BELLA Disu, nee Adenuga, Globacom’s Group Executive Director, has given birth to her second child.
The baby is the billionaire businessman Mike Adenuga’s second grandchild. Bella, sources disclosed, relocated to America a few months ago in preparation for the tiny tot.
Bella has been described as the apple of her billionaire dad’s eyes. Little wonder he gave her an elaborate wedding in 2010. Bella is also the first to give the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) recipient a grandchild.
Nigerian telecoms giant, Globacom, on Friday night at the Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos, celebrated legendary Juju musician and guitarist, King Sunny Ade (KSA), with a wonderful musical show.
It was at the second edition of the Glo Evergreen Series.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event kicked-off 9pm and ended in the early hours of Saturday.
It featured performances from KSA, D’banj, Yemi Sax and comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka as the Master of Ceremony.
KSA was dressed in light green matching attire with shiny silver embroideries to match.
With his 19-piece band including 10 female dancers, KSA performed some of his most popular tunes to the delight of the audience.
He also performed a duet with D’banj while Yemi Sax thrilled the crowd with his saxophone of some of the best Nigerian tunes.
The event was strictly by invitation with no tickets sold.
The Managing Director of Globacom, Chief Mike Adenuga Jnr. paid tribute to KSA.
He said the company felt “a deep sense of fulfillment and elation to celebrate one of the most colourful entertainers and guitar masters’ the African continent has ever produced.’’
Adenuga’s address was read at the occasion by Mr. Kamal Shonibare the Head of Corporate and Post-Paid Unit at Glo.
“King Sunny Ade belongs to that rare gem of musical icons that over the years have not only churned out evergreen songs, but have also devoted their time to use music to teach generations about the virtues and values of life.
“He is indeed an evergreen King,’’ Adenuga said.
Adenuga disclosed that Glo intended to hold the series quarterly in different parts of the country with each edition featuring an “outstanding music legend.”
He said that as a “true African brand, Globacom would continue to fulfill its promise of providing affordable telecom services to Nigerians and contributing its quota to the development of indigenous music.’’
In a pre-recorded speech beamed to the audience, KSA said that he went into music because it was his passion, adding that he wasn’t interested in nothing much else.
The legend said he shortened his name to King Sunny Ade when he noticed the difficulty people, especially foreigners, had in pronouncing his full names -Sunday Ishola Adeniyi Adegeye.
In the African culture, ‘the fruit of the womb’ is regarded as the biggest gain from marriage. That explains the joy that permeates the lives of Mr. Jameel Disu and Bella, his wife and daughter of billionaire businessman, Dr. Mike Adenuga, whose marriage is about to produce the second baby.
Bella, an Executive Director at her father’s telecoms company, Globacom, is said to be heavy with another pregnancy and could put to bed any time soon. Indeed, Bella, on account of her present condition, has been absent from the social radar for some time now, including the recent GLO/CAF Award sponsored by Globacom, which held recently at The Expo Hall, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Usually, it was Bella who would present the award for the African Footballer of the Year to the winner.
Those who should know told Celeb Watch that the expectant mother would soon relocate to the United States where she had her first baby, ahead of her delivery date.
Y! Magazine and YNaija.com last Monday announced Nigerian technology entrepreneur, Jason Njoku, as the Person of the Year 2013.
The founder and Chief Executive Officer of iROKO beat Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Dr. Mike Adenuga, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina and Sim Shagaya for the honour.
According to the management of the online publication, Njoku was honoured for creating a globally recognised business from the scratch, continuously innovating, setting standards for others to follow, building a generation of young business people that might just change Nigeria and inspiring a whole new generation to believe in themselves and their dreams.
Njoku’s iROKOtv has built peerless library of contents reaching 178 countries, with about a million visitors a month.
Only last month, iROKO was said to have successfully raised $8 million in venture capital from a group of international investors led by American hedge fund and Facebook investor, Tiger Global.
This unprecedented feat-even for startups across the world-brings iROKO’s tally to about $21million raised in two years of doing business, thereby making it one of the most heavily-funded businesses in all of Africa.
A businessman, Mr Boniface Ezeisi, the Chief Executive Officer of Boney Marcus Industry Limited, has petitioned the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Manko over his “illegal eviction” from his office situated on 26, Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Road, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, by a man simply identified as Major Okoro.
Okoro, Ezeisi said, claimed to be Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Globacom chairman Mr Mike Adenuga.
He said Okoro invaded the building one morning with some security operatives to eject its occupants. Addressing reporters yesterday, Ezeisi said: “I called you people here because I was ejected from my former office by one Major Okoro who claims to be CSO to Mr Mike Adenuga. He said he got directives from Adenuga to remove all tenants from the property. I asked him if he had any court order , quit notice or written directives from Adenuga to carry out the said action, he (Okoro) said he didn’t need them, adding that he is above getting court orders or quit notices from anyone.
“I still have properties worth about $750,000 inside the safe in the shop; they locked everywhere and station private security men within the building’s premises; we don’t have access to our properties.”
Ezeisi spoke further: “I don’t believe Mr Adenuga knew about this action because if he did, there would have been a court order. I am 100 per cent sure that Mr Adenuga never made such order to evict us form the building.”
In his letter to Manko through his lawyer, David Adjarho, he said Okoro perpetrated the act on May 24, at about 8am when he came in a black Toyota Prado SUV with some riot policemen who stormed the place in a Toyota Hilux Van.
“ … Our client has lost over N20 million worth of goods due to the illegal and malicious acts of these fellows,” he added.
The legal practitioner condemned Okoro’s alleged action and urged the police to ensure that his client gets justice.
The letter has been referred to the Area F police Command “for immediate action,” while Mr Robert Obasogie is the inspector in charge of the case.
Otunba Olasubomi Balogun and Otunba Mike Adenuga have many things in common. Besides the fact that the two are successful businessmen, they are also citizens of the world. Any nation would be proud to have them as citizens. They both hail from Ijebuland in Ogun State and are numbered among the movers and shakers of the polity and economy.
Balogun, generally regarded as one of the pivots of modern banking in Nigeria, is set to celebrate 30 years of his First City Monument Bank (FCMB). The colourful man of means is lucky in more ways than one. A few years ago, he installed his second son as the Managing Director of FCMB.
For Adenuga, his reputable telecommunication company, Globacom, is now 10 years old, having commenced operation in 2003. Since then, the company’s growth rate has been astronomical, making the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to brand it the fastest growing in Africa.
The company is reputed for pioneering several value-added services in the Nigerian telecoms sector, which made observers and operators to recognise it as one the most innovative at different times. In the last 10 years, Globacom has won several awards in recognition of its good services, while Adenuga, the chairman of the company, has been applauded for his vision.
JAMEEL Disu, son in-law of Dr. Mike Adenuga, is currently out of the social radar. The fairy tale wedding of Jameel and Bella Disu will linger in the memories of Nigerians for a very long time. It was an event to be accorded the tag of success, whichever perspective it is viewed from. Few years after, Jameel has literally given the social scene a wide berth. Gone are the days of socialising with the big boys. Prior to his wedding to the daughter of one of Nigeria’s most successful businessmen with vast business interests, Jameel was a permanent fixture in the chic scene. However, marriage seems to have tempered him as he’s no longer visible in the social firmament. Insiders informed Social Circuit that Jameel prefers to stay at home with his wife and kid after work. Nothing is stopping him. Nothing is holding him back when the matter is strictly business. Distractions and small talk don’t get to him. The very handsome dude is focused and single-minded.
NATIONAL Mirror of January 10 showed its characteristic language indiscipline: “Two arrested over (for) murder of 50-year-old woman”
“Traffic law: Driver bags three months (months’) imprisonment”
“…he told the nation the unemployment problem was grave.” My own view: he told the nation unemployment was grave. ‘Unemployment’ is clearly a problem! Avoid pleonasm.
Now to National Mirror Editorial of the above edition: “Worrisome reports about rampant fire outbreaks nationwide….” All the Facts, All the Sides: rampant fires nationwide
“…and there was a minor fire outbreak (fire) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos (another comma) few (a few) days to the last Christmas
“Which will help explain why General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) (retd)….”
“This seems imperative, given the fact that the country is currently witnessing the harmattan season….” What is ‘currently’ doing here?
“…they are found at (on) the scene of fire incidents.”
“…the arrival of fire fighting (fire-fighting) agencies….”
The next two blunders are from the Back Page of NATIONAL MIRROR under review: “Traditionally, the expensive past time (pastime) of our rulers has always been how to perpetuate themselves in power by hook or by crook.”
THE GUARDIAN of January 8 laboured in vain five times: “Ogun councillors seek payment of salaries arrears” Conscience, Nurtured by Truth: salary arrears.
“There was review (a review) of our salaries after we had been sworn-in (sworn in)….”
“The report said the country lacks (lacked) Aircraft Hanger Maintenance facilities, to take charge of the maintenance of aircrafts.” First: ‘aircraft’ is non-count. Second: The Guardian thinks that its readers are daft by the unnecessary inclusion of the phrase ‘to take charge of the maintenance of aircrafts’! What else would the facilities be doing? The sentence should have ended at ‘facilities’!
THE NATION ON SUNDAY of January 6 entertained readers with errors: “When a white woman is displeased with her marriage, she calls it quit (quits).”
“Mike Adenuga coughs out (up) N8b for new office building” Beyond coughing up (not out!), the expression is contextually wrong because the billionaire Grand Commander of the Order of The Niger is doing it willingly! Going by the principles of sociolinguistics, this medium should apologise to The Bull because he has superfluous fiscal capacity to dole out billions of local currency for his fantasies. In the circumstance, ‘coughing up’ diminishes Uncle ‘Niyi immeasurably. The only time the idiomatic expression will be right is if the government or any of its agencies compels the entrepreneurial quintessential icon to pay a fine. Social Circuit: Adenuga spends/splashes N8b on….
“As the year draws to a close….” The year that has just started? Obviously last year’s copy sloppily carried into the New Year without an update by this medium!
“…a process that would required (require) the go-ahead of at least two non-regional member (members).”
“…but it is also important to ensure that these workers are not unduely exposed to temptations.” Get it right: unduly.
“Nevertheless, since the world at large now gravitates towards the engaging concept of a global village, Africa as part of the human race, can just not be obliterated or be immune against this gale….” A re-awakening desire for Africa: immune to (or from); not against.
“As at press time, several aspirants have (had) emerged, and more are being expected to join in the race….”
“…those who were nurtured on cassava and its allied products, children from the grassroot (grassroots).”
“This is the reason we see the oil industry as the life wire of the Nigerian nation.” Limits of capital investment: livewire.
“This was at the launching (launch) of the N20 million education appeal fund of the Federal Girls’ College in Yola.”
“When we noticed this oversight, we quickly mobilized ourselves (one another) and drew attention of the local and the state governments.”
“The starting point of new outlook is to jettison our selfish individualism and foster voluntary groups and ethic upon which the vitality of nationhood rest (rests.)”
“A stage was reached in 1975/76 when excessive importation created severe port congestion due to proliferation of items arriving at (on) our shores.”
“Indeed, the death of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola was that of a great democrat whose political activism in life brought her at loggerhead (loggerheads) with the might of gun trotters (gun-totters).”
FEEDBACK
“Please, tell me what you intend to do to your colleagues at The Nation, considering what they do to the English language? See The Nation, Saturday, December 29, 2012, Page 5 on Adamawa, First Paragraph, Fourth Column: “Assassins forcibly forced their way….” (Ony Nwabufo/Abuja/080366487027) This is sheer Pidgin English! On behalf of the reporter, I apologise for the collateral damage to your purity.
“TUC is the abbreviation for Trades Union Congress, not ‘Trade Union Congress’ as it is called by civil servants and the media. This is because it is a union of people in different trades. See the Oxford English Dictionary.” (Stanley Nduagu/Aba/08092925996)
“A kindergartner (not a kindergarten) cannot write like this! To write ‘brethren’ instead of ‘brothers’ is either illiterate or delinquent!” (Baba Bayo Oguntunase/Ikorodu/08029442508)
“YOU are indeed doing a great job here. I buy a copy of The Nation every Sunday just to learn and ‘drink from’ your wealth of linguistic knowledge. You are truly a language purist. Keep up the good work comrade. It takes only few experienced and outstanding minds to do such a critical analysis.” (Nwachukwu Collinsdivine/FGC Odogbolu/08039584379)
More constructive observations are welcome.
Globacom on Tuesday in Abuja presented a cheque of three hundred and fifty million naira (N350m) to the Nigerian Football Federation as the five-year sponsorship deal it signed with the Federation last year entered its second season.
Presenting the cheque to the President of NFF, Aminu Maigari at the GlassHouse, Abuja, Director of Mike Adenuga Group, Niyi Adewunmi said: “Globacom believes that its sposorship of the NFF and the national teams will make Nigerian football to soar, hence we have come to fulfill the promise we made last year by paying for the second season of the sponsorship.”
He reassured the Federation and all Nigerians that “Globacom believes that this is a partnership that works and must continue to deliver value to the delight of all Nigerians.”
He announced to the NFF board that Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. (GCON) has encouraged the Federation to ensure that “Nigeria qualifies for the next Africa Cup of Nations, the World Cup and indeed all the other major football events,” adding that “Globacom is ready to support you all through as we are very happy to support the development of Nigerian football.”
Last year, Globacom and NFF signed a five-year sponsorship agreement package to sponsor the national football teams and the Federation Cup from 2011-2016. The company paid the first installment last year.
Receiving the cheque, a highly-elated Chairman of the Federation, Maigari thanked Globacom for its consistency in supporting Nigerian football, and assured Nigerians that “we will not let you down by ensuring that Nigeria qualifies for the African Nations Cup and other major football competitions.”
He noted that the payment has come at the right time when the Federation was facing financial challenges in meeting its obligations to its coaches and other stakeholders.
The Federation Chairman further commended Globacom for launching a football academy, the Glo Soccer Academy, touted as the biggest sccer reality TV show in Africa. He noted that the “Glo Soccer Academy is the only recognised football academy in the country as you applied all the due processes, got your license and complied to the rules of the process.”
In his remarks, the Federation’s Marketing Consultant, Mike Itamuegbor said that by this payment, Globacom has demonstrated commitment to ensuring that this relationship produces maximum result to the benefit all stakeholders. He recognised that Globacom has been contributing massively to the development of Nigerian football since inception and assured Globacom that “NFF understands the value of the relationship.”