Category: Society

To thrive in Nigeria’s saturated real estate sector, you must possess the mien of a tiger and the intelligence of Coeus. All these are rolled into one by Bamidele Onalaja, founder of RevolutionPlus Property Development Company. Since his foray into the real estate business close to two decades ago, he has continued to make landmark strides. When the Chairman of Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) Lagos Chapter joined Agbara Estates Limited as the Marketing Manager to pioneer the sale of “Vivas Home Project,” he recorded monumental success. Thereafter, he joined Refuge Home Savings and Loan Limited (Mortgage Bankers) as the Head of Projects and Business Development, where he pioneered the department and guided the bank into acquiring several landed properties such as the “Beaufort Royale Estate.”

 After carving a niche for himself in the private sector, he decided to resign and focus more on his real estate company. Like the name of the company RevolutionPlus, it infused several methods to make owning a home easy. With a flexible payment plan, allocation and development within a short while, the company gave its competitors a run for their money as it focused more on its targeted audience by hitting the bull’s eyes with its unique adverts, distinct purple colours and influencers. Today all that has given the company a reputation that has made many of its customers comfortable doing business with them. The graduate of Economics and a Master in Business Administration (Marketing) from the Lagos State University (LASU) is known as a man of his word, hence, more reason he has remained highflying not just as a businessman but as a philanthropist of high repute. Onalaja has lived his life for many with the creation of his Chris Bamidele Onalaja Foundation (CBOF); with special focus on  education, child and maternal health, education, scholarship, economic and community development, widows empowerment, water sanitation and hygiene disease prevention and control among others. On several occasions, he has reached out to the downtrodden giving out relief packages. The latest one was during the last yuletide season when he showed love to over 300 people within the Ikeja axis with food items. This earned him a smooth tenure as the President Rotary Club of Maryland, Lagos Nigeria where he performed excellently well. Despite his impressive business model and gesture to the public, some elements are hell-bent on soiling his reputation and that of his company with a coordinated media attack linking his company to fraud. But despite how hard his detractors and naysayers try to bring him down, he comes back stronger and better. He and his company were recently dragged for allegedly not allocating land to a customer who was said to have purchased. According to sources, investigations have vindicated RevolutionPlus. Despite many issues affecting allocation, the company made frantic efforts to allocate to all those who paid and give them the necessary documents that made them launch its instant allocation mode for customers to resolve future issues that might erupt.

Scribbling the bibliophile of Deputy Corp Marshall Dr. Kayode  Olagunju,  some things remain constant and they are excellence, success, brilliance, intelligence, audacity and consistency. Little wonder, since his foray into service as one of the pioneer officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission FRSC, he has always remained consistent and pragmatic in his approach to issues which has placed him far above his peers on the job. He didn’t just get to the pinnacle of his career by fluke, he was able to attain his height through sheer dint of hard work and persistence. Today, Olagunju, who is one of the most popular poster boys in the FRSC, has remained highflying with a meritorious career devoid of blemish with his promotion from an Assistant Corp Marshall to a Deputy Corp Marshall. Regardless of the many clichés woven around law enforcement officers, the Ilesha, Osun State-born graduate of Geography from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has remained above board and remained decent while receiving many accolades for his transparency. All these crowned the end of his foray in active service when he was given a ceremonial send forth that marked his retirement from service after he would proceed on leave before his 60th birthday in March 2023.

 Like many, who went moody when they heard of his retirement, Olagunju was so excited to have left an indelible footprint and contributed his own quota to saving lives and avoiding death on the highway. Amidst torrents of ovation, Figaro, as he is fondly called, also went emotional as he had redolent memories of the good and hard times in active service even to a point when he was shot in the course of his job. The golf-loving officer has remained grateful to his creator who watched over him and kept him away from many evil. Apart from his fine career as an officer, he also had highflying academic records holding a Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D, in Transport Geography from the University of Lagos, Master of Science, M.Sc in Transport Studies from the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye. He also has other professional qualifications from within and outside the country and is the author of several books. Sources say he is working on his professorship and intends to go into academics entirely.

Joe Onyiuke, a lawyer, ranks high on the list of businessmen who deserve commendations for their shrewdness and brilliance. All you need to do is listen to him and he will arrest your attention with his excellent grasp of Nigeria’s business climate. This, he has always used to chart the way forward for the industry on the continent.

 His status makes him the envy of many, as he continues to tower far and above many of his contemporaries. This is evident even in his everyday life, as his profile is continually on the rise. It is easily agreed that he is blessed with the proverbial Midas touch. The trained lawyer is an embodiment of numerous virtues: diligence, excellence, integrity, and, name it. That his workaholic disposition has taken him around the world is a testament to his growing influence and resultant affluence.

 A force to be reckoned with in Nigeria’s economic sector, his entrepreneurial exploits readily qualifies him as one of the most audacious business moguls Nigeria can boast of. The exceptional achiever grabbed life by the lapel and transformed it into an enviable status filled with accomplishment. His convictions moved mountains, his determination shattered ceilings and his confidence dared and achieved success in the strangest of places. That he has made an impact in whatever he does is stating the obvious. As an agriculturist, he is the pathfinder who charts new ways for the industry and he is the president of the Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria. As a hotelier, his hotel, The Grill House in Asokoro remains one of the most sought-after in the Federal Capital Territory for its beauty, hospitality, and top-notch services.

 He recently put Nigeria on the global map with his innovation and ingenuity by marketing the country and discussing how to partner with the Nigerian Institute for Oil-Palm Research, NIFOR, and Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria, OPGAN. As gathered, his effort is not only beginning to yield fruit but has given the country a positive image in the eyes of many across the globe.

Only a few women possess the grace to shine in a male-dominated world most especially in the hospitality sector. For Dupe Olusola, her case is quite significant, she is a shining light illuminating many as a role model, mostly for her audacious stand and ways of getting things done in dicey situations. She has refused to be boxed up by the clichés surrounding women; rather she stood up to the task ever since she was appointed as the head honcho of Transcorp Hotels Plc. When Dupe took over it was quite evident that it was yet the beginning of another turnaround in the business as she ensured she infused professionalism, excellence, execution, and enterprise into what she does and also ensured few changes were made to absorb more customers base and also build the reputation of the brand stronger despite many rivals. Using her dexterity as an avid team player, sterling leadership qualities, the hotel was listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group and has continued to record highflying success with innovation as the by-product of business and executing with perfection to uphold a standard of honesty that inspires trust in every stakeholder and keeps them focused on the common goal to allowed Transcorp Hotels Plc cultivate a reputation for honesty and creativity.

 Under her watch, Transcrop won the 2022 Seven Stars Luxury Award and has been recognised by the World Travel Awards for its flagship property, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, including Africa’s Leading Business Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading Business Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading City Hotel and Nigeria’s Leading Hotel Suite (the Presidential Suite). Transcorp Hilton Abuja and Zuma Restaurant (at Transcorp Hilton Abuja) also won the World Luxury Hotel Awards for hotel and restaurant, respectively. Also the 2022 Travellers’ Choice Award from Trip Advisor and the Travellers’ Review Award from Booking.com. The 2022 Nigerian Tourism Awards recognized Aura by Transcorp Hotels with the Special Recognition Award for Tourism Innovation.

 Dupe has remained a catalyst of change and inspiration to many women. The impeccable feat she has recorded is an indication that regardless of age and gender, capacity brings about resounding success. She is not relenting in ensuring a continuous win for the brand and continuity in making a loud impact.

In the job of policing, AIG Zone 2 and the immediate past Commissioner of Police Lagos State, AIG Abiodun Sylvester Alabi is well experienced for his ability to weather the storm unshaken. In the business of security and safeguarding lives and properties, engaging him would avail you of his depth and witty nature with pragmatic solutions to issues and matters arising. He is a man blessed with knowledge and native intelligence which has stood him out over the years during his astronomic rise on the police job. After enlisting in the Police over three decades ago, he has remained steadfast, dedicated, goal-oriented, and hardworking; more reason he has excelled in the police job with impeccable records to his credit with a quite intimidating resume.

 Despite the rigorous nature of the policing job, the Ekiti-born super cop has made it look so seamless serving in various sectors notably among United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in 2001, elite Police Mobile Force as Unit Commander in August 2001, Squadron Commander of Police Mobile Force Squadron 43 Lagos (Diplomatic Protection Squadron) in charge of the security of all Embassies in Lagos, Lion Building Divisional Headquarters as the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and later redeployed as the DPO of Ikeja Divisional Headquarters, among many capacities he had acted his records are still unmatched and his performance has remained sterling. Like the popular parlance, ‘the reward for hard work is more work.’ With his level of success recorded securing Lagos, Alabi was recently redeployed and appointed as the Assistant Inspector General of Zone 2 by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba with the approval of the Police Service Commission. The Zone comprises Lagos and Ogun State police commands. Those close to the IG averred that; his appointment was purely based on merit as nobody raised an eyebrow when he was suggested for the position. As they were fully aware of his capacity to deliver optimally using his experience, network, and his affable nature to bring out the best in the two commands in combating crime using the best possible tactics in cracking down criminals in the zone.

When it comes to affordable real estate in Nigeria, Aare Adetola Emmanuel King the Group Managing Director of Adron Homes has a mastery of it like the back of his hand. The Otun-Onigbagbo of Remo land’s impact on making sure all low-income earners get affordable homes with a seamless payment plan is one thing that stands him out in the most saturated real estate sector. He has continued to thrive excellently well and remained a force within the real estate sector with massive projects littered in and outside the country. Through his foresight and vision, he created a brand that gives more power to the masses by changing their narrative from tenants to homeowners. Since the existence of Adron Homes and Properties a decade ago, the company has witnessed tremendous growth across the board owning and operating estates across the country with gigantic architectural monuments as its Unique Selling Point.

 If there is one thing the Ilishan-Remo-born Property mogul does not joke with, it’s the welfare and care of his staff. He’s known to always prioritize them at every given opportunity by giving bonuses and creating mouthwatering packages to ensure they put more effort into the promotion and growth of the brand. Today, the Aare Apesinola of Ibadan Land has ascribed the success of the property company to every resilient staff who works day and night just to ensure the company is high flying. When many other companies overlook the effort of the staff, the estate management and development graduate from the University of Ibadan has always acknowledged their effort by doing everything humanly possible to put smiles on their face. He believes that when you make staff happy, they will go to any length just to put the company first.

 As part of the activities marking the company’s 10th anniversary and its usual way of thanking and putting smiles on the faces of the staff, the property company sponsored 35 of its staff members on a 6-day vacation trip to Singapore. The fully-funded trip was to ensure the staff unwind, explore, learn, and expose themselves. This will also sharpen their skill and give them the needed exposure that will in turn create an avenue for them to be better staff of the company.

Cosmopolitan businessman and luxury real estate mogul, Dr. Olasijibomi Ogundele aka Sujimoto is not a noise maker. His resounding business success speaks volumes for him. On his entry into the real estate business in 2014, he made his intention clear and revealed his plans to take over the luxury real estate industry within a short time with a different approach. Many who never believed sneered at him stating categorically that his ideas aren’t workable in a place like Nigeria. For over five years now, with his business imprint, the Sujimoto Construction Company boss is reaping bountifully from his sweat and patience. Without tenacity and doggedness, Sujimoto would probably have been swept off by the turbulent business tsunami. As of today, his company is the most sought-after luxury property enterprise in Nigeria.

 Apart from the Lucrezia by Sujimoto, Leonardo By Sujimoto, and its newest project, Ilu Titun provides the finest of luxury living services at the lowest of budgets to the mass market. In a city that has been termed ‘The Mini Dubai’, in Epe, Lagos, Sujimoto has scored many first in the luxury real estate sector with the just concluded project his company embarked on with new generation Providus Bank on the construction of its Headquarters in Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The architectural wonderment is absolutely unbelievable. Sujimoto was said to have transformed the project into a luxury workplace making it the very first bank building with the most luxurious element sitting on a total land size of 2842.54 square meter. From pillar to chandelier, the building was wrapped with the highest quality products. Swiveled on the ground floor is a spiral staircase that is adorned by a 2.6 meters Swarovski chandelier that will welcome any customer to the warm and alluring ambiance of the bank edifice.

 The soon-to-be commissioned luxury building is also sprinkled with the very best of fittings and amenities from the luxurious Noken taps, luxury spotlights, solar car park lighting, in-house water treatment plant, tensile stress poles, and a future-forward Wakanda-themed ATM building. The building also houses a staff canteen, canteen store, driver’s room, staff crèche room, MOPOL room, cleaners room, panel room, server room, inverter room, 3 store rooms, 8 toilets on the ground floor, 8 toilets on the first floor and a lounge. Sources say when the building is officially launched, it will be one of the most luxurious bank headquarters in Nigeria because this is the first time that the Sujimoto Group has broken its mantra to build a luxury edifice for another brand.

For Belinda Ajoke Adenuga-Disu, doing great is like carnation flowers propelling her to achieve greatness. Over the years, she has risen meteorically to the apex of her beautiful career with unprecedented sterling achievements since she arrived back in Nigeria after her studies in the United States years ago. With her commendable level of managerial skills and prowess, the chairperson of the Bella Disu Foundation, rose in rank at her dad’s communications brand Globacom over the years, learning from experience, starting from the bottom, where like an acorn, she grew from being a ‘sales executive’ to finally becoming an ‘executive director’ and now the Vice Chairman of the brand. Bella’s resume is quite an intimidating one. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA with a first degree in political science and international relations in 2004. She’s currently pursuing her second degree, a Master’s also in Boston but at Northeastern University with a focus on leadership concentration. The Vice Chairman of Nigeria’s indigenous service provider, Globacom, has remained a shining star in the Adenuga dynasty putting into good use her unrivaled brilliance, dexterity in human resource management and kind heart for humanity. Years ago, she was honoured for her contributions to philanthropy and business excellence, when France’s President Emmanuel Macron, conferred on her French National honour of the ‘Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et de lettres’, making her one of the youngest recipients. All her life, she is not known to be the regularly spoiled brat who will wait for her father’s deep pocket or mother’s but would rather invest her time in creating solutions to several problems and working hard round the clock to carve a niche for herself using her God-given knowledge. The Chief Executive Officer of Cobblestones Properties has remained remarkably different from her peers not looking down on the downtrodden. The director of Julius Berger Nigeria, had an excellent year in 2022 with a series of activities as she is set to take the new year by storm posting a video on her social media page on her resolution and hope for the new year. Bella disclosed that she learned how to learn, live and give in 2022. She also disclosed that the kindness in her heart stands her out despite being firm and strict.

For many who know Senator Iyiola Ajani Omisore, the head honcho of Chrisore Engineering Limited and Mechelec Consultation, he is not just a politician of high repute in the scheme of things in Osun State and Nigeria as a whole but he is a colossus who has crossed the T and Dotted the I’s in private life as a seasoned engineer and a technocrat. In everything he does, he is not run-of-the-mill, as he is a near perfectionist, more reason he has excelled politically and academically. The former senator of Osun East senatorial district started his primary and secondary school education at S.S Peter and Paul (Roman Catholic Primary School) and St. John Grammar School Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria (1972 – 1977), he had his first taste of tertiary education in Federal Polytechnic Owo, Ondo State Nigeria, before proceeding to bag a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering Degree from the Brunel University Uxbridge, United Kingdom. He also took a Technological Certificate Examinations and passed brilliantly where he specialized in Electrical Testing methods at the Technology College, Reading UK where he bagged a diploma Certificate in Electrical/Electronics Engineering.

Today when many see him as a common politician; the true persona of Omisore exudes just a politician but a scholar, and chartered engineer with years of experience before venturing into the murky waters of politics as a service to his people. He began his professional life in the UK, starting with Drake and Gordham. In 1985, the Nigerian division of the company (Drake and Scull (Nig) Ltd) transferred him back to Nigeria after he had risen to the management level. He harnessed his managerial skills while he was with Drake and Scull Nigeria limited. It was under this coy that he undertook numerous supervision and construction of landmark edifices across the country like Ogba World Bank Assisted Health Projects for Plateau and Benue States, Guinness Harp brewery, and Sokoto University Teaching Hospital among many others.

The former deputy Governor of Osun State and National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC was able to hit the pinnacle of success in his chosen career within a few years to become a sought-after, Chartered Engineer and a public administrator with an intimidating resume. In the quest for more knowledge and also to equip himself for the task ahead with his love for education, he went back to school to study hard and wrote public presentations on engineering before he bagged a Ph.D. in Infrastructure Finance from the International School of Management, Paris, France. Still not satisfied with his robust resume, Dr. Iyiola Omisore went ahead to add professional courses at the Innovation and Leadership Course at the West London College, Advanced Budgeting Course at the Georgetown University Washington DC, USA, the Aid Effectiveness and Donour Harmonization Course at the Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung gGmbH, Germany; the Public Finance Course at the Harvard University; the Appropriations and Public Finance Course at the ABS Academy, Athens, Greece. He is also a fellow of some of the best professional bodies in the world which includes Chartered Engineer; Engineering Council (United Kingdom); Institution of Electrical Engineers; Association of Cost Engineers; Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (NIEEE); member of accreditation team for Engineering courses in universities across Nigeria; Registered Engineer; COREN; Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers.

After several years of research and academic publication, Dr. Iyiola Omisore presented future-charting keynote addresses, and lectures on world-important discourses at political, business, and academic gatherings across the world. Some of his lectures harp on the significance of seeing in proper perspective the Freedom of Information Bill, Budgeting and Budget Implementation in Nigeria, and Constitutional policy frameworks and Solid Waste Management in Nigeria. He has also authored and co-authored several books and journals published in local and international journals putting him ahead as not just a politician but a core professional, academic per excellence, and a silent private achiever in his chosen field with depth.

Away from politics, the Governor of Kwara State Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq is a well-established corporate guru who has crossed the T’s and dotted the I’s when it comes to the private sector while running First Fuel Limited. For him, his style of politics has remained different and when many ask what a refined man like him is looking for in politics, he often says his sojourn into politics is divine. He veered into politics to liberate his people and also give them the opportunity to enjoy the true dividend of democracy breaking the monopolization of Government by some set of people in Kwara State. His emergence as governor came with the ‘Otoge revolution.’ He was able to snatch power from the godfathers with the help of the masses. Today, those who have witnessed his style of governance can compare what they have enjoyed since his over three years in charge as Governor of Kwara State.

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 During his campaign in 2019, he made some promises on things he is set to achieve. In fact several campaigns of calumny was sponsored to destabilize his government but with the support of the electorate, who gave him their mandate and his rapt attention to the herculean task ahead, he was able to swim against the tides to deliver all he promised to the people of Kwara from education, agriculture, human development, youth development, women and gender inclusive government, IT development, infrastructural investment, housing, sports and a host of others. Today, he has touched all local governments in the state with elephant projects. Those who are hell-bent on seeing him fail are all licking their wounds as he has continued to prove cynics wrong with his unprecedented performance using his years of experience in the private sector infusing into governance and infrastructural delivery in Kwara State. Today, many from the opposition party have come to the reality that he has remained a moving train that cannot be stopped so many of them are leaving the opposition to join him in his further quest to continue the good work to rebuild Kwara for another four years. His good works are speaking greatly of his capacity and his quest to do more.

 For his contribution to quality governance and his uncommon personality, he was awarded as Governor of the Year alongside Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Babagana Zulum of Borno and Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom) at the Vanguard Personality of the Year 2022 last week.