This week, Lagos elite club, Ikoyi Club 1938, under the chairmanship of Babatunde Akinleye, rolled out the red carpet to celebrate its 79th anniversary with style and splendor, notable only to the upper class in the society. From a simple press conference and the official cutting of the tape at the club’s rotunda, Ikoyi Club went on to host different competitive sporting activities, charity visit to Ikoyi Prison, a public lecture delivered by the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, with keynote address by Africa’s richest man Alhaji Aliko Dangote. Of course, the Special Guest of Honour, was the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, who was quite at home at the club. Babatunde Akinleye, a successful engineer and businessman, takes us into the ideals that set up the club, its culture of stability, and the lifestyle and character that ensures one retaining its membership, even within a family orientation.
How has your early life influenced the person you are today?
Early life, I believe to a large extent, determines what one becomes. It shapes you as a person. I come from a university environment background, having grown up in a university campus. My father worked for the University of Ife. I went to primary school in the staff school there in Ife. My secondary school was Comprehensive School, Aiyetoro. I studied electronics engineering at the University of Ife and went back to do a Master’s degree in science and that was when it became Obafemi Awolowo University. So my values shaped me for being fortunate enough to grow up in an environment at a time when things were totally merit driven.
For me, everything is on merit. It has nothing to do with who you are or whom you know and that shaped my values and influences that made me Chairman of Ikoyi Club 1938.
Did you have your education in Nigeria?
Yes, all through. I never studied abroad.
But you must have grown up as a privileged child, so why didn’t you go abroad, because at a particular time, it seemed many young people were leaving Nigeria to school abroad?
On the contrary, at the time I went to school, it was the people who were not doing well, who couldn’t get into university in Nigeria on merit; those were the ones that went abroad. If you were brilliant, and doing well, you would go to school in Nigeria! It is when you are not doing well and your parents needed to manage you, that is when you were shipped abroad to go to school. Things have changed. Now the privileged go abroad automatically because the educational system has regressed today. We hoped that we can contribute to improving the educational system in Nigeria. On a personal note, there is a foundation I am involved in, that is championing the cause of improving the quality of education, and making it available to the less privileged. That is one of the ways we can improve Nigeria.
What is the name of the foundation?
Bunmi Adedayo foundation
Who was your role model, your mom or your dad?
Both of them actually. But in different ways, my father was a very quiet but strong willed person. He encouraged me to think for myself and allowed me to make my decisions. My mother on the other hand was in a sense, very definite about the fact that you must do things properly. You must remember a child of whom you are. I wasn’t from a rich family. My parents were in the middle class.
How easy was it for you to get employment after school?
I graduated in1980, so it was easy. We had jobs waiting for us then, with a car loan and a brand new car. That is the challenge now. My generation and the generation after mine were the last generations to have lived in Nigeria where things worked. I know that 15 years ago, in my company, we were looking at buying cars and I heard my engineers who were graduates telling me that we should go and buy Tokunbo cars. They didn’t see why we should spend money on buying new cars for them. I had to explain to them why they deserve to buy a new car, and why they should not limit themselves to a Tokunbo vehicle. That is one thing Nigeria needs to address. People don’t have to underrate themselves and accept that they are not worthy of good things of life. Unfortunately, that is where Nigeria is.
How easy was it for you to move up in life?
I chose to work in a news company which was a startup for me. I was fortunate that I had a boss who trusted my competence and I was their first engineer. It also exposed me to learn and I worked there for seven years before I set up my own business. I have been running my own business now for 40 years.
And what is your business called?
It is called Logistics Science and Technology limited. We do electronic and information technology
How did you get to become the Chairman of Ikoyi Club?
I joined as a member in 1992. I played squash and snookers. About 20years ago, I was invited to serve in the sections committee of the board and basically I got interested in making the club function properly. For me, the defining thing is the fact that this is a place where things work. We are all entitled to the same thing; there is no member that is more important than the other. It is something I have come to believe in and I must pay my dues to make sure it remains so. You can’t want something to work and stay on the outside and expect others to do it. I became chairman of snookers section in 2005 and after that I served on various sub committees of the club and became vice chairman of the club in 2012 and I became chairman of the cub in 2017.
Having checked the role of honours, it is all the big names in the country that are there, people say it is an elitist club. Is it true?
Ikoyi club 1938 has no apology for that. It is an elitist club because we look for people who have contributed significantly to the country. It is not about you being a rich person, it is your character and the kind of person you are that determines whether you are admitted or not. The honours role is a mixture of people who we feel have contributed to the society and we made them honorary members. Every single one of them has played a significant role in the history of Nigeria because that is the condition.
Before you become a honourary member, the committee must consider you fit and they propose you to the AGM. The club as a whole will either vote that you become one or you don’t become. As a whole, it is the members that determine who becomes honourary members.
What is your membership strength?
We have about 7,000 members from different parts of the country.
It is a family club and the members are elitist, so does that mean that their children are also elitist?
The definition of elitist is people who do things in a manner that speaks to quality. We do things properly and we are well behaved.
It means you are grooming special families here?
We groom people with character and values here. The day you no longer have those characters and values, you are no longer a member of the club. You will be forced to change and behave properly. The club is not for every Tom, Dick and Harry to join. You must demonstrate good character and ability to add to the society.
As chairman of the club, what roles do you play?
The general committee is responsible for policies or monitoring of what the management is doing. As chairman, I chair that committee. My role is to make sure things are done properly in a manner according to the rules of the club.
You said earlier that Ikoyi club is a microcosm of Nigeria, which means that people from other parts of the country are affected by what happens here?
What I meant is that, all parts of Nigeria are well represented here. We have people from Sokoto, Enugu, Calabar, we have membership from all over the country. There are no characteristics or any part of Nigeria that is not represented here. And whatever any of our members does outside of the club, can affect his membership here. That knowledge makes each member to behave well.
How does Ikoyi club impact on the society?
When you are a member, if you misbehave outside it rubs off on the club. What happens is that when members know that they can be suspended or expelled, it cautions their behaviour.
You lived in the university community, did that influence the choice of the woman you finally met and married?
Not at all: After I graduated, I moved to Lagos. It was here in Lagos that I met her.
Was it love at first sight?
(Laughs) Yes, I believe it was love at first sight.
What is your tenure as chairman of Ikoyi Club?
It’s a year tenure and maximum of two tenures of one year each. I started in February this year and my first tenure will end in February next year. If I run again and I am elected, I will be able to do another year till February 2019.
Is there anything you are presently doing differently?
The only thing we promised is that we will run the club according to the rules and we are strictly enforcing the rules. What I expect to do for the club is to take the club back to its glorious days when people looked up to the club. We feel we have moved slightly away from it and we want to take it back there.
How about chieftaincy titles, have you taken any, if not, why not?
I haven’t and that’s simply because, I am not interested in it.
Briefly, how would you describe yourself?
I’m an engineer who believes in things being done properly and according to the rules.
When you decided to be the chairman of Ikoyi Club, you must have nurtured some dreams to implement at the club. Have you achieved those dreams?
Not yet. We are working to bring Ikoyi Club back to being a 5-Star Establishment held in high esteem by society as a whole.
You are aging gracefully with lanky shoulders, and youthful look. What is your health secret?
I try to do all things in moderation.
There is also the philanthropic side of you, what motivates you to give?
God has been good to me and he enjoins us to love everybody and treat them as we would treat him.
Do you agree that you are a stylish person?
I leave that to others to judge.
Have you ever wanted to be someone else, or be in a different profession?
No.
If you are not what you are today, what else would you have loved to be?
Nothing else I can think of.
Any regrets so far?
None.
Do you feel fulfilled?
I am still a long way to achieve that state.
Any new hobby you have developed in recent times?
I am a retired cricketer. No new hobbies. I read, travel, enjoy good music and I play snooker.
At this time of your life, what would you say you value most?
I value the love of my family and friends.
What inspires you?
Making others happy inspires me.
Please tell us about your most memorable holiday?
That was my wife’s 50th birthday celebrations. We went on a 10-day cruise to the East Mediterranean with family and friends numbering 45.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is being fulfilled and having happy people around me.
