SINCE her graduation a few months ago, Florence, aka DJ Cuppy, the daughter of billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, has been living her dreams. The fast-rising female disc jockey who is now running her Master’s programme in Business Music Management played host to friends at a house warming for a new apartment in New York last weekend.
The twenty-one-year-old entrepreneur is big in London and also plays regularly in Dubai and Paris.
Year 2014 will go down as the year of personal resurgence for oil magnate Femi Otedola, the man who rose from the brinks of bankruptcy to prosperity. Just when he was about to be written off and all sorts of darts were thrown in his direction, the resuscitation of his oil business brought him back to global reckoning.
The oil magnate reportedly made $398 million between March and June 2014. He is on the cover of the November edition of Forbes Africa Magazine, where an extensive feature is devoted to his magical rise. The piece on Otedola is titled The Billionaire Who Bounced Back. Otedola had enjoyed a brief stay on Forbes’ billionaires list in 2009 but dropped out of the rankings shortly after as shares of his African Petroleum (now Forte Oil) plunged by more than 80 per cent in the wake of the crises that engulfed the Nigerian stock market.
With the recent surge in Forte Oil shares, Otedola’s fortune is put at over $1 billion.
The furore generated by their disagreement years ago notwithstanding, Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his colleague in the billionaire’s club, Femi Otedola, have exhibited the kind of maturity not commonly displayed by aristocrats towards one another. The two buddies have continued to show that their bond transcends business or any other primordial interest. It is more a matter of love and mutual respect.
This much they have demonstrated on several occasions, including the one of last weekend when Aliko Dangote put other pressing schedules on hold to show up at Kudeta Lounge to give his solidarity support to Otedola’s daughter, Ife, popularly known as DJ Cuppy. The occasion was the launch of DJ Cuppy’s maiden album, which also attracted top Nigerian artistes.
That Dangote and Otedola had a quarrel that became public knowledge a few years ago is no longer news. Those were the days it looked like they would never be on talking terms again because theirs was profiled as one of the bitterest aristocratic feuds in modern day Nigeria. It took the intervention of highly placed Nigerians to douse the tension their quarrel generated.
But the two businessmen have since moved on. During the burial ceremony of Femi Otedola’s father, the late Sir Michael Otedola a few months ago, Dangote was on ground to support his friend.
Oil magnate and business mogul, Femi Otedola, is a very happy man at the moment. It is not about his bulging bank accounts or the appreciating stock of Forte Oil. It is about the success story of his daughter, Ife a.k.a. DJ Cuppy, who graduated from one of the world’s most prestigious institutions, King’s College, London, on Monday.
Otedola is no doubt a proud father on account of the new feat attained by his brilliant daughter, who as a student is already making a lot of impact in the music and entertainment industry. And what is more, Ife graduated with a Second Class Upper in Business Management.
And the 21-year old disc jockey is not relenting on her oars. She has already secured admission into New York University for her Master’s degree programme. She will be moving to the United States in a matter of weeks to get busy again with lectures.
Justice Adebukola Banjoko of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Gudu, Abuja, has cautioned a former Chairman of the House of Representatives ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Regime and its ex-Secretary, Farouk Lawan, and Boniface Emenalo against using delay tactics to frustrate their trial.
The judge issued the caution yesterday when the planned commencement of trial in the case against Lawan and Emenalo was stalled because of the application for a stay of proceedings filed before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, by the accused persons.
Lawan and Emenalo were re-arraigned on a seven-count charge before Justice Banjoko on June 11.
They are accused of receiving bride and abusing their offices in relation to the allegation that they received $620, 000 as bribe from the Chairman, Zenon Oil and Gas, Mr Femi Otedola.
They allegedly took the bribe ostensibly to exclude the names of Otedola’s companies – Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited and Synopsis Enterprises Limited – from the list of companies found to have “defrauded” the Federal Government of billions of naira.
The accused were earlier arraigned on the same charge before Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi (formerly of the FCT High Court, Maitama) before his elevation to the Court of Appeal some months ago.
Justice Banjoko, after the proceedings of June 11, adjourned till July 7 for the commencement of the trial.
But yesterday, defence lawyer, Akinyemi Aremu, informed the court that the accused had appealed an earlier decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, to the Supreme Court.
They were also said to have applied to the Court of Appeal for a stay of proceedings before the trial court.
“The matter is slated for hearing today. However, we have filed a motion for a stay of proceedings at the Court of Appeal, dated July 4. As settled in plethora of decisions, the proper and tidy thing to do is to stay proceedings pending a resolution of the motion at the Court of Appeal
“The nature of our application is preservatory: once steps are taken, it will destroy the res in the matter. If the court proceeds with the hearing of the matter, the application would have been rendered nugatory,” Aremu said.
He sought an adjournment.
The lead prosecution lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), did not oppose the request for an adjournment.
But he expressed disappointment that the accused persons’ application for a stay of proceedings, filed on July 4, was meant to frustrate the speedy hearing of the case.
Awomolo, who said he would contest the accused persons’ application for stay of proceedings, asked the court for short adjournment on the ground that it was now the tradition of the court to accord criminal cases expeditious hearing.
Ruling, Justice Banjoko observed that “this is a classic case of delay tactics by the defendants’ counsel. I urge lawyers to rely on their competence rather than employ delay tactics in the defence of their cases.”
She adjourned to October 28 for parties to report development at the Court of Appeal and possible hearing of the case.
Celeb Watch has gathered that the Chairman of Forte Oil, Femi Otedola, has picked a new date for the burial of his late father, Sir Michael Otedola. Odoragunsin, Epe, Lagos home of the Otedolas is expected to glow to no end in the next few days as Femi will be giving the late former governor of Lagos State a befitting burial.
According to information gathered by Celeb Watch, the date earlier chosen by Femi had to be changed after a request from the Lagos State Government that it should be fully involved in the burial of the deceased former governor.
The burial rites of Sir Micheal Agbolade Otedola are, therefore, billed to commence with a commendation service at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday May 28. This will be followed by the wake on Thursday May 29 at his residence in Odoragunsin. Interment will follow on Friday, May 30, 2014.
Already, one of Nigeria’s biggest bands has been contracted to entertain the powerful guests expected at the event. President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to lead the Federal Government delegation, as Femi shares an uncommon bond with the President’s family. Celeb Watch has also gathered that the family, led by Femi, will launch another foundation for the late elder statesman. While information about the focus of the foundation is still sketchy, it was gathered that the welfare of senior citizens would be its ultimate target.
Odoragunsin, Epe, Lagos, will be the cynosure of all eyes in the next few weeks as billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, prepares for the burial of his late father, Sir Michael Otedola, a former governor of Lagos State.
The influential Chairman of Zenon Oil is said to be pulling all the strings in the bid to give his deceased father a befitting burial. As you read this, Femi and his siblings are holding meetings in respect of the burial. His army of wealthy friends are also said to be warming up to honour the late father of one of their own.
Sir Otedola, who passed on at his private residence in Epe, Lagos State, a few days ago, was born on July 16, 1926 into a Muslim family at Odoragunsin, Epe, in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State. After moving to Lagos to pursue his education, he won a scholarship to study Journalism at the Regent Street Polytechnic in London where he graduated in 1958.
He began his career as a teacher before working as a reporter with the St. Pancras Chronicle, then as a reporter and later sub-editor with The Guardian and The Times in England. On his return to Nigeria in 1959, he became an information officer with the Western Nigeria government, and and was later appointed the Editor of Western Nigeria Illustrated. In 1961, he moved into public relations, working for Western Nigeria Television/Western Broadcasting Service (1961-1964) and Mobil Oil Group of Companies (1964-1977), continuing as a consultant to Mobil after leaving the company.
He was elected the governor of Lagos State on the platform of the National Republican Convention (NRC), leaving office in 1993 when the late former head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, assumed power.
He is survived by his wife, Lady Doja Otedola, children and
Probably in recognition of her reputation as a hardworking lady, Florence Otedola, popularly known as DJ Cuppy, was recently honoured by the Federal Ministry of Tourism with an appointment as the nation’s Tourism Ambassador.
The popular DJ and daughter of business tycoon, Femi Otedola, had chosen a career path that differs significantly from the one her parents had wished for. And from all indications, the Economics graduate is asserting herself pretty well in her chosen career, making her parents to be very proud.
Based in London, DJ Cuppy is one of the major attractions on the social scene in the Queen’s country at the moment, and her services are said to be in high demand. Perhaps owing to her privileged background and good looks, DJ Cuppy has become the popular choice of the upper class in London and Nigeria. She is also a songwriter and music producer
There is a popular saying that there is no permanent friend or permanent enemy in politics but permanent interests. This aphorism would seem to also apply to the friendship between two Nigerian business moguls, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola.
The two made a good show of their affection as they stepped on the green carpet together at a party organised by the Ibru family for one of their children a few days ago.
A few years ago, a major disagreement over their business interests nearly ruined their robust friendship. The feud saw the two not only going their separate ways but also haunting each other’s business interests.
In fact, it took the intervention of a popular publisher to restore their friendship. But today, they are back stronger and better together with a new regime of conviviality reigning between them.
Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, aka Cuppy, is the daughter of billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola. She is a fast-rising music producer, songwriter and DJ. Formerly known as DJ Cupcake, she started playing the piano after which she ventured into beat-making and thereafter discjockeying. The UK- based 21-year-old student-by-day brought a revival of Tunji Oyelana’s ‘I love my country’ and her electrifying ‘Forever Summer’ mixtape which had made her become a household name in London and Lagos. This growing exposure culminated in her being featured in the December’s edition of Tatler Magazine where she was listed as one of Nigeria’s youngest entrepreneurs in London. She shares with Adetutu Audu her journey to stardom.
WHAT inspired you into music?
Music has always been a passion of mine, right from a young age. I think music is so powerful, so the idea of being able to control a crowd through the form of DJing is definitely my cup of tea. But I would never have thought it would end up as a possible career.
With five years experience, how would you describe the journey so far?
I have loved it, but it has been one of mixed emotions. I have had quite a lot of challenges such as being a full-time student and I have learned to become super efficient and disciplined in all areas of my life; always learning more and more.
You are just 21, how do you hope to manage fame?
I have got the most amazing parents and team behind me who are nothing but supportive, I feel like we can handle absolutely anything… Bring it on!
While growing up, did anything suggest that you would go into music?
Maybe singing along to King Sunny Ade records in the car with my dad at age 9 was a sign!
What are your plans for the year and how did you fare last year?
I have got so many things to look forward to: From new singles and collaborations, to new mixes, and even more exciting gigs! Not to mention I will be graduating from King’s College, London in July. I will be ‘Graduate Cups!’ Haha!
How would you describe your growing up?
I grew up in Ilupeju. I was your typical stubborn, mischievous child, always up for an adventure. My parents definitely had a handful (and still do Haha).
As her child of a billionaire businessman, what was your father’s initial reaction?
“Go for it baby!” he said. When I realised how important music was to me, I decided I would professionally commit to it just as I have done with my education. I’m all about living your dreams and making each day count; life is no dress rehearsal. My parents were not short of support and encouragement; they’re my biggest fans.
Has your dad attended any of your shows?
Certainly, he’s come to concerts, weddings, and even night clubs! He’s a massive music fanatic as well.
What inspired your ‘I love my country’ single?
I have always been a fan of Nigerian Highlife music, so Tunji Oyelana is an artist I have always appreciated. The sound I create as a producer is called Neo-Afrobeats. This is best described as a fusion between Electric House and Afro-beats. Deciding to try something adventurous, I started making house remixes of old Yoruba records. Tried out a few, but there was just such an empowerment about Tunji Oyelana’s record. I am so excited to have the opportunity to revive such a meaningful song.
You headlined the exclusive Jalouse Club in London recently where you debuted with your Night Out With Cuppy’ series. What was the experience like for you?
That was a fantastic night out. I mean, I was working, but still managed to have some fun! I love the saying: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” That’s me!
What is the best thing about being a DJ?
Creating a great atmosphere and making people feel good, get together, and forget about their worries! Seeing a packed dance floor always gives me a buzz!
How do you pick which songs go into mixes?
I am always brainstorming ideas. I start out with a couple of records in mind, and before I know it, I have been recording for 45 minutes.
In this competitive music industry, how do you intend staying on top of your game?
I think consistency comes down to skill and diligence, but most importantly a lust for what you do, because that way, no one has to make you do it, it comes naturally to you. I give any project I’m involved in a 101%! This way, I’m able to constantly challenge and strengthen myself. I believe that time waits for no one; chase your dreams no matter what! I’m still on an experimental path, but whatever I settle for, in five years I hope to have made a difference, inspired others and changed the rules.