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Tag: Subomi Balogun

  • At 85, I still go round my 12-acre farm to pick fruits – Subomi Balogun

    Otunba Subomi Balogun is the Olori Omoba of Ijebuland (head of princes and princesses), the head Christain laities in Ijebuland and the founder of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB). He holds annual new year Christian prayers and thanksgiving in his Ijebu Ode mansion. He spoke with the OKORIE UGURU after this year’s event. Excerpts:

    Why are you always in the habit of organising this annual programme?

    God has His own way of answering prayers. It is not the way we mortals perceive it. We are a praying people. And I am convinced that the good Lord hears our prayers and grants all that we ask from Him. But it is not something that we show around but you feel it, spiritual blessings, which, for ; people like me, are very enriching. That grace of God which gives everything that human beings desire is always there. So, as I usually say, the blessings of God Almighty, and all the things we desire from Him, are always for us to see but you need to be gifted before you can appreciate the awesomeness of the Almighty God. I for one will admit at any time that I am in God’s hands, and the Omnipotent, the Omnipresent is always around me, guiding me, His light showing through me. I take the good Lord as a spiritual awesome being.  He is present everywhere with us. It takes the knowledgeable to appreciate Him.  Every step we take in life is propelled by God.

    In Ijebuland, you are very active in the tradition and culture; you are equally active in the Ijebu Christian community. Some believe the two don’t go hand in hand. How do you reconcile the two?

    Very interesting, and I am happy you asked me this question. Quite a lot of the roles I play are either hereditary or bestowed on me by the current people of Ijebuland. Originally, I am part of Ijebu royalty. I am the Otunba Tunwase   of Ijebu. Oba Tunwase was the Ijebu Oba that signed a treaty with the British government in 1892, for the British to have entry into Ijebuland after the Imagbon war. Secondly, he was the one who allowed Christianity to be preached. Thirdly, he was the one who allowed free practice of religion. He gave the land on which the first church was built in Ijebu Ode. He also gave the land on which the Central Mosque of the Ijebus was built. He held a cardinal position in the history of Ijebuland and I happened to be one of his distinguished descendants. My mother happened to be a great grandchild of that Oba, Oba Tunwase. My mother also happens to come from the Olisa chieftaincy. Olisa Odubanjo happens to be my mother’s direct ancestor on the father’s side.

    More than this, I have a very strong lineage to most of the important chieftaincies in Ijebu. My grand father happened to be a descendant of Borogun family.  Borogun family includes members of the Kuku family and also the Balogun Odunuga. Up and above this, the Ijebu people, having created the position of an Asiwaju, call it the president of the laity, Asiwaju of the Ijebu Christians. They only had one before me, the Venerable Chief Adeola Odutola. About 27, 28 years ago, I was elected immediately after the demise of that grand legend of Ijebu and by sheer coincidence, he became the Asiwaju at the age of 63, and I succeeded him at the age of 63.  The Ijebu Christians hold in high esteem the Asiwaju. The normal annual prayers, once the event is held in the Awujale’s palace, the next person is the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians. I have thrown it open, it is not only the Christians; all my Muslim brothers are always invited.

    The Ijebu society is very unique. All of us are intertwined. There is no one who is a Christian and does not have a Moslem relation, and there is no one who is a Moslem and does not have a Christian relation. When my late mother was alive, she was the Iya Sunna for the Moslems, the most senior woman among the Moslems and simultaneously, I was made the Asiwaju of Christians. So, in the Ijebu society, we don’t know any difference, we are all together and there is hardly any Ijebu family that you will trace and you wouldn’t have relations of Moslems and Christians. I am proud to be one of them.

    Why I get so much involved is not only because I am the Asiwaju, president of the laity, but I also come from the most illustrious houses. I happened to be the head of the princes and princesses (Olori Omoba). I also happened to be the Olori Ebi of one of what we call Arojojoye ruling house. If they have not heard of it, thinking has been going on, we have now decided not to name any house after an individual. You will name it from a cognomen, Oriki, that belongs to all of us. Within that family, you have the Tunwase, you have the Adiara who are my cousins, and so many. So, because of this pre-eminent position, I get dragged in or I voluntarily offer myself to participate.

    Thanking God annually is very personal because when I look back and see what the good Lord has done for me among the myriads oI Ijebu children and descendants, I can hold up my palms and thank God because the good Lord has done so much to me. I’m opportune and I have to show appreciation. That is why I am very much involved in the annual prayers.

    One song that is echoing any time you are involved in the thanksgiving is “Through the Love of God Our Saviour…” Is the song tied to a particular experience you’ve heard?

    No, it is not based on any experience. It is the measure of my appreciation of the ever-present, omnipotent, all seeing and all doing God, the enormous Almighty. I believe that if you put yourself in the hands of God, nothing can shake you. Whatever it is that is bothering you or affecting you, once you accept that God loves you as His own child, nothing can happen to you. What I am expressing there is not just the awesomeness that the good Lord is ever present, He is the looming person over everything about you. And once somebody is seeing success all around his life, much of which he didn’t even anticipate, I relate this to the ever present God.

    So, how did I come by it? Once I have God, I don’t worry about anything. A friend once told me that before I speak two three words, I will mention God, it is because I appreciate the awesomeness of God. I am convinced that my God loves me, so whatever success, opulence, it is through the love of God our saviour. So, if you think very well and put everything in the hands of God, you will be convinced that whatever might have bothered you, that there is God and He will take care of you. In essence, what I am saying is that I have put my cares, desires, aspirations in God and accepted His guidance and direction for my life.

    You are in semi-retirement from business, what are the things you miss most?

    First of all, I am not in any retirement. Through the grace of God, I still have my faculties. Not many people at 85 years still sit down like me. Not many people at 85 could walk around without a walking stick. Apart from the royal beaded walking stick, which to me is a fashion, all of you will see is that I am agile. You are talking of what I miss, except for the constraints of God that when you are aging,  you should appreciate it, I am not retired; though I don’t go to office again, but whenever I am opportune, I would just pop in to see what they are doing. Talking about what I miss, there is nothing. The only thing I am looking for is the grace of God and I am not being metaphorical. I believe in it.

    There are certain things I do which make many people wonder. Up till now, I am still able to memorise some verses (of the Bible). Up till now, I still remember things that happened to me about 70 years ago in details. I think I am a child of God that has been given the fullness of His grace. I live a life of much younger generation than myself. I still write long thesis; I still prepare speeches. I have that rare gift, I don’t have to be jotting out something before I talk. I am not missing anything, except that I am giving myself what you would call restraints. Just like you are on a horse back, you have to master the way you will restrain your activities. I am also conscious of the fact that I am not the young man that has seen everywhere. I have my limitations at 85. Sometimes in the week days, I wear my suit and I still remember that I was once a bank official. I still remember that I started my career as a lawyer. I still remember that I was a secondary school teacher to most of the distinguished Ijebus that you see. And I ascribe everything to the grace of God. Most of things I do, it is not me, it is God. Look round Ijebu Ode, most of my age mates, there are a few still of them still alive, but cerebrally, there is nothing you people can discuss. In fact, if you see me in suit on a week day, I don’t behave any how. I like the beautiful things of life, even in my old age and I will continue. There is nothing I miss. You won’t believe that if I go to the gym, I want to get to the bicycle and ride around any stretch, I want to do it. Even though I have elevators, I prefer walking. I enjoy going round. I have about 20 acres here (in his Ijebu Ode house). My farm is about 12 acres, I still go round on my own picking fruits, picking what to eat. My wife and I have a poultry giving us 2,000 eggs per day and that interests me. I get involved in so many things some of my contemporaries can’t do.

  • Fusengbuwa Royal House: Court dismisses suit against Subomi Balogun

    Fusengbuwa Royal House: Court dismisses suit against Subomi Balogun

    A State High Court sitting in Ijebu – Ode, Ogun State, on Thursday dismissed a suit challenging the position of the founder of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Otunba Subomi Balogun, as head of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

    The suit was instituted by the former President of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Otunba Abdul – Lateef Owoyemi, Prince Rasaq Akeju, Prince Yisau Ajidagba, Prince Adeleke Adeyemi and one other on behalf of themselves and Fusengbuwa Ruling House against Balogun and others.

    The plaintiffs are claiming that Owoyemi is the legitimate person to occupy the position of the Olori – Ebi of Fusengbuwa Ruling House and prayed the court to declare him as such.

    They approached the court to challenge Balogun who is also a member of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House to explain how he emerged the head of the family after the death of the last occupant of the position, Prince Adebisi Adeyemi.

    They urged the court to restrain Balogun from parading himself as head of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

    Delivering judgment on the matter, Justice Aderonke Asenuga, held that though the claimants have right to approach the court on the matter.

    She, however, dismissed the suit on grounds that the plaintiffs are not qualified for claims sought because of evidence before the court.

    According to the judge, the oral evidence given by those who should know the custom and tradition of Ijebuland indicated that the claimants do not have connection with the Fusengbuwa Royal Family.

    Owoyemi said he has left the matter in the hands of God.

  • Ruling House: Subomi Balogun, Ex – ICAN chief know fate Thursday

    Ruling House: Subomi Balogun, Ex – ICAN chief know fate Thursday

    A State High Court sitting in Ijebu – Ode, Ogun State, will on Thursday deliver judgement in a suit on who should head one of the Ruling Houses in the city, the Fusengbuwa.

    The suit was instituted by the former National President of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Otunba Abdul – Lateef Owoyemi, Prince Rasaq Akeju, Prince Yisau Ajidagba, Prince Adeleke Adeyemi and one other on behalf of themselves and Fusengbuwa Ruling House against the founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Otunba Subomi Balogun and others.

    At Tuesday’s proceedings, the court adopted the oral and written addresses of the claimants’ counsel, Chief Adebayo Adesegun and the respondents’ Counsel, Tunji Ayanlaja (SAN), and picked March 8 for judgment.

    The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, was one of the witnesses who gave oral evidence on the matter.

    The plaintiffs are claiming that Owoyemi is the legitimate person to occupy the position of the Head of the Ruling House and prayed the court to declare him as such.

    They urged the court to order Balogun who is also a member of the Ruling House to come and explain how he emerged as the head of the house after the death of the former head of the house, Prince Adebisi Adeyemi.

    They told Justice Aderonke Asenuga that Owoyemi should be declared as late Adeyemi’s successor.

     

  • I now dedicate time to evangelism —FCMB founder Subomi Balogun

    I now dedicate time to evangelism —FCMB founder Subomi Balogun

    Otunba Subomi Balogun is the founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB). He is a prince of the Ijebu Kingdom and an accomplished businessman. In this interview with OKORIE UGURU after the popular Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State on Wednesday, he spoke about his life as a man committed to promoting the culture of his people and a philanthropist, and how he is spending life in what he called semi-retirement from business. 

    YOU appeared to have been so much enthusiastic about this year’s Ojude Oba festival. What was responsible for that? Have you also ever participated directly in any of the events at the festival?

    The question is very fundamental. Why I’m I so enthusiastic? First, I am a loyal, distinguished son of our monarch, the Awujale. I happened to be the Olori Omoba (head of the princes and princesses). Providence has placed me in the situation in which everybody will expect me to be close to the Awujale and be supportive of whatever he is doing by way of our culture and tradition.

    Secondly, people know me as a very senior member of royalty in Ijebu land. Apart from being the Olori Omoba, I am the Olori Ebi (head of the family) of one of the largest ruling houses. You may have heard or you may have noticed that I come from one of the prominent Balogun families…

    Which is…?

    Odunuga. But one is getting a bit old now. Normally, when they come in like that, I dance with them. I am like a sort of head of family there. So, definitely, I will be interested in Ojude Oba festival, as it highlights quite a lot of the Ijebu ethos and tradition. With all the paraphernalia of positions which I hold in town and in the country, it will be unpatriotic of me not to be supportive of whatever our royal father is doing.

    Lastly, every Ijebu person looks forward to the annual Ojude Oba event. Ojude Oba is held within the palace or in front of the Awujale’s palace. But I think it was about 1892 when my own ancestor, Oba Adesumbo Tunrase, who actually signed the treaty of the relationship with the British queen, and who was far seeing enough, gave land to the Muslims to establish their central mosque, at the same time agreed with the British missionaries to preach Christianity in Ijebu land, and even went further to allow some of his children to be baptised. To cap it all, he gave them the land on which the first church in Ijebuland was built. That is St. Saviour’s, Italupe.

    So, from my pedigree, background and association and what the good Lord has endowed me with, it will be regarded as unpatriotic if I don’t play a leading role in this most important cultural and traditional  event of Ijebu people.

    Apart from whatever my good Lord has endowed me with, I am, by the grace of the reigning monarch, the head of the princes and princesses. So, I am very much involved. I can tell you that if this event is taking place and I am not around, many people will ask questions, whether I am unwell, which can’t be, or whether I am disagreeing with my royal father, which can’t be. So, I have always been in the forefront, let me put it that way, in the celebration.

    When Ojude Oba started, it was the Muslims who used it to pay homage and show their appreciation to the reigning monarch for all the beneficence he had given them. So, you can see that from my pedigree, I am both from the Balogun family, I am also from royalty.

    Was there ever a time you rode the horse on the occasion?

    When I was young, I used to be on a horse. Even before then, while my father was alive, I would join them in heralding my grandfather with singing and dancing. You saw my young cousin, Sunny Kuku. He wasn’t on horseback, but he was dancing and added colour to the Balogun Kuku family. Incidentally, the Balogun Kukus and the Balogun Odunugas are cousins. We all descended from the Borogun family.

    How do you spend your time now that you are no longer as active as you used to be in business?

    I am one of the people who can hold out their chest and say that the good Lord has been kind to me. So, in return for that, I have given my life to the service of the community, my fellow human beings and to the service of my God. So, I spend more of the time relaxing, resting and doing the work of God. You don’t need to be a cleric or wear the round collar before you can do the work of God.

    I use any opportunity I have to be an evangelist. I am very committed to that. I am the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians. I was made that after a legendary person, Chief Adeola Odutola, who was incidentally my own father’s classmate. I joined the Christians when I was young, and the Christian community found that there were attributes in me that could make me perform some leadership role they have entrusted to me. So, I spend time a lot doing charity works, philanthropy as you call it, having concern for my fellow human beings as a way of atonement to my God for the marvelous things the good Lord has done for me.

    Being a philanthropist with many foundations involved in charity work, what is your foundation doing to enhance the society?

    Everything I have done has been a continuous institution. You are all aware that my main focus is health care. The good Lord has enabled me to build one of the largest in Africa, purposely built children’s hospital, which I have now given to the University of Ibadan (UI). It has been converted to a medical college affiliated to the College of Medicine, UI. I think if you walk in there, you will find quite a lot of equipment that you don’t find around, and it is a national institution, not just for the Ijebus. That is why I gave it to the first national medical college to operate. Beyond that, I am a Christian and I believe whatever the good Lord has endowed me with is not for me alone, but that I should go out and do things that will make life better for members of my community and Nigerians in general.

    I believe charity is not something you can boast about. It is between me and my God, and I don’t talk much about what I have done. I only pray to God that from time to time, I should be willing to share whatever the good Lord has endowed me with, with my fellow human beings. I should try and be my brother’s and my sister’s keeper.

    Not a lot of people know that you have a private museum. Can you tell us about it?

    That museum is yet the first an individual has built, if not in Yorubaland, at least in Ijebu. It is to commemorate my ancestor Oba Adesumbo Tunrase, who allowed the British to sign a protective treaty and who also allowed the British to preach Christianity. And he encouraged the Muslims by giving them land. The whole idea perhaps was to give opportunity for acquiring knowledge about the role of that illustrious Awujale. Because there are so many factors of me that were immediately induced by the fact that I am a descendant of this great monarch. I wanted to be able to assemble authentic history as to what the late monarch contributed, not only to Ijebuland, but in fostering not only inter-ethnic trading but opening the door for the British to go into the hinterland.

    At that time, I don’t think many people were literate enough to read A,B,C,D. It was during the reign of that monarch people started to become literate. I wanted one, to immortalise the benefits of the reign of this distinguished monarch of Ijebu. At the same time, I wanted to develop authentic history of royalty in Ijebuland, and, if possible, to be able to identify those who are members of royalty. You see, quite a lot of history which we get now are from oral tradition. They have not been documented. When you want something authentic, you want it documented. So, I provided this museum as a place of custody of a number of relics of the royalty, of custody of historical materials about that royalty. Quite a lot of things about the Ijebu royalty and even the origin of the Ijebus may not have been documented.

    From the research being done…we have a curator there who is a retired professor of history and politics of an American university. His regular concern is to have people coming forward with either relics of the royalty or authentic stories about their connection with royalty, and also about Ijebu royalty. They hold regular seminars and lectures and people go there, read documents about what has happened in Ijebu since. You can also get quite a number of recently published books on Ijebu history. You can find copies there. Some of the events in Ijebu land, the videos and copies of the disk are there. So, it is an opportunity for people to study the origin, and also the authenticity of her history. I don’t want oral tradition alone to be relied upon.

    So, the essence of the place is to provide an avenue for people to study history and to identify those who are related to royalty. At the end of the day it will be a place to study Ijebu royalty, and to some extent, the history of Christianity in Ijebu land, because this was the king who allowed Christianity to be preached publicly

  • Subomi Balogun urges prayers for Buhari

    Subomi Balogun urges prayers for Buhari

    The Asiwaju Omoba of Ijebuland and the founder of the First Monument Bank, (FCMB), Otunba Subomi Balogun, has urged Nigerians to pray  for President Muhamudu Buhari for betterment of the country.

    The octogenarian, who spoke yesterday during the 2016 annual prayer he organised in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in his Ijebu-Ode country home, said it was the duty of all Nigerians to make Nigeria great again.

    According to him, Nigeria leaders and the country need prayer at this critical time.

    Balogun said: “Let us be prayerful that the good lord will guard and protect our president. We should pray for Nigeria particularly our president and other politicians to be successful. We need to pray for God to motivate our leaders to do their best for Nigeria.

    “We should also pray for those who are community leaders. We should ask God to infuse the spirit of aspiration to make Nigeria a better place for their followers to live in them. All what we aspire in life is God’s given, and we can only beg Him to give us.”

     

    “The generality of Nigerians should continue to be prayerful for greatness of this country. But we should not forget to thank God that he has spared our life till date. Above that, our country needs prayers. Our president needs prayer. We should pray for him that the good God should assist him  to bring us out of this unfortunate mess we found ourselves.

    “Pray for you president. Pray for those who are in position of governing the country. Pray for all the politicians. Pray for the God to imbibe in them the spirit to make this country a better place for people to live than they met it. Let us be prayerful. Let us believe that there is a superhuman person that is conducting all our lives and showing us direction. Let us pray to find solace in Him. Let us pray to be protected and guided in the right way to live as a community.

    “We should also pray that the good lord should enter those who want to cause confusion or hardship to other people. Let’s make God our cornerstone.”

     

  • I’m committed to Ijebu State, says Subomi Balogun

    I’m committed to Ijebu State, says Subomi Balogun

    The Asiwaju Onigbagbo of Ijebu Christians and Olori Omo Oba of Ijebu land, Otunba Subomi Balogun, has said he was committed to the creation of Ijebu State.

    He said he would do his best to make Ijebu nation a better place for the present and coming generations, adding that he would contribute to the development of his town.

    Balogun, who spoke at the annual prayer for his family at the Otunba Tunwase Court in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, said he loved the sons and daughters of his town.

    He said the annual prayer had become part of the activities of the ruling families in Ijebu-Ode.

    “It is a way of thanking God for what He has done for the family last year and praying for a better and prosperous new year.

    “I will continue to do my best to make life better for my people. I will continue to enlighten the Ijebu about their origin and history. I will continue to pray for the Ijebu. I will continue to advocate the creation of Ijebu State.”

  • I stil jump, swim, dance at 80 – Subomi Balogun

    I stil jump, swim, dance at 80 – Subomi Balogun

    The Otunba Tunwase Court residence of Otunba Subomi Balogun sits magnificently on an expansive land on Obalende Street in the ancient town of Ijebu-Ode. Balogun, the Chairman of First City Monument Bank, no doubt intended the palatial home to serve more purposes than just a residential building from the outset. And that much came to fore at the occasion of his annual prayer and thanksgiving service held late January, this year.

    Although the ceremony was intended to be a low-key religious activity in which clerics from various denominations would conduct prayers and thanksgiving sessions for the host, it later turned into a carnival of sorts, featuring scores of eminent persons, including the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who graced the event with many of his high chiefs.

    To a man whose professional calling has attracted men and women of high calibre, seeing so many eminent persons at the event could not have come as a surprise to many. In a chat he had with media men at the occasion, Balogun spoke on a wide range of issues, including his plans for his 80th birthday celebration, which comes up in Lagos tomorrow (The Ijebu-Ode version will hold next Friday). The occasion, according to him, will feature the launch of a museum that centres on royalty and history of Ijebuland.

    The Otunba Tunwase Annual Prayer and Thanksgiving Service has grown from just a parlour gathering of family and friends to a big show that now draws the who is who in Ijebuland without leaving out the ordinary people of the town. Initiated by Otunba Balogun as a family affair nearly 30 years ago, it later became his own way of giving thanks to God for His mercies.

    He said: “It is my own little way of thanking the Alpha and the Omega for all He has done for me, my community, my people and the nation. It is also designed to start the year on a religious note, asking God to be our guide and guardian.

    “It is an annual event which I started just before I was made the Asiwaju of Ijebu-Ode. Since then, it has been a very big event and a platform for giving thanks to the Almighty for His mercies in the past year and also praying that He would be with us continuously, particularly in the New Year.”

    Although he is an octogenarian, he is aging gracefully with good looks and excellent sight. With his gaits still straight, the founder of First City Monument Bank danced to the podium in a manner that reminded one of the biblical King David, as he made to deliver his welcome speech after pastors had taken turns to deliver sermons and offer prayers for the Otunba and his family.

    At an age when many of his contemporaries are battling with senility and other age-related ailments, Otunba Balogun remains cerebral as depicted by the clarity of his thoughts and articulate expressions. “With sight still very good, arms and hands still firm and I’m still able to lift well, isn’t that something enough for an 80-year-old to thank God for?” he asked.

    For his 80th birthday celebration, he has already completed a monument built to commemorate the landmark event.

    He said: “Among the other things I’m doing to mark this important landmark of my life is to show my appreciation to my God and also put a sense of history. I look round and ask what can I do? Yes, God has endowed me with the wherewithal to do certain things in the house of God, but I still felt that we should leave a legacy that will be unique, permanent and useful to future generations; an embodiment of the ethos and all that we stand for in the community.

    “The large Fusegbuwa Ruling House, with me as the Olori Ebi (head of clan), would like to be having meetings. I just felt that my royal pavillion would be too small for that, and I didn’t just want to build mortar and brick, I wanted a sense of history. So, I asked for the location where some of the legendary Awujales were buried; if there were matters of history that have been preserved; if there were ways of authenticating the correctness of what we claim to be; if there was an opportunity of leaving a legacy of genuineness.

    “So, I spoke to His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Adetona, that I was not just going to build a meeting hall where there would only be an event centre; I wanted a museum where we could keep all the archives of royalty; where we could have an authentic history of royalty in Ijebuland; where we can talk about the people around the time this royalty was reigning and up till today.

    “So, I chose the name of the Awujale through whose lineage I was made Otunba Tunwase. He was known as Oba Adesimbo Tunwase. He reigned between 1886 and 1895. He was the Awujale who fought the war against the British, and later invited the British to his palace, and signed the treaty of protectorate. And in return, he agreed that Christianity could be preached.

    “Before then, some people had come from Lagos and Abeokuta, trying to smuggle Christianity into Ijebuland. But this was the first instance an Oba said ‘come and preach,’ and even got some of his children converted.

    “He also went further by giving a land on which the first church was built. The same Awujale also gave the land on which the Muslims built their first central mosque. And for that reason, the Ojude Oba event started for him, and Muslims could go to him.

    “The museum is part of the heritage of Ijebuland. It will also take care of all the gray areas about Ijebu history, like who belonged to whom.”

    Knowing the enormity of the task involved in building a museum, the Otunba has enlisted some professors of History to be part of the project. They would serve as both curators as well as historians digging out the authentic story.

    “I do think that if we do this, it will be the first of its kind and it could lay to rest any doubts about our history. As a symbol of that, I went to the royal family and they gave me all the places I wanted, including the final resting place of the legendary Awujale, Oba Adesimbo.

    “So, we have it and it is very big; much bigger than this Otunba Tunwase Court. The final resting place of Oba Adesimbo will be specially marked with a glass screen so that people can view the place where the king was laid. The other places will just have marble tablets. The place will also be a meeting point.

    “To maintain it, a particular section can be used as an event centre. It will also be a students’ meeting place for the history of Ijebuland, headed by university professors. I have named it The Oba Adesimbo Tunwase Museum of History and Hall. It is a project I want to complete and commission in commemoration of my birthday in March. That can ginger everybody to be interested in authentic true story and not oral tradition of ‘my father or my mother told me this.’ Let there be records. It is part of my ways of giving back to people and to God.”

    Reflecting on the past 80 years, Otunba Subomi believes the high point of his life was when he asked God to “let me do something that is original; what other people had not done, relying mainly on God to achieve it. And that is the creation of a financial institution which, in those days, even government could only do with the support of foreigners. I went to my God, prayed in my chapel, and from the chapel I started, singing: ‘Hallelujah, I cannot fail, I cannot fail. Because of Jesus, I cannot fail.’

    “It is the most endearing part of my life, the can-do attitude; the acceptance that ‘with God, nothing is impossible’ worked for me. Like the Yoruba would say, Oluwa ni n sola (only God makes one excel). I totally submitted myself to the hands of my God and my Maker and God made possible what we thought an individual could not do.

    “I had the courage and faith to do what other people thought was impossible. Apart from building the FCMB brand, the good health I am enjoying is also a high point. I still swim, I still jump, I still dance. The only thing is that I am not looking for women again.”

    The Otunba admitted that he “confronted many obstacles, but with faith in God, we broke through. The FCMB foundation was laid with God actively involved in every stage. As such, nothing would have made it fail. Yes, you don’t succeed without having to climb a hill. I have gone through crucibles and I have emerged with a smile at the end of the tunnel.”

    32 years of FCMB

    This year marks the 32nd anniversary of FCMB. Prodded to make known what he expects from the bank in the coming years, he said: “FCMB has about 300 branches and 27 others are being added in Lagos, while many more are being added nationwide. I’m expecting that FCMB will be the safest bank for all to keep their money. FCMB will be the first place for all of you to go and ask for financial assistance. It will be the best place for all of you to seek to work. It will be the best to carry all the ideals that have taken people where I am.

    “FCMB will continue to be a place of God, where all will go there, do godly business and succeed. So quoting our boss, Mr. Ladi Balogun (laughs; one thing is that if your son becomes an Oba today, you will still pay homage to him and address him ‘Kabiyesi’), FCMB will be among the first five.

    “But there are certain areas in which the bank will excel and will not be compared to any other bank; that is the culture of excellence. If you see bankers being smart today without a sense of arrogance, I was the first who introduced complete suit and smartness. Being distinctive in the culture of excellence, that is FCMB.

    “When FCMB staff show up in any gathering, people would say ‘I’m quite sure you are from FCMB.’ I want everything about FCMB to elicit confidence and pride in our customers everywhere, so that when any customer carries our card, they will show it off and say, ‘Yes, this is my bank, FCMB.’ We are already on that path and I believe that with God on our side, we are breaking many other grounds.”

  • Like Subomi Balogun, like Mike Adenuga

    Like Subomi Balogun, like Mike Adenuga

    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.

  • Fashola’s father buried

    Fashola’s father buried

    Lagos was agog on Tuesday as late Alhaji Demola Ibrahim Fashola, father of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola was buried at the Vaults and Garden, Ikoyi.

    Late Alhaji Fashola died on Monday.

    His final journey home began at his 31, Ladipo Labinjo Street, Surulere, residence where eminent personalities gathered for the lying in state.

    His corpse arrived the residence from the mortuary in a black Mercedes Benz jeep at about 11:55am, while the lying in state was held in his honour at the Surulere Senior Secondary School opposite his residence.

    Among the early callers at the residence were Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Chief Rasak Okoya, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, Alhaji Lateef Okunnu, Subomi Balogun, Surulere Council boss, Tajudeen Ajide, Kayode Opeifa, Joe Igbokwe, Onigbongbo LCDA boss, Babatunde Oke, Representatives of Arewa and Ndigbo, Service Chiefs and members of the State Executive Council, among others

    Members of Eko Club, who were present at the lying in state to pay their last respect, described him as a jolly good fellow and prayed for smooth repose of his soul.

    The entourage then moved to the Central Mosque in Obalende where prayers were offered.

    A Mercedez Benz M350 4matic car belonging to MIC Funerals with the inscription “Alhaji Demola Fashola” conveyed the corpse to the mosque.

    Governor Fashola was accompanied by his siblings and close family relatives as they alighted from their vehicles and escorted the corpse on foot from a distance to the mosque.

    The interment at the Vaults and Garden was performed in a newly built marble-carved tomb, a stone throw away from where the late Abibat Mogaji, mother of former governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was buried.