Boss Of The Week

Emeka Anyaoku: When a Global Statesman Turns 93

Published

2 months ago

January 25, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

With each passing day, week, and year, global diplomatic icon, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, continues to grow in bounds, and wow the world with his touch of class and excellence. At a glorious 93 years, the stateman of international repute is not slowing down anytime soon if his current zeal, carriage and abundant reservoir of wealth of experience is anything to go by.

According to a classmate and contemporary of the revered nonagerian, Mr. S. I. Metu, “from all we now know of Mr. Anyaoku, it is obvious that he was destined to be a diplomat, because he had all the makings – intelligence, friendliness, the ability to get things without offending anybody.

It is worth knowing that among the world’s very and highly respected diplomats is Nigeria’s diploma extraordinaire, Chief Anyaoku. His larger than life figure is further buttressed as he slides three more years into the nonagerian cadre. The world therefore, raises a toast to an accomplished and dedicated international figure as he celebrates 93 years of continuous impact in world diplomacy, politics and humanitarian endeavours.

Chief Anyaoku, before, during and after his glorious days with the Commonwealth of Nations as its Executive Secretary, has remained in the forefront of policy makers, image changers and global builders, and he is a few of these calibre of men, who do not have any kind of scandal trailing them. He qualifies as an enigma, and served as the third Commonwealth Secretary-General.

With his signature red cap, a white collar-like attire round his neck, supporting every apparel he wears, Anyaoku is very visible in every gathering and occasion.

A multiple awards and honours winner, including the prestigious GCON, GCVO, CFR, CON, Anyaoku was born Eleazar Chukwuemeka Anyaoku, of Igbo parents and heritage, Emmanuel and Cecilia Anyaoku, on January 18, 1933, in Obosi, in the present day Anambra State. He was educated at Merchants of Light School, Oba, and attended the University College of Ibadan, then a college of the University of London, from where he obtained an honours degree in Classics as a College Scholar. Aside from his international career, Anyaoku finds ample time to fulfill the duties of his office as Ichie Adazie of Obosi, traditional Ndichie chieftainship. He is the first of his mother’s children, and had five other siblings.

At the age of seven, the young Emeka was sent to live with his father’s only brother, Egwuenu Anyaoku, at Umuahia to start schooling in a very rural school. At 10, in 1943, he was sent to stay with his father’s cousin, Nathaniel Enwezor who was Headmaster at CMS Central School at Agbor.At Merchants of Light School (MOLS), Oba, where he had his secondary education, he learnt the importance of hard work, good character and good inter-personal relations. Records have it that he was outstanding, smart and brilliant. He also showed particular signs of leadership qualities during his young age.

Anyaoku is known to have organised the first African Commonwealth Heads of Government Roundtable in early 1997, to promote democracy and good governance on the continent. As a typical Igbo man, he still honours his traditional duties, serving as a chief in the midst of his international commitments. Anyaoku continues to fulfil the duties of his office as Ichie Adazie of Obosi, a traditional Ndichie chieftaincy title.

Wikipedia further captured his trajectory as follows:

After his secondary education, Anyaoku in 1952 proceeded to teach at Emmanuel College, Owerri in the then Eastern Region, he was there until mid-1954 lecturing in mathematics, Latin and English. He was reputedly an assiduous young teacher, meticulous in preparing his lesson notes. He gave back to his students the best of what he had learned at MOLS while injecting humor into his teachings.

One of his teachers at MOLS had kindled in him an interest in the Classics. His Latin teacher had inspired in him a love for the languages, laws and culture of the ancient Greeks and Romans, and the classical roots of the English language. Anyaoku then decided to go and study Classics at the new University College of Ibadan, the premier higher institution of its kind in the country, which had been instituted in 1948 as an overseas college of the University of London.

During the mid-1950s when Anyaoku was an undergraduate at the University College, Ibadan, the Nigerian nation was embroiled in debates, discussions and demonstrations on the political future of the country. There were controversies on when Nigeria should gain independence from Britain and with what political structure it should seek independence whether as a unitary or federal state. The city of Ibadan was one of the main epicenters of these debates. And the University College, which had brought together brilliant students, lecturers and politicians from diverse parts of the country, became a centre of what was then described as national radicalism.

Catriona Laing, Chief Emeka Anyaoku & Laure Beaufils

Anyaoku was in the thick of this as a student union leader. He along with like-minds in the union leadership campaigned in favour of unitary state, against federalism. They sent petitions and delegations to the three foremost political leaders in the country then, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe in the Eastern region of the country, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Western, and Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello in the Northern region.

Anyaoku in 1959 obtained a London University Honours Degree in classics as a college scholar and joined the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) in Lagos. The corporation sent him as an Executive Trainee to the CDC headquarters in London from where he went on a course at the Royal Institute for Public Administration in London. On 1 October 1960, Nigeria was granted independence by Britain. And Anyaoku was posted back to the CDC West Africa regional office in Lagos at the end of December 1960.

In December 1961, Anyaoku then a CDC Executive Officer came in contact with a twenty year old Yoruba lady, Princess Ebunola Olubunmi Solanke, at a bachelor’s eve party which he and his flatmate hosted for a friend of theirs in Lagos. The princess, familiarly known by the diminutive “Bunmi”, was educated in England at a Christian girls boarding school, St. Mary’s School at Hastings. She thereafter attended Pitman College, London. Emeka and Bunmi were married at the Anglican Cathedral Church in Lagos on 10 November 1962.

In 1959, Emeka Anyaoku joined the Commonwealth Development Corporation. In early 1962, Anyaoku came in contact with the then Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Belewa. He had accompanied his visiting boss, Lord Howick, Chairman of the Commonwealth Development Corporation, to a meeting with the Prime Minister on the activities of the corporation in Nigeria and the West African region. The Prime Minister, impressed by Anyaoku’s answers to some of his questions on the projects supported by the CDC in West Africa, took an interest in Anyaoku’s future and persuaded him to consider joining the Nigerian Foreign Service. After a grueling interview by the Federal Civil Service Commission, he was offered an appointment in the Foreign Service in April 1962. Within a month of his entry, he was appointed Personal Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for External Affairs. There he was closely involved in the process that led to the establishment of the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) in May 1963. Following Nigeria’s independence, he joined Nigeria’s diplomatic service, and in 1963 was posted to its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.In 1966, he joined the Commonwealth Secretariat as Assistant Director of International Affairs. In 1968-69 there was a campaign by the Nigerian military government for the recall of Anyaoku; which said he was not a suitable Nigerian nominee, and they were anxious about his loyalty “to the country of his birth”. But “Emeka had resigned from the Nigerian Foreign Service and Arnold had no difficulty in turning aside the demand”.In 1977, the Commonwealth Heads of Government elected him as Deputy Secretary-General. In 1983, Nigeria’s civilian government appointed Anyaoku to become Nigeria’s Foreign Minister. After the overthrow of the government by the military later that year, he returned to his position as Deputy Secretary-General with the support of the new government in Nigeria and the endorsement of all Commonwealth governments.

At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Kuala Lumpur on 24 October 1989, Anyaoku was elected the third Commonwealth Secretary-General. He was re-elected at the 1993 CHOGM in Limassol for a second five-year term, beginning on 1 April 1995.

Recall that in 1998, the former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, in recognition of Chief Emeka Anyaoku’s antecedents concerning South Africa, and the manner in which he had championed the cause of the progressive movements around the world, afforded him the rare honour of addressing a joint sitting of the South African National Assembly. Also, former President Nelson Mandela wrote the foreword to Chief Chukwuemeka Anyaoku’s book, Eye of Fire.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku has lived, and continue to up to expectations, and merit the positive tags that trail him the world over.

Yes, when a global of Anyaoku’s magnitude turns 93, the international community rumbles in absolute cheers.

We wish the seasoned diplomat a glorious 93rd birthday, and many more years to follow, looking magnificently young in health and wealth.

Congratulations sir!

Boss Of The Week

Nola Adetola: Raising the Lagos Skyline with Oyster Towers

Published

5 days ago

March 29, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

With over 1000 housing units providing for shelter-seeking Nigerians, in just nine years, the influence and humanity embedded in the organizational structure of Veritasi Homes cannot be overemphasized.

Led by its indefatigable and energetic Chairman, Nola Adetola, Veritasi Homes has proved beyond reasonable doubt that its mission of providing affordable luxurious accommodation has come to stay.

The firm, in conjunction with Cooplag, brought the mandate to the fore one more time on Thursday, when under the watch of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and many other distinguished Nigerians including the Chairman of Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, conducted the Groundbreaking ceremony for a highrise edifice, right in the heart of the prestigious Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, called OYSTER TOWERS.

This development is coming less than six months after the Nola Adetola-led team began the construction of another high rise apartment, Allied Towers, in the high profile Ikoyi Island. A testament of how desirous he is about bridging the housing deficit in Nigeria.

The entrepreneur, in his speech, noted that his efforts are geared towards continuous provision of luxurious, but affordable accommodation for the Nigerian public, as a real estate giant, in rewarding partnership with Cooplag, under leadership of Francis Adeoye.

In his speech, the Chief Executive Officer of Veritasi Homes, Mr. Nola Adetola, noted that the project is a bold new chapter in the Lagos’ skyline, and will provide competitive and a whole new approach to luxurious living, especially with its location in the Eko Atlantic City axis.

“Today, as we break ground on Oyster Towers, we are declaring possibility and our determination to do something meaningful with it. Together with COOPLAG, we open yet another chapter in Lagos’ skyline, in Nigeria’s housing story, and in Veritasi’s journey,” he said.

Recalling the journey, the trajectory, and the achievements of the Veritasi brand, Nola informed that “Nine years ago, when we began this journey, we looked at Nigeria’s real estate market and asked: Can we do better? That question gave birth to Veritasi Homes. And today, we are doing it.”

Also speaking, the President of COOPLAG, Francis Adeoye, also underscored the significance of the project and the vision behind it.

“Today, we are not just breaking ground, we are breaking barriers. We are laying the foundation for a future where cooperative strength meets architectural excellence, where innovation meets legacy, and where our members and stakeholders can aspire to live in spaces that reflect their values, ambitions, and achievements,” he said.

Adding, Adeoye intoned that “This is the realisation of a shared dream, a dream to redefine urban living and empower our members. For over three decades, COOPLAG has stood as a beacon of cooperative strength, financial empowerment, and community development.”

Expressing his belief in the abilities of the two organizations, Governor Sanwo-Olu confirmed his trust in their efforts, noting that he has been in working relationship with the team, especially Cooplag.

He informed that having been involved in the groundbreaking ceremony, he would nonetheless be involved in every step of the way, until the project comes to conclusion.

Speaker after speaker, everyone agreed that the partnership is one of the best things to happen to the real estate sector, and would give vent the housing revolution the organisations are dedicated to.

The two organizations later put pen to paper to officially seal an agreement that was meant to materialize via the erection of beauty, style, architectural intelligence, elegance and housing space in the highbrow Ikoyi Island.

With the speeches and paperwork concluded, the guests moved outside, where the traditional ritual of scooping the earth over itself was held, signifying the commencement of the task of bringing the Oyster Towers project to reality within the next coming months.

Veritasi Homes and Cooplag are tested and trusted organisations in the housing and homes sector of the Nigerian economy.

The Impressive World of Indefatigable Investor, Adetola Nola

By Eric Elezuo

Here’s the story of a man, who read his way out of poverty. A man, who is known by a dictum not common to ordinary mortals; the dictum of perfection. It is no wonder that he is credited with the saying, “I am a perfectionist, and I take nothing short of excellence”.

His name is Adetola Nola. He is the Chief Executive Officer at Veritasi Homes and Properties, A.R.N Farms and Commodities Limited, which he founded and signed off to build one of the largest rice milling plants in West Africa; Asteric Asset Management, and Baraka Energy Lithium Processing Limited. Nola’s image looms large, and he still has years before his 40th birthday.

Nola is a typical example of the ‘real’ Nigerian youths, who are steadily proving that the not too young to run mantra is not just about politics, but spreads across every facet of human endeavour, chiefly among which is entrepreneurship.

It is therefore, not a surprise that before the age of 30, the star brained thinker, determined achiever and never-say-never entrepreneur, who has conquered the world of real estate, agriculture, mining and asset management giant, is already ruling their worlds, giving back to humanity and creating leverages that are already making the world a much more better place as well as pave the way for upcoming youths to bring their dreams to reality.

Nola is a standard measure for administrative competence, and the that fact anyone can achieve greatness if they set their minds to it.

Born 1990, Adetola Nola, is unarguably an excellence-driven and innovative real estate entrepreneur with positive energy and experience instrumental in redefining success in the Nigerian real estate industry. He does not only boast of these energies, but steadfastly put them to work and has reinvented a whole new strata of home management, estate development and all round provision of affordable housing for every class of humanity, Nigerians more especially.

A well-read intellectual, Nola is a Bachelor of Engineering degree holder in Chemical Engineering from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He has not left anything to chance as regards improvement educationally as he has just concluded an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) degree at the Metropolitan School of Business & Management, London.

His strong leaning on education and in continuous learning have created in him a need not to rest on his oars, prompting him to attend many capacity development courses, including Strategic Management & Leadership courses at the London Metropolitan University, Finance and Management Courses at the London School of Business & Finance; and numerous seminars locally and internationally. Little wonder he tells anyone he cares to listen that “I read my way out of poverty”.

Ever since he ventured into entrepreneurship, Adetola Nola has not looked back; he has not allowed himself to be weighed down by the vicissitudes surrounding business establishment and grooming, and has consequently, raked in extraordinary achievements under the age of 30, prompting the magnanimous Forbes to recognise him among the Forbes Africa Under 30 Class of 2019, when he was 29.

Reacting to his selection, Nola noted that “It is an honour to be part of this list that features so many great people. Forbes has done a great job compiling and ensuring the credibility of this list since inception, and it is a leading resource for entrepreneurs, like myself.”

The CEO is an epitome of impressive leadership, corporate management skills, and rich top management experience. His expertise, knowledge and experience span sales, marketing, real estate investment, property finance, real estate advisory, management, leadership development among a long list of business and entrepreneur oriented endeavours.

From a mere start up, Nola kick-started his real estate career. He began as a real estate sales consultant with Grenadine Homes, where he recorded a plethora of successes in closing property deals. Every pie he puts his hands is on becomes a done deal. His ingenuity won him a trip to Dubai while at Grenadine. He reported that once, he sold shoes so well to a client that the client felt he could sell real estate, and there arose his interest in real estate.

In 2017, after facilitating projects for other real estate companies, he founded his own company, Veritasi with just one staff – his secretary. But his style of leadership, rooted in eye for details and profits, the company recorded over N2 billion in revenue in less than two years of operation. In his modesty, he attributed the feat to the company’s vision of solving the housing problems of middle-income earners in Nigeria.

From the proverbial mustard seed, the company has grown to boast of over 12,000 real estate consultants, 1300 Veritasi Realtors and over a score full-time staff, today. This is a magnificent leap by all standard.

Nola has remained undaunted in his pursuit of the golden fleece or the green pastures even as he encountered untold entrepreneurial hassles. It has been reported that the man, who today has a Midas touch, has failed severally in business, but his sight on the ultimate goal, kept him going. And today he is a success story. A point of reference, and a veritable instrument with a passion to see and help other businesses grow.

“All the other businesses were learning grounds for us. They failed, but they taught me a lot of things. Because when I started Veritasi, I understood business dynamics and a lot of other things. I am trying to resurrect one or two,” he said.

The entrepreneur’s experience in growing businesses from the scratch to fruition is predicated upon his ability to have either founded or co-founded five other companies, including Noah and Nola Incorporated, Pineapples Luxury Retail Store and Couture 89 amongst others. He is also the current Founder/Chief Strategist Officer of Nola Travels. It is worthy of note that Nola founded this particular business with the sole aim of helping unemployed graduates. That explains how kindhearted he is, and can always be!

Walking in the footsteps of great African entrepreneurs like Tony Elumelu, Nola has a wholesome ambition of raising at least 200 successful African entrepreneurs who will, in turn, create employment and the circle continues. He has, as a matter of fact, been training batches of at least forty realtors and entrepreneurs on business and financial intelligence in his office every Thursday since November 2018. He also helps friends and family members to analyse their businesses, just as he assists the same friends and family members to see to the fruition of their businesses.

In all, Nola has analysed over 40 businesses, and still counting, for close friends and family members in the same way he has helped in restructuring about 20 of these businesses free of charge.

His corporate social responsibility has grown in leaps and bounds, affecting lives and giving hope to as many that he has come in contact with. He is presently championing the emergence of smarter communities with green energy in Nigeria while developing and providing properties that are timely in delivery, cost-effective, energy efficient, and durable. He is also a strategic investor with investments in the automobile industry, fashion and agriculture. His catalogue of palliatives for the good of his people has remained green even as he is still a very young man.

Nola is a thoroughbred inspirational speaker as well as a resource person in many affairs of life. While impacting his community, he has acted as a resource person at many learning and discourse sessions. He has also spoken in many local and international conferences including University of Mazda, Abu Dhabi and Property Investment & Homebuyers Show, London and others.

In his quest to further affect humanity, he has partnered with a number of NGOs with the aim of eradicating poverty and establishing a positive legacy. His belief in entrepreneurship has given him leverage to solve the challenge of unemployment and poverty in Africa. He has therefore, created platforms where people can work and learn to build companies of their own.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Nola is not new to awards considering his humongous achievements. He has to his credit multiple local and international awards among which are Most Enterprising Student from Obafemi Awolowo University; Most Innovative Staff from Grenadine Homes; Best Intern in Operations from NNPC; Young Real Estate CEO Speaker from Property Investment Show, London and Fastest Growing Entreprenuer from Grapevine Real Estate.

Nola is a force to reckon with, and had started from the earliest of stages to create the accolades that follows him today, even at his youthful age.

THE PRESTIGIOUS CAMBERWALL ESTATE, LEKKI

Recently, Nola’s company unveiled an ambitious site and services scheme in Lekki, called Camberwall Estate. This magnanimous project is coming just after the Star City Garden in Ibeju-Lekki was first released. The estate consists of service plots.

A must buy and home to every lover of affordable luxury, Camberwall, a homely estate, which is located along Eleko Beach and opposite Amen Estate in Ibeju-Lekki Council, is a few minutes drive to Lagos Business School, and proposed airport. There is no doubt that it is an investor’s delight.

Speaking about the estate, Nola said it is a residential haven designed to provide affordable experience in a conducive and serene environment. He added that the estate is designed to accommodate modern state of the art facilities like interlocked road, clinic and security beautiful landscape, drainages, street lights, and estate club houses.

That is not all, it comprises a central designed architectural piece of accommodation, which provides residents with an ideal believe of tranquility and modern convenience. As part of his innovations, he is replicating noiseless and smart homes in Nigeria.

Nola does not only have a Midas touch in business, he is a stickler to excellence, decorum and the best of services. Little wonder he rolled out the drums to celebrate staff and clients as the year 2021 wound down in a most elaborate end of year party. He is by all means the class of technocrats capable of turning the economic fortunes of the nation, Nigeria around, and needs to be giving a chance.

A typical Epicurus son, Nola is a lover of good things including splendid food, neatly and smartly tailored apparels and worthy vacations to ease the stress and rejuvenate the mind.

Welcome to the impressive world of the indefatigable investor, Adetola Nola!

Boss Of The Week

Fola Adeola to Head Tinubu’s Petroleum Task Force

Published

3 weeks ago

March 14, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

From his comfort zone, after meritoriously guiding the broad brand, Guaranty Trust Bank, to a height high enough to draw international comparisons in quality and service delivery, co-founder, Mr. Fola Adeola, attracted attention, bagging a presidential appointment as the Head of a nine-member Presidential Petroleum Reform and Value Optimization Task Force.

The appointment, approved on Friday by President Bola Tinubu, places a mandate on Adeola and his team to design and coordinate the next phase of structural reforms in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

The appointment was announced in a statement by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga as follows:

PRESIDENT TINUBU ESTABLISHES TASK FORCE ON PRESIDENTIAL PETROLEUM REFORM & VALUE OPTIMISATION

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the establishment of a Presidential Petroleum Reform & Value Optimisation Taskforce to design and sequence the next phase of structural reforms in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

Mr Fola Adeola, co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank and founder and chairman of the Fate Foundation, is the Task Force’s chairman. As chairman, he will coordinate the group’s work and ensure the timely delivery of its mandate.

Other members of the Taskforce are: Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, Osagie Okunbor, Abubakar Suleiman, Adaeze Aguele, Farouk Gumel, Phillipa Osakwe-Okoye and Seyi Bella.

Mofoluwasho Fadayomi will serve as secretary.

As constituted, the Taskforce is a time-bound, high-level executive working group tasked with producing execution-ready reform blueprints that will consolidate ongoing reforms, unlock capital within the petroleum sector, and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leading global energy investment destination.

The initiative reflects the President’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s petroleum industry into a more competitive, transparent, and value-maximising sector capable of driving long-term economic growth, macroeconomic resilience, and industrial development.

It will operate as a technical reform body rather than a representative committee, engaging industry operators, regulators, investors, and civil society as consultees while focusing on actionable policy design and implementation strategies.

The Taskforce will report directly to the President and provide monthly progress memoranda. An interim report will be submitted after three months, while the final outputs are expected within six months of inauguration.

President Tinubu expects the Task Force to deliver three major reform blueprints.

One of the deliverables is the Implementation Toolkit for Immediate Structural Fixes – including draft legislative amendments, executive instruments, and institutional restructuring proposals.

The second deliverable is the Capital & Liquidity Acceleration Blueprint, aimed at unlocking $5–10 billion in sectoral liquidity while safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereign interests.

The third blueprint will focus on the National Energy Transformation Strategy – a ten-year roadmap with measurable targets for production, foreign exchange earnings, GDP contribution, and cost competitiveness.

President Tinubu has directed all Ministries, Departments, Agencies, regulators, and relevant institutions to provide full technical support to the Taskforce and to submit inventories of ongoing initiatives to ensure alignment with the emerging reform framework.

In furtherance of this directive, President Tinubu has also directed all existing committees, teams, and working groups established under various reform initiatives within the sector to align their activities, reporting structures, and work programmes with the new Task Force.

The streamlining will ensure coordination, avoid duplication of mandates, and provide institutional clarity, thereby ensuring coherence in the petroleum sector reform architecture.

The President has also directed that all relevant documentation, institutional knowledge, and ongoing workstreams should be made available to the Taskforce to support the development and implementation of its comprehensive reform framework.

The creation of the Taskforce represents a strategic presidential instrument to accelerate petroleum sector reforms, strengthen governance architecture, optimise national energy assets, and position Nigeria’s petroleum resources as a foundation for sustainable economic transformation.

The Taskforce will automatically dissolve upon submission and acceptance of its final report.

Fola chairs the committee alongside reputable industry and financial sector experts, including Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, Osagie Okunbor, Abubakar Suleiman, Adaeze Aguele, Farouk Gumel, Phillipa Osakwe-Okoye, and Seyi Bella with Mofoluwasho Fadayomi will serve as secretary.

President Tinubu tasked the committee with producing execution-ready reform blueprints that will consolidate ongoing reforms, unlock capital within the petroleum sector, and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leading global energy investment destination.

The committee’s establishment comes after President Tinubu announced Presidential Executive Order 09 on February 13, 2026, that mandates direct remittance of all government petroleum revenue to the federation account.

THE CAREER TRAJECTORY OF FOLA ADEOLA

Beyond being a financial wizard, Adeola has once tried his hands in politics, aiming for the number position of the Nigerian nation as the vice president. That was when ran with the present National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu under the umbrella of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Born on January 10, 1954, Adeola is an alumnus of Methodist Boys High School, Lagos, and Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Diploma in Accounting in 1975.

He became a Chartered Accountant in 1980 following his training with Deloitte, Haskins and Sells and D.O. Dafinone & Company (both Chartered Accountants). Over the years he has received professional development training at Harvard Business School, INSEAD, and the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland.

In 1999, he completed a one-year sabbatical at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Jos, Nigeria, where he carried out research on economic development and job creation policies.

Adeola co-founded one of Nigeria’s biggest banks, now a holding company, the Guaranty Trust Holding Company, owner of Guaranty Trust Bank, together with Tayo Aderinokun in 1990. He served as its Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director from inception until 2002.

He is also the founder of FATE Foundation and chairman of Main One, Nigeria’s leading telecom company.

In the public sector, Fola served as the past board chairman of the National Pension Commission from December 2004 to June 2006. He also at one time chaired the Lagos State Disaster Relief Committee.

He was decorated as Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in December 2002 by then President Olusegun Obasanjo. He also has an honorary doctorate from Nkumba University, Ntebbe, Uganda.

In 2009, he won Banker of the Decade award by the Vanguard Newspaper group. Other awards trailing the accomplished bank include Distinguished Famous Alumni award by Yaba Tech Zik Leadership in 2003, and This Day Awards 2011 – Change Makers in Social Entrepreneurship.

Adeola is married to Hajara, and they are blessed with six children.

Boss Of The Week

Prof Jide Owoeye: When a Distinguished Academic Turns 70

Published

1 month ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

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