By Malachy Uzendu
Dr. Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola Adenuga Jr was born on 29th April, 1953, 71 years ago, to the family of Oloye Michael Agbolade Adenuga snr, a schoolteacher. His mother, Omoba Juliana Oyindamola Adenuga (née Onashile, of Okesopin, Ijebu Igbo), was a businesswoman of royal Ijebu descent.
With that modest background, Mike Adenuga jnr, though never a golden spoon child, attained the peak in businesses even though he never had all the goodies early in life. But, navigating through the challenges and vagaries, he passed through secondary school education at the Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo state, and later, at the Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro, where he secured his Higher School Certificate (HSC).
Focusing on his dreams, not letting difficulties and distrations which abound in the rough Nigerian environment deter him, he travelled abroad, took to taxi driving, succefully raised few bucks, in addition to some menial jobs to augment what he earned as a taxi driver to pay for his university studies.
Regardless it was tough, he bagged degrees in Business Administration at the Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Pace University, New York, what a feat! What a tenacity of purpose!
According to some writers, “Adenuga made his first million in 1979, at the age of 26, selling lace and distributing soft drinks”. He is said to have delved into commodity marketing and merchandising, probably selling groundnuts or palm kernels. Important thing is that whatever he did, he did with dignity and panache and it paid off.
“His big breaks came in 1990 when he received a drilling licence. In 1991, his Consolidated Oil company struck oil in the shallow waters of south-western Ondo state, making him the first indigenous oil company to do so in commercial quantity,” wrote Dan Aibangbe, in one of his write-ups while celebrating Dr. Adenuga jnr.
Having put his hands on several concerns, almost working 48 hours in a day, having sleepless nights, completely pushing aside the dangers of mosquito bites, our major nightmare in this part of the globe, Dr. Adenuga, the Enyi 1 in the Nigerian sporting arena, was convinced he didn’t have to be a local champion to make it big.
No wonder after all the turpsy turvy, the push and shove, the usual frustrations in the murky waters of Nigerian business environment, he took his Globacom company and landed big in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Benin Republic.
Before tgen, he owned large shares in the former Equitorial Trust Bank (now Sterling Bank) and Conoil (formerly Consolidated Oil Company). He equally has business interests in the construction giant, Julius Berger and other not so exactly, but can be described as smaller enterprises holding fort successfully through chains of real estate firms.
Only a few are aware that but for the doggedness and tenacity of Dr. Adenuga Jnr, Glo would have had been a still birth. It is therefore important to state that perspiration was always part of her straddles. It is noteworthy that the licence fee paid for the initial deposit for the registration of Globacom was lost due to untidy bureaucracy by the managers and bankers that handled the initial transaction.
But, given his never-say-die disposition, he was successful to be issued a conditional GSM licence in 1999, which was later, most unfortunately, revoked. He did not take the no of that unfortunate moment for an answer. When the federal government through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) held another GSM licencing auction in 2003, Dr. Adenuga Jnr. shoved aside the misfortunes of 1999 , bidded again and succeeded big time.
So, with the tenacity and dogged disposition to confronting and surmounting challenges no matter the magnitude, he rightfully overcome and here we are with a sound and sure footed indigenous telecommunications giant that compete favourably globally, Glo, known more for the several, almost innumerable promotional programmes that has benefitted several people who are now proud owners of well-built and furnished houses, cars, mini-buses, tricycles, several household items and electronic gadgets, not excluding cash gifts and assorted gift items. In fact, Glo is the only telecommunications company that has directly impacted on Nigerians more than any of its competitors, including the ones repatriating billions of naira outside the shores of Nigeria. He has also single-handedly sponsored several cultural festivals, including the Offala Festival in Onitsha, and has empowered Nigerians in their numbers to venture into several businesses.
Aside the thousands of Nigerians positively impacted by Dr. Adenuga jnr’s benevolence, musicians, Nollywood stars, comedians and several others in the creative industry are daily singing lullaby in his name. They will not be left behind among those celebrating this great Nigerian since April 29.
According to Onochie Anibueze, the ace sports editor and Editor, Vanguard newspapers on Saturday, “the sports family which I’m part of will remain grateful to this great visionary of our time. And we know he is still with us, but the administrators must get their acts right to attract more of his goodies again”. Onochie recounted how Adenuga’s golden hands almost immediately transformed the almost dying sporting fraternity in Nigeria, nay, Africa. “As Adenuga marks his birthday today (April 29), it is my prayer that God continues to bless him with many more years in good health and prosperity”.
The ace sports editor and analyst, recounted how Globacom “became the sponsors of the National League, the national football teams and the supporters club. They went into athletics and sponsored the Lagos Half Marathon. They have had a hand in golf and Squash Racket. When Nigeria hosted the Under 17 FIFA World Cup in 2009 Globacom was one of the sponsors. They have become synonymous with sports in Nigeria. But have their efforts yielded commensurate results? I wouldn’t say so. But that has been largely no fault of theirs,” he stressed.
And recounting what the company invested as at then, Globacom’s Regional Director, Marketing communications, Charles Janarius said some time ago in Lagos, “we have invested about N9 billion into sports in Nigeria in the nine years we have existed.” What an act of patriotism!
There is no mistaking the fact that from the the Mike Adenuga Towers to Bella’s Place and everywhere his life touched, the jinglebells are ringing, red ribbons are being mounted and dangling, being blown about glowingly by the wind. Dr. Adenuga is 71 and may God grant him more years ahead.
Dr. Adenuga, unlike most Nigerian businessmen is natural, real, down to earth and unassuming. And right through all the business concerns his Midas touch touched, including his numerous media friends and admirers, it is eureka and best wishes to Dr. Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Ishola Adenuga Jr. May your days continue to stretch longer in good health and peace of mind.
“People who are close to him or followed the trajectory of his life diligently say Dr. Adenuga Jnr always administered his chains of businesses so efficiently that each of the businesses have become not just success stories over a short period, but rank among the global best in all ramifications,” writes Ebubechukwu Chidozie in The AUTHORITY newspapers.
The Septuagenarian is no doubt cerebrated globally. From his impactful private cum public assignments, there have been garlands of honours bestowed on him. Some instances will suffice. In Paris, France, he was decorated with the national honour of Commander of the Legion of Honour. In Ghana, he was bestowed with the Companion of the Star of Ghana. And here in Nigeria, he holds the highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), hitherto exclusively reserved for Heads of State and Presidents.
In a country where the perfidious lifestyle of the wealthy and the affluent oozes like stench, bubbling the psyche of the ordinary, Dr. Adenuga Jnr, clearly distinguishes himself as far outside such insane attitude. He remains modest, not pushed to extravagance even though he can afford to do so, but channels his wealth to grow the society. He does not believe in creating stupendous perfidy just to show off.
No wonder several people believe he was cut out to be a man of God. This is because he lives the Bible practically, not needing any pulpit to preach the gospel. He lives it, acts it, even though not deliberately set out to be a preacher.
As he marks his 71 years, what else can one do but commend him to the hands of God to continue to guard, guide and shower him with bountiful years ahead in good health. May his family continue to enjoy his infectious smiles and laughter. Its all eureka to him and may God continue to keep him blessed.
