…unveiling the Mike Adenuga Group’s Alumni (MAGA)

By Sulyman Kolawole Bello

Friends, family and associates will on 29th April congregate around the world’s capitals, in deserved celebration of a man of timber and calibre: a man of steel, truly worth his weight in gold or any precious metals – the Great Guru. Of course; the good Dr. Mike has been around in the Uber-Rich club for about four eventful decades, he has more than paid his dues. The story of Dr. Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola Adenuga Jr. (GCON, CSG, CdrLH) is still being told, but definitely the choicest parts of the story may never be told, even if the man at the center of the entire story decides to tell his own story. Evidently, there are small and big fragments of the story hanging onto the memories of too many of our countrymen, as well as vantagely-positioned foreigners. Absolutely necessarily, a few of those luminous stories will be told in this piece.

Forbes tells us about some of the wealth of this extremely wealthy son of Africa, but whatever we think the Otunba Apesin Ola owns in terms of money pales into insignificance when compared against what he has in terms of people: core loyalists, protégés, business partners, agencies, contractors, friends and others: bearers or beneficiaries of his tremendous goodwill. These are the great personalities who populate the Mike Adenuga Group Alumni; Dr. Mike’s own MAGA! This MAGA is both similar and dissimilar in several respects from the famous American version of President Donald Trump’s.

On the roll of honour: Bunmi Oni, Lere Baale, Tunde Akinyera, Charles Jenarius, Bjas Murthy, Okon Iyanam, Deepak Srivastava, Vivek Srivastava, Vivek Garg, Yinka Akande, Tunde Kaitell, Bode Opeseitan, Timi Ogunsanwo, Joachim Atunwa, Abdul Funsho, Samson Isa, Ade Aroloye, Folu Aderibigbe, Joshua Akinbanjo, Uche Nworah, Chidi Uzor, Uzoma Ofong, Mike Archer, Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, Opeyemi Wilde-Halim, Peter Schubert, Wole Ayanleke, Biyi Mabadeje, Liam Cundill, Ken Hall, Dominic Icha, Sylvanus Ezeorah, Ashutosh Tiwary, Ahmed Ishtiaq, Ashish Misra, Segun Odegbami, Benson Oraelosi, Akin Lewis, Babatunde Amunikoro, Yinka Olafimihan, Harry Iwuala, Gbenga Olonishakin, Debola Mobee, Charles Odiase, Bayo Osinowo, Arul Bright, Sunil Kapoor, Akeem Kazeem, Kenny Obende, Maria Svensson, Esaei Diei, Cesar Camara, Edouard Blondeau, Jean Michel Chanut, Asim Ali, Biodun Azeez, Bayo Azeez, Hardeep Kheterpal, Seun Olutile, Akin Seweje, Pankaj Sapru, Sanjay Mathur, Ajay Mathur, Ajay Pandey, Aref Khokher, George Andah, Prince Dimkpa, Adebola Sofela, Sam Edoho, Obinna Aniche, Omatsola Barrow, Kamaldeen Shonibare, Shade Olusope, Dele Uwefoh, Ajan Agbor, Titi Ebinisi, Opeyemi Dairo, Ade Adekoya, Banji Okubote, Boye Adefila, Tokunbo Adeoye-Laniyan, Trevor Delaney, Patrick Awotwi, Viswanath Nagasai, Derek Obuobi, Dolapo Samuel, Chidi Udo, Amaechi Okobi, Mansur Opakunle, Mobolaji Atanda, Konate Souleymane, Karambir Rai, Femi Osikoya, Seyi Kuku, Onyekachi Nwosu, Andrew Okeleke, Suyi Ayodele, Atim Nkpubre, Lusanda Chauke, Emma Ugolee, Foluso Koku, Ben Ayede, Tunji Folayan, Bankole Ojutalayo, Achutan Kutty, Tony Ananaba, Ayo Asagba, Segun Ashade, Robertson Odii and Dele Babatunde among many others who are in no way less deserving of this hall of fame.

Undoubtedly MAGA plus

If we stretch that alumni catchment slightly and include those extremely talented and prolific personages; those illustrious ladies and gentlemen of the many professional agencies that congregated around the guru’s famed long conference table. They were oftentimes present at war cabinet conclaves, most definitely at the Chairman’s discretion; on a need to know basis.

This expanded alumni war-camp will include hordes of remarkable ladies and gentlemen, from home and abroad – across the major metropolis of the world.
Such a distinguished assemblage will include but not limited to Michael Petherick, Dennis Hoines, Jimi Awosika, Udeme Ufot, Gary Harwood, Liam Carter, Sean McCoy, Ashley Scott, Sugnet Toerien, Torgbor Mensah, Sam Johnson, Kelechi Nwosu, Rafiu Ladipo, Raufu Ladipo, Funmi Onabolu, Steve Baba-Eko, Victor Obaika, Paul Miros, Aderemi Ogunpitan, Deji Atunwa, Michael Mosinski, Lanre Adisa, Tunde Ajijedidun, Bayo Adepetun, Nkoli Ogbolu, Akin Adesola, Yinka Oduniyi, Didier Aplogan, Affousath Traore, Michelle Attoh, Tunji Abioye, Doyin Oduwole, Femi Kayode, Kanmi Da Silva, Chima Okenimkpe, Tajuddeen Adepetu, Ranti Atunwa, Roddyman, Nicholas Kuhne, Akintunde Bada, Thierry Sicherese, Alistair Mathie, Kobby Acquah-Hayford, Gavin Neron, Corrin Magowan, Duncan Irvine, Gary Webb, Jono Swanepoel, Richard Baker, Moussa Elias Moussa, Johnson Davidson, Tim Pinder, Simon Willar, Rick De Kock, Robert Schroeder, Ernie Vosloo, Debby Schulman, Bobby Duffus, Abigail Clark, Jane Simpson, Simphiwe Ndungane, Osibo Imhoitsike, Peter Ajegbomogun, Tiny Adereti, Editi Effiong, Emma Umoren, Ishola Jegede, Peace Isang, Bayo Ajogbasile, Chris Ogunlowo, Kaliko Olowole, Nnenna Onyewuchi, Sola Kosoko, Kayode Olusope, Imaabasi Esu, Dewunmi Desalu, Strephyn Mappin, Marie Awolaja, Lesley King and other members of the creative, media, events, plus technical production fraternity.

There are also many superstars in the music, comedy, sports, broadcast and other segments of the creative industry who are, or were; beneficiaries of Glo’s highly coveted ambassadorship status. Within this catchment, you would find lurking, very many an alumnus/alumna.

What this Alumni Group would be celebrating on April 29 is nothing but their common linkages, perhaps umbilical cord; to Dr. Mike Adenuga. That enigmatic institution fondly referenced as C1 by his men and women: passionate and dispassionate followers.

The foundation of the union is the Mike Adenuga Group (MAG) which is the umbrella body, under which the Great Guru manages his empire. In this behemoth organization are prosperous entities engaged in telecommunications, oil and gas, banking and finance, commodity trading, construction and hospitality, real estate, aviation and other vibrant segments of the global economy. These alumni members are a special breed of people! The recruitment process itself is deliberate and rigorous! The Bull is a gifted fisher of men. In the quest for perfection, he gets to interview every single individual who has ever worked for him.

He’s also a mentor of men and churns out leaders in a unique manner. There is a clear convergence between the C1’s worldview and the very wise words of U.S. author, lawyer, and consumer activist Ralph Nader (1934- ): “I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”

The body of knowledge available to business leaders, students and even practitioners of strategy across the several segments of society will be incomplete without a full documentation of the journey and exploits of Dr. M.A. Jr. We’ve got to establish and document the unexampled methodology that gave rise to such phenomenal discoveries as Per Second Billing (PSB), Big Dash, Super Promo, Flexi, Mega Music Tour, Lafftafest, Golden Super and Quatro among others.

Until those biographies and/or memoirs get onto the bookshelves, all those dramatis personae who were advantaged with ringside seats at various epochs in the journey; are duty bound to document our experiences for posterity. The foregoing makes it incumbent on this alumnus to tell some of the untold stories; in the quest to enrich public discourse and knowledge while also giving a peep into the inner workings of an organization about which so little is known. Yet, there is so much that has been achieved and much more still being accomplished by the Great Guru and his MA Group. Today’s celebration of C1’s 72nd birth anniversary therefore presents a great opportunity to put pen to paper, on some of the most seminal engagements with this man of destiny.

How to Properly Leverage your Event Assets: Case Study of Ojude Oba

Globacom was the headline sponsor of Ojude Oba festival, which was the biggest traditional event asset across the land. Unfortunately, the Marketing Communications (Marcoms) Department was unable to flag off the advertising campaign on time due to a couple of reasons. When it was exactly one week to the event, key members of the Marcoms Team were summoned to appear before the Great Bull, at his Golden Dome in the Bellissima on the Waterfront, Banana Island. Some of the more experienced members of the team already had the premonition.

When we were ushered into the presence of our employer, pleasantries over; the C1 took his time to give us serious ‘flogging’. Heartbeats thumping; not one person was spared.

He thereafter went into his consummate leader’s mode; explaining his pains to us.
I still hear faintly, his pained voice in my head, till this date. He went thus:
“Seated around this table are clearly some of the best professionals in event marketing and advertising. We have just a few days to the Ojude Oba grand finale. You guys have refused to bring the leveraging memo for approval. There is not one man in this meeting who calls my phone and I don’t dignify with a response. When it comes to where Adenuga will make his own money some of you will suddenly forget how to reach me. I am also human with blood flowing in my veins; how do you think I feel? At the end of all these inefficiencies, everyone will get a credit alert for their salaries at the end of the month; only one man would have lost money and that man is Adenuga! Gentlemen, please put yourselves in my shoes. What we run here is a business and not a charity. We came this far by meticulous planning and impeccable execution! Please this question is not rhetoric; I need to hear from each person.”
The mood of the meeting suddenly became mournful and tensed. The Chairman had expressed himself the way we had never heard him before. One by one we all gingerly switched on the microphones on the table in front of each person, expressing our regrets and tendering our apologies profusely. The Chairman thereafter switched to his professorial mode whereupon he delivered a master-class in how to leverage a grand event like the Ojude Oba or Ofala Festival. We deliberated on the appropriateness of each of the major components of the pre-event, event-proper as well as the post-event. In the midst of the palpable tension, the Filipino housekeepers still brought refreshments and our Benevolent Commander unsurprisingly did note which one of us ate Bounty chocolate and who’s previously known preference was Snicker or Mars Chocolate, as well as those who were in the habit of gulping his Perrier Water! Needless to say that full-blown hostility resumed after the much needed refreshments interlude! That episode was a major learning point for most of the alumni present and for those others who were indirect participants. It is also instructive to note that the Ojude Oba Festival for that year turned out to be one of our best ever; as the C1 and all his troops pulled all stops to deliver a command performance!

A Promo is a Covenant with our Subscribers: Prizes are Sacrosanct

As was his tradition, the GG spent that particular Sunday afternoon reviewing the most important of the Group’s project with a cross-section of his key people. At such meetings, the GG knew what chocolate brand every member of his team loved and made provision for them. It was not unusual for the great man to correct the Filipino maids if they mistakenly gave Mr. A Bounty Chocolates when it should have gone to Mr. B, while redirecting Mars or Snickers Chocolate back to Mr. A! He even knew and made very telling jokes about some of his people who were in the habit of guzzling his expensive Perrier water and other exotic drinks. Such a tough hegemon, who at the same time was exceptionally compassionate!

But on this very day, the team was reviewing a major consumer promo which was already gaining traction in the market. The C1 successfully masked his irritation while summarily dismissing the suggestion from one of the participants, who was effusive with his suggestion that the organization could make more margins by not releasing all of the gifts already won in the ongoing promo! The Chairman’s response, I will never forget: a clear signpost of his patriotism and respect for the legacy that his ancestors had bequeathed to his lineage.

“People like you are the reason why the public will sometimes abuse Adenuga’s father and mother. Of course; nobody knows you or your name. Yet, when the chips are down some of you guys will simply carry your portmanteau and disappear into your country! Everyone who has spent their money with us must get every single prize that they have won! Promo prizes are sacrosanct; our word must remain our bond. It’s a Catholic marriage, O yes!”

The Biggest of our Decisions must get the Best of our Inputs

It was at one of those epochal moments when the organization was trying to entrench world-class corporate governance. An abrupt phone call from the GG’s secretariat one rainy evening brought me face-to-face with the erudite pathfinder, all alone in his study; a few one-pager memos awaiting attention on the workspace. Customarily, I was clutching a laptop computer and a jotter, with my ballpoint pen at the ready.

Right from the door, the GG bellowed a throaty laughter and went on…

“You guys are always carrying laptops and jotters everywhere. Today’s not a day for writing my dear brother.” He spent the first few minutes talking about Ibadan land in his own younger days and threw the subject back to me. In a few minutes, I was put in relaxed mode. When I was no longer expecting any ambush, the master strategist fired the unexpected salvo.

“You have worked at close quarters with our Acting COO, from the sum total of your experiences do you think he can manage that role in substantive capacity? Be honest!”

In realization that the Great Guru was staring keenly at me, I did stutter and tried quickly to process my thought. When you are in the presence of one of the greatest entrepreneurs in the world, you had to be composed. Here is also a man who knows so much about his organization. I realized that brevity was crucial, but acuity was definitely of more essence.

As I tried to present a balanced position on the subject, we coursed through such subjects as the difference between confidence and arrogance, the similarities between strictness and meanness. I was pinned down on a couple of occasions by the master tactician and had to explain my way out of some seeming contradictions – algorithms of asymmetric business warfare etc. The most profound memory from that evening’s wow encounter was one moment of Freudian slip when I characterized the MAG leviathan as an ‘unorthodox business empire’, and the GG’s consequent insistence that I dissect the full ramifications of those peculiarities; after which he fired a barrage of forensic questions.

I was struck by the sheer dedication of the great man to his own organization. Of course; he was not under any obligation to consult anyone about such crucial decisions, which were entirely within the circumference of his exclusive discretion. He owns the company stock and barrel. Yet this man was bothered about the need to get it right. This is a man who is acutely aware of the fundamentals and the minutest peculiarities of that behemoth organization, which he with his hands had wrought.

My take away from that evening was his laser focus on management decision dynamics and the need for fairness to his organization as well as the candidates. In other words; it exampled the best of rigorous and/or vigorous consultation across the broad-spectrum of the organization.

Famous Chinese writer Sima Guang (1019 – 1086) may have had our C1 in mind when he uttered those immortal words: “Even though a ruler may be wise as a sage, he must humble himself and yield to others. Then the intelligent will offer him their counsel and the brave will exert themselves to the fullest for him.”

The People running the other Telcos are not Smarter than you Guys…

Early morning sometime in the year 2014, as this author snaked through traffic heading from Lekki inward Victoria Island. It will definitely not be lost on those who are familiar with life in the countryside, the convergence between that cool, soothing hour of the morning and the playful darting of shaggy squirrels, between their burrows and the palm-kernel decked tops of palm-trees. Right at the traffic light in front of Lekki Peninsula Phase 1 Estate’s main gate, the C1’s call came in. My mind quickly ran through the unwritten but well-established pre-engagement protocols for receiving telephone calls from Africa’s number one moneyman; just as the C1’s direct phone number flashed intermittently on my phone; beeping.

Voice booming from the other end; the GG was in the best of moods this morning, as he bantered and moved from core business issues to a few non-business current affairs. Suddenly, the service connection was lost. The bigman called back immediately and explained that he was aware that one problematic microwave transmission equipment was in need of replacement, right within the Glo cell-site around the Lekki phase 1 vicinity. This MAGA alumnus was subsequently mandated to ensure that the massive tonnage transmitter-dish was replaced before close of business on that same day. Sensing my fears as a non-technical professional, Dr. Mike went ahead to exhort me: “Bros, get off your rockers and do the needful. Okay?”

The subsequent events of that day did show me the vastness of the resources of the Mike Adenuga Group, ranging from the financial, technological, and logistical to administrative capabilities. By 4.15pm of that day a major task which would normally take about 24 hours was accomplished within 9 dizzyingly agonizing hours. That episode did provide a peephole into Adenuga’s broad management ways and also signposted his unique, perhaps informal approach to cross-functional professional exposure and human capital empowerment. When the Chairman called back in the evening to find out what his ‘bunch of jokers’ had been up to, the first line of my report was a vintage quote from French writer and philosopher Voltaire (1694 – 1778) “It is said that God is always on the side of the heaviest battalions.” The Chairman’s affinity with the military and his deep knowledge of world military history is definitely a story for another day.

Humour as a Medium for Management Cohesion

Whether it was a tough meeting or a ‘good meeting’, the C1’s jokes were ever powerful and sometimes very expensive, depending on who’s at the receiving end of the bazooka. There was a case of one Frenchman leading an agency’s presentation at the Bellissima. The script was not landing well until the C1 made enquiries from the Frenchman and the entire hall roared in laughter. Apparently it was a pronunciation problem; where what ought to have been in the English tongue was swapped for French and the result was: ‘Pilot’ as “peelhot” and ‘Silence’ as “seelens”. Not unusually, the Great Bull reaped enormous comedic capital out of what eventually became a famous joke, for many subsequent months.

He also had this line at the beginning of some of the presentations, which was a good omen for those who were more experienced in the measured nuances of the MA Group. The military origin of that opener is unmistakable: “It’s your parade, you shout the orders!”

Dr. Mike was also able to offer greetings and crack jokes in many local and foreign languages, which was emblematic of his global travels and magnetic memory. There was an indelible performance of his, which was directed at one of his favourite aides, Mr. Olabode Opeseitan.

At the end of one particularly boisterous meeting, as the troops filed out, Baba’s voice rang out in some sort of singsong in Ijesha dialect: “Ilesa l’Olorun migbe, ojiji re lanmiri ni’badan, e’kan tile d’Eko rara.” Loosely translated, the expression meant: God lives in Ilesa, His shadow reflects all the way up to Ibadan, but does not get to Lagos at all!
There were so many other quotable humorous deliveries from the GG, especially on any of his relaxation outings with the team at any of the cosy locations either in Lagos, Accra or Johannesburg or elsewhere. Commendably, great team affinity as well as group loyalty was forged from many of these unforgettable rendezvous.

The day Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola did not Die!

It was Tuesday, the nineteenth day of November in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty four. There was pandemonium across the land; frenetic and frantic phone calls. Hushed tones in high places; the conversation was all about one of the greatest sons of Africa and world-acclaimed entrepreneurs. God forbid, some said! Few others celebrated within their closets. But Glory be to God! Alhamdulillah, the Muslims chorused. Alleluia flowed from the followers of Christ! By the time the smoke cleared and the noise abated, Mr. Paddy’s Daddy was hale and hearty; discovered working quietly behind his sprawling leather-top desk, humming King Sunny Ade’s epic work – Morning Joy. Wow, all correct; no cause for alarm!

There were however many lessons from that particularly concerning episode. Of immense profundity is the Yoruba proverb about such circumstances. “Kadiju kase bi eni’ku, kawo eni ti yoo sunkun eni, karin irin kafese ko gbau, kawo eni ti yoo se’ni pele… Shasha eniyan nii feni lehin baoba si nile, t’aja t’eran nii feni l’oju eni.” The symbolic impact and intellectual flavour of this seminal proverb may be lost within the translation attempt, but I will still try: “we should sometimes pretend to be dead and see who will mourn, and let’s pretend to stumble and see who will sympathize. Only a few people truly love us when we are not at home, while everyone (including dogs and goats) pretend to care when we are available and well.” That season showed some of the Chairman’s friends, who are actually enemies as well as Chairman’s enemies, who may actually be friends. Yet there’s a category that oscillates between friendship and enemy zones. Thankfully, the Chairman is gifted with intellectual and perceptive capacity of magnificent proportions; and is therefore able to sift the grains from the chaff and the stones. Italian historian, statesman, and political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli (1469 – 1527) offers a glimpse into what propels the success of some of the most successful people on the planet: “A prince who desires to maintain his position must learn to be not always good, but to be so or not as needs may require.” This strategic point of view often shows in the Chairman’s battle deployment stratagem cum formations and we have seen a few in his war plans, yet at other times the Chairman’s manoeuvre preference tilted towards stealth and the primacy of surprise as a great advantage in warfare.

As an Admin on one of the WhatsApp groups dedicated to one of the numerous components of the Mike Adenuga Group Alumni, one has also seen some of the walking wounded in our MAGA. Just like the human that he is, our benefactor is neither perfect nor immortal. Nobody is; including those alumni who harbour either fleeting or deep-seated animosity, legitimate and / or unfounded against our benefactor and mentor: Mr. Paddy’s Daddy. From an insider’s perspective, I have seen some of the grudges against C1 emanating from some perceived inequities about which he was partially or totally unaware; like a longtime employee who was fired on the day he was celebrating his 50th birthday. I doubt if there’s any member of the MAGA who does not know that an employer can fire for 3 reasons: A) any cause; B) any just cause C) or any cause at all! Yet, others got a plethora of favours and privileges, which the uninitiated may classify as both deserved and/or undeserved. By and large however, in most of the situations the GG knew details and had his reason(s).
As in every organization civil or military, some collateral damage may sometimes occur in the Close Quarters Combat (CQC) that happens between and within the Chairman’s troops. In royal manifestations, they are occasional battles in the king’s courtyard where typically influential courtiers or the aspiring upstarts jostle for tactical advantages and sundry substantive favours. Let it not be lost on anyone however, that The Chairman is in charge fully, always.

Well, Niccolò Machiavelli (1469 – 1527) has the right words; a fitting closure: “The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”

…and God bless The Grandmaster!
At 72, the good Dr. Mike is no spring chicken. The Bull is an accomplished navigator and pathfinder entrepreneur; in the league of such legends as John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie. A celebrated grandfather who insists on not being a celebrity, but needs to slow down slightly and eventually take his feet off the pedals. In recent times, he says it himself “I am only one man!” Thankfully, even while I was part of that relentless MAG Empire, there were serious plans being executed to reform the institution into the standard operating modes of those timeless Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in its super-class. As we raise our charged glasses, ready to clink in preparation for a toast to the Grand Ole Man on his special day, it will be remiss of this piece to not unfurl the sagacious viewpoint of French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) “Men are powerless to secure the future; institutions alone fix the destiny of nations.”

As the Chairman was wont to say at the end of crucial strategy sessions, especially when they ran much later into the night: “Alright, gentlemen. Everyman for himself, God for us all!”

On behalf of all MAGA home and abroad, we wish Our Own Dear Chairman long life in good health and happiness. It’s definitely in our enlightened National Interest; may the Mike Adenuga Group abide and thrive, forever.

Congratulations and Happy Birthday Grandpa C1.

The author, Alhaji (Chief) Sulyman Kolawole Bello is a protégé of Dr. Mike Adenuga and is the President of the Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA). He is also the Fiwagboye of Ogombo Land, Lekki Peninsula