It is not necessarily true that you will live longer if
you don’t drink, smoke, or chase women—it is the
feeling that you get that matters. The poor tend to
abuse such privileges which explains the good
health of the one they call ‘The Guru.’ According to
Ark Linkletter, there are four stages of man; infancy, childhood, adolescence…and obsolescence, but in
the case of this icon, youthfulness characterizes his
personage at 60. Perhaps the greatest secret of the success profile
of this boss of mine is that he does not believe in
pleasing everyone. He does not care about what his
hypercritics think of him and does not flow with the
current. The mogul we are celebrating today,
especially, and at other times has no immediate plans to retire from economic activism even as he
begins the eventful journey to 70 and beyond. Did
you know that at the age of 26, Dr. Michael Adeniyi
Ishola Adenuga, Jr. was already a multi-millionaire
by American standards? Dr. Adenuga laid the
foundation for what he is today by learning the ropes from his late mother whom he cherished till her last
breath. He owes everything to her. Family members will
intimate you to the fact that this Grand Commander
was most loved and favoured of all his mother’s five
children? And that the virtuous woman, in her
heyday, imbued this last-born with entrepreneurial
spirit. This multi-billionaire even at the age of 60 still looks so youthful that you will think the Adonis is
just about 40! It has to do more with gracefulness
than deep pocket. His dreams, vision and
astounding entrepreneurship are unparalleled in this
part of the world. Were you aware that this colossus
was a director in the old Newswatch weekly newsmagazine before the brusque intervention and
acquisition by Barrister Ibrahim Jimoh? Did you
know that with the Big Boss, there is no dull
moment and life must be lived to the fullest? His
fountain of compassion and philanthropy is an
ocean that never dries? His generosity is confounding? He does not
segregate on grounds of religion, ethnicity, gender or
class? All those who have encountered him will
readily confirm these. Did you also know that the oil
and gas magnate hates people who are liars,
thieves, irresponsible, lazy, unimaginative, unintelligent, timid, fraudulent and dirty? And
profusely loves those on the converse? He loves to
the extreme and hates beyond human
comprehension! Dr. Adenuga loves good life, which
explains why he is splashing more than N100 billion
on his aristocratic home on Banana Island (Lagos) where he is neighbours with Alhaji Aliko Dangote
Birds of a feather flock together! Virtually everything
for the massive residential network of buildings is
imported! What do you expect from a man with paradisal
taste? This is unimpeachable: he is the principal
owner of Globacom Telecommunications Limited
and is not fronting for anyone, as some people
erroneously believe? Of course, there are
institutional and individual investors, but he remains the core stakeholder. It may interest doubters to
know that he has the capacity to embark on sole
proprietorship of Globacom, but has in the profundity
of his wisdom decided to be accommodative. It will
eternally be on record that it was Dr. Adenuga’s
bullish entry into the GSM industry that revolutionized Nigerians’ way of talking through the
instrumentality of per-second billing, which MTN had
intransigently and exploitatively insisted was not
feasible! On the basis of this catalytic brand
architecture, Glo deserves an outpouring of
emotional affinity from one and all in this country. Rather, I see a lot of amnesic attitudinal disposition
to this second national carrier! It is simply amazing
how we forget our past so easily. He savours
diligence and doles out mind-boggling recompense
to those who show quintessence in the delivery of
assignations. This celebrator does not care a hoot about people’s perception of him knowing full well,
probably, that a lot of people have one grouse or
another about him! You may not believe this: Dr.
Adenuga works almost round the clock and scarcely
has time for relaxation. He spends virtually the
whole day holding meetings with directors and managers from his group here and overseas till the
early hours of the next day and by 9 a.m. the day
continues with fresh challenges and different
sessions with new sets of managers. Indolent
people cannot work with or even for him! Indeed,
some employees of his wonder whether he sleeps at all This will interest you: it is easier to access
President Goodluck Jonathan than to interface with
Dr. Adenuga. I say this from experience. You cannot see him
unless he invites you no matter who you are!
Nobody can intercede on your behalf except he
demands to know your circumstance. He does not
like to be persuaded over things he desires to do—
the moment you do that, he is enraged and that could hallmark doomsday! Dr. Adenuga’s retentive
memory and general cerebral comportment leave
people gasping for breath. He knows something
about everything and is well informed on all
organisational issues concerning constituents of the
Mike Adenuga Group. Issuing from the above is his catalytic intervention in telephony that revolutionized
speech chemistry in this part of the world. Prior to the advent of Glo Mobile, other service
providers had obfuscated their audiences with the
declaration that per-second billing was
unimaginable, unfeasible and unthinkable! It took
the bullishness of this business icon to halt the
gargantuan rip-off. He has helped Nigerians to remove the exploitative scales on their eyes and the
commercial propaganda used to blur their sight and
sensibilities. The superfluity of his philanthropy,
which transcends consanguinity, is such that he
does not like seeing people suffering. There have
been instances where he met less-privileged members of the society in sorry situations and had
to intervene with alacrity in changing their lives. He
does this without any class or other extraneous
considerations. I doubt if there is any Nigerian, living or dead, who
has given out houses, service flats and cars for
permanent ownership to fellow countrymen and even
expatriates in his employ. This economic wizard’s
generosity is breathtaking. Nothing makes this
entrepreneurial juggernaut happy as diligence, which explains the robustness of his passion for hard work
by those privileged to be associated with his vast
empire. Apart from the direct human capital in his
supranational institutions, he has fertilized and
watered innumerable private initiatives of people
who have come his way over the years from all walks of life. His accommodative organizational
capacity is unparalleled in this part of the world. The testimonious declarations you digest here are
factual beneficent attestations to this astute world-
class business expert who has an uncanny
penchant for transforming dormant businesses.
Another intriguing aspect of this consummate
humanist we are gladly celebrating today, especially, and other days, is his quintessential
humility and simplicity. Overall, Dr. Adenuga, an
unprecedented visionary symbol, has a profundity of
energy, enthusiasm and empathy running in his
veins. At times, those who know him closely wonder
whether he would ever retire from economic activism. I have the conviction that his
beneficiaries’ prayers for him have the propensity to
keep him for the next 60 years and possibly beyond. Simply put, this man has affected and continues to
affect uncountable lives, many of whom I know. He
enjoys offering Nigerians and non-Nigerians
unlimited opportunities particularly through the
instrumentality of Globacom as long as they believe
in themselves. Most times, those who have access to this sports benefactor wonder if he has time for
relaxation considering the maze of documents that
crave his attention daily, including weekends,
multifarious meetings that span all day and other
official engagements that are equally time
consuming and energy sapping. Does he have time to sleep at all? No weakling can work with or for this
big boss: the challenges are pleasurably demanding
and appreciated at the earliest opportune time. The writer does not know, yet, if there is anyone
who can be compared to this multi-billionaire in
terms of attitudinal disposition, philanthropic
invaluableness, generation of novelties and success
inclination. It seems, somehow, that there is divine
manifestation in whatever he lays his hand upon which gives rise to Midas touch in all he does. He
does not compromise excellence and goes for the
best in anything at stake: there is this amazing
consciousness about quality. His sagacity, mind
fertility and business versatility are unequalled in our
time. This oil baron remains one of the biggest employers
of labour in the country. Another thing you may,
probably, not know about this global torchbearer is
his morbid phobia for failure. As I pointed out earlier,
Mr. Chairman abhors all manner of drawbacks. This
explains why he goes for the best of anything and everything. He doesn’t compromise standard. And
for him, there are no half-measures at all. On this
score, one can call him a Eurocentric person
because of his unmitigated subscription to foreign
things which he passionately believes have
incomparable quality with products from this locale. This applies to even betrothals, branding, concepts
and even obsequious circumstances. This country can never forget his mother’s eye-
popping burial and daughter’s (Bella) superlative, un-
matched and unsurpassable wedlock in the
country’s bridal history. Hypercritics of the Bull (Dr.
Adenuga’s fond name at Ibadan Grammar School)
accuse him of intellectual snobbery because he never suffers fools gladly. They allege that he
carries on too confidently and depends essentially
on his cerebral capability and capacity. He
unapologetically believes, according to them, that
nobody is superior to him, knowledge-wise. Interestingly, this brainpower has worked for him in
the past 58 years! Nincompoops and fraudsters put
him off. Dr. Michael Adeniyi Ishola Adenuga is a
cultivator of acquaintanceship, companionship and
friendship, but, in the same breath, he does not
hesitate in calling it quits if associational challenges arise in breach of Mr. Chairman’s rare privilege
craved by one and all. Surprisingly—because of his
large heart—he gracefully allows room for serial
make-ups and continual reunion. Contrarily, too,
some of the relationships taste better as they get
older just like wine, with time. In his relational activities, he does not just nurture bosom
relationships, he pampers most of his friends and
even few lucky staff in his employ up to the point of
superfluity and satiation! He even doles out convertible currencies routinely to
these same people and other innumerable
benefactors! A very ambitious man and a study in
diligence, he rejuvenated—after acquisition—
National Oil and Chemical Marketing (NOLCHEM),
which metamorphosed into Consolidated Oil (Conoil) with upstream and downstream prospecting
portfolios. It was the first indigenous oil company to
strike oil on December 24, 1991. Clearly, he is a
generational anchor endowed with divine blessings.
He personifies entrepreneurship strewn with
benevolence. A gentleman with Midas touch who has mastered
his environment by conquering all the latent
constituents and elemental forces against all
episodic odds, this investment captain remains an
embodiment of industry, a beacon and blistering
light in usually impossible tunnels and difficult terrains. If or when he has time—which is a rarity—
he plays squash, uses the gym as a form of
relaxation and socializes with friends. As you read
this, his vast business empire keeps expanding,
beyond bounds. The best is yet to come from this
adept innovator, revolutionary extraordinaire, gem of our time and a generational statement. An inspirational giant, highly imaginative and full of
ideas, Dr. Adenuga’s sense of humour and
experimental management of human capital and
other productive resources are inimitable. I round off
this tribute by underscoring the fact that God’s
favours to our unassuming big boss are immeasurable. He is 99 per cent self-made. There is
nothing else to add here except Happy Birthday, Sir!
May you continue to find favour in the sight of God
and man. Let me paraphrase the Psalmist: may the
Almighty cause your name to be celebrated in all
generations. On retirement—if ever—you will be remembered for
your unfazed economic nationalism.
Source: sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/a-billionaire-for-all-seasons/

He sure looks young facially @ 60 but his biggie belle says 65.
Huge in stature and also loaded with cash.
I'll prefer the latter though.