Category: Celebrity

It was American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who wrote that the heights reached and kept by great men were not attained by a sudden flight. While their companions slept, they were up at night, toiling. Longfellow’s assertion is a reflection of both the character and rise of Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, from relative obscurity to the leadership of the richest state in Nigeria.

Even while he worked his way up as an assistant treasurer in a local government, Ambode was tenacious and unrelenting, focusing on his goals and aspirations with supreme concentration. And the higher he rose, the more his humility and sense of responsibility.

Since he assumed the mantle of the leadership of Lagos State, Governor Ambode has set about putting smiles on the faces of residents with a string of projects that have made him the toast of Lagosians, who have been singing his praises.

The unassuming number one man in Lagos and loving husband of Bolanle Ambode turns 54 on June 14. But rather than throw a lavish birthday party, the humble governor is likely to seize the chance to once more demonstrate his love for humanity as he has been doing for the past few years. For the third year running, he plans to use his birthday to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer.

With inflation on the rampage like a mindless bull, employment at record low and morale and hope in short supply, it has fallen to a few courageous Nigerians to do what they can to lift the spirits of the people. One of these national treasures is Princess Kelechi Oghene, the brains behind GMYT Fashion Academy.

The intelligent lady is set to launch her GMYT Foundation, which will give young women scholarships to study different aspects of fashion which would help to remove them from the unemployment market and engage them in productive labour.

Princess Oghene will launch the GMYT Foundation on June 25 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos at an event expected to feature the crème of high society. The GMYT Foundation is set to offer scholarships to 100 women before the turn of the year so that they can learn different aspects of fashion design with the hope that they will go on to become employers of labour in their own rights.

There is no doubt that Dr Adebayo Jimoh, the immediate past Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Odu’a Investment Limited and currently the Chairman Board of Directors of Osun State-based Omoluabi Mortgage Bank Plc, is a thoroughbred technocrat. But many people do not know that the man fondly called Mr Turnaround by admirers has unbridled love for school pupils. That much he demonstrated when he celebrated his 61st birthday recently.

While most of his peers throw big parties to celebrate their birthdays, Jimoh surprised all and sundry when he went with well-wishers to Wisdom Ace International School, Ibadan, to celebrate his birthday with the pupils, who received the celebrant with joy. Before he cut the birthday cake with the pupils, Dr Jimoh advised them on the need to face their studies and to always be polite and civil in their interactions with colleagues and parents.

The founder of the school, Mr Tunde Jimoh, thanked the celebrant for deeming it fit to celebrate his birthday with the pupils of his school; a gesture he said would be indelible in the memories of the pupils and the history of the school.

Africa’s wealthiest woman, Folorunsho Alakija, is one woman who knows how to splash the cash when it comes to things like celebrating her son’s wedding. It was just a few months ago that she held high society spellbound with the lavish traditional wedding of her son, Folarin, to Iranian beauty Nagnin Khosro. The high octane event held at the grand ballroom of Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos had men and women of means from all walks of life in attendance.

But the founder of the popular Rose of Sharon Foundation is not done yet. Later this month, she will once again host the crème of high society, this time in London, as Folarin and his Iranian damsel conclude the rites with a white wedding at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, London.

The approaching ceremony has already set the nerves of high society on edge with anticipation.

With the harsh business climate in the country indigenous businesses face an uphill task to survive. Many of them end up getting swallowed by rising costs and dwindling returns. It therefore warms the heart to hear the occasional tale of a local company standing tall and buoyant amidst the chaos. One such company is Rainoil Limited, a big player in the oil and gas sector.

This baby of Delta big boy, Gabriel Ogbechie, was founded 20 years ago and has since weathered the storms. From just N80,000 capital, it has grown to become a giant in the petroleum export and distribution. To mark 20 years of continuous growth, a lecture was organised a few weeks back with the title “The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry: Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects of the Downstream Sector”.

A thanksgiving service was also held last Sunday at Pastor Sam Adeyemi’s Daystar Christian Centre in Lekki. It was well attended by colleagues and high society.