed, when I look back at every important shift in my life, it began with a small yes — often inconvenient, sometimes uncomfortable, occasionally irrational.
Saying yes to tennis at 38. Saying yes to learning again. Saying yes to growth when it would have been easier to just stay still.
But here’s what I didn’t expect: saying yes never ends with you. My teams learn to challenge comfort because I did. The women I mentor raise their hands because they saw me raise mine. And my daughter Paris picked up a racket because I picked up courage.
Every yes we give ourselves becomes a light that tells someone else it is safe to begin.
So, right now in this room, someone is sitting on an idea — starting a new business, changing roles, writing that first page, booking that class. Maybe you’re waiting for perfect timing, asking yourself, “Should I do it? Should I wait?”
You already have your answer. The traffic light — it’s already green. So move. Say yes. But most of all… say yes now.
Thank you.
Bella is sure a force to reckon with; in all ramifications!
By Eric Elezuo
If there is a limit to paying dues as regards affecting humanity, Captain Emmanuel Adesegun Sotomi, has done absolutely divine, excellently well and incredibly outstanding. And he is only 45 years. Yes, December 5, 2025 was his birthday.
A typical all-rounder, Sotomi is a blend of academic, field and the unthinkable. He is a generalissimo in every field he has found himself; enterprise, camaraderie, business of 9-5 or flying for commercial purposes or pleasure. Sotomi is the future.
A brief of his adapted career trend reveals that Sotomi has seen it all, achieved it all, and can be defined as human technology transfer in the way he has mentored a great number of youths and competitors and contemporaries alike.
Philanthropism; yes, a lot of folks, who know him are full of testimonies of his open handedness, his love to rescue the needy and lift the downtrodden are phenomenal. He is a lover of humanity, a true legend in discipline.
Soft spoken and well read, Sotomi is a dream of every growing youth, who planned to be thoroughly established before the golden age. He is a role model.
Below is a derived biodata of the fast rising pilot-cum-entrepreneur…
Captain Segun Sotomi is a skilled commercial pilot, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He attended the University of Lagos before going to top-tier aviation schools in South Africa, Canada, and the United States to obtain his pilot licenses. He is currently a captain with Gulf Helicopters Qatar, a subsidiary of Qatar Petroleum.
Capt. Sotomi is licensed to operate both airplanes and helicopters [Licenses include SACAA PL (Airplane); CPL / FAA ATPL (Helicopter)]. His previous work experience includes Nest Oil, where he flew offshore.
He is also the founder and CEO of Southern Shore Integrated Services LTD, an offshore aviation logistics support company, and has a passion for working with, and empowering youths.
Captain Sotomi has served in several management positions in his flying career, and also sits on the board of different top-tier companies.
He is an avid polo player, and is happily married with children.
Happy 45th birthday!
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