Mike Adenuga@69: Proof of endless possibilities

If Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. was an American, Hollywood would have made a biopic about his entrepreneurial journey. After all, movies have been made about the Rockefeller family and their likes. For a generation that is in dire need of real role models to look up to, it is a great disservice to humanity if those who grew up in awe of the man do not tell these stories that indeed, our society has role models to look up to regardless of the misinterpretation of success being cascaded to impressionable youths on social media.

Surely, the story of Chief Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. is one that should remind the African intelligentsia that it might be time to ditch their foreign theories and embrace men like him as bedrock of academic researches because his sheer intelligence, foresight and shrewdness in building giant businesses can only be deciphered within the walls of top business schools around the world.

From being issued a conditional license in 1999 which ended up being revoked, to trying again and finally getting it in 2003 when it looked like a sector for only giant foreign companies, you cannot but have  respect for the man whose personal totem is the bull. How about his bold decision to listen to the cries of Nigerians by introducing the per-second billing when the existing GSM operators had made Nigerians believe that it would take another decade to achieve it?

Since his Globacom telecommunications company, the first wholly indigenous platform in the country, launched in 2003, that entire industry has, since then, not remained the same. He revolutionised the sector with innovations that Nigerians, even African competitors, thought impossible, by bringing the Nigerian ‘can do’ spirit into the business of telecommunications and putting an end to the era when owning a mobile phone was exclusive to the rich.

Today, Glo is arguably Nigeria’s largest and most preferred mobile network and it is not a coincidence, neither is it luck. Guided by his uncommon managerial abilities, the deliberateness of his business acumen is unrivaled and separates him in his generation.

The company’s history of firsts repeats its quest for constant innovation and increased capacity. In 2011, Glo became the first telecommunication company to build an $800 million high-capacity fibre-optic cable known as Glo-1, a submarine cable from the United Kingdom to Nigeria. It is the first successful submarine cable from the United Kingdom to Nigeria.

Meet Dr. Michael Adeniyi Ishola Adenuga, the man who combines Ghana’s highest civilian national honour, the Companion of the Star of Ghana (CGS) with the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON), Nigeria’s second-highest national honour after the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), which is exclusive to its presidents..

From creating a job for himself and daring to dream bigger, he created a livelihood for millions of African families and with his company’s many innovations and activations, created an employment value chain spanning multiple industries.

For youths who watch foreign movies and are fast internalizing the western depiction of what success looks and should act like, the greatest favour parents or teachers can do at this time is show them that African superheroes with direct impact indeed exist. Adenuga has been doing this quietly for decades. He is not called the ‘Pillar of Prosperity’ or tireless worker ‘The Bull’ or ‘The Gold Digger’ just for fun, he, indeed, represents these to many people around the world.

You will hardly ever see him on your TV screen, but chances are that as you read this, you have one or more elements of his creativity, innovation and enterprise in your life. Such is the size and influence of the man, Mike Adenuga who is hardly ever seen on the pages of celebrity magazines and websites but he is the reason why today, many entertainers are able to earn the tag ‘celebrity’.

Perhaps one of the most successful and constantly improving sector of the Nigerian economy would be the creative industry, and it will be safe to say the entertainment industry is one of the best things happening to Nigeria in the face of negativity around its security and politics.

On a day like this when the world celebrates his birth, special thanks must go to the man whose love for creativity and creative people has been proven beyond every inch of doubt. From the massive investments in sponsorships for sporting events, musical concerts, dance competitions, reality shows and lots more, to a huge and unrivaled list of brand ambassadors featuring both the established stars and the regional hit makers, you really cannot compete with Adenuga’s Globacom in supporting entertainers and the entertainment industry in Nigeria, nay Africa. His Glo Battle of the year reality dance competition is Africa’s biggest and has revived an ailing sector of Nigerian entertainment.

Amazingly, this commitment transcends age. Adenuga would support the King of Afrobeats, King Sunny Ade, throw his massive weight behind Juju music maestro, Ebenezer Obey as much as he would support the legendary middle-aged pop star, Paul Play Dairo and as much as he would invest in the very young and new Teni Makanaki and social media skit maker, Broda Shaggi. That is the story of his consistency and commitment to what he believes in.

The man is popularly called ‘The Bull’ which perhaps is a metaphor for his bullish approach to business but regardless of this perceived serious personality, his sense of humour must be exceptional owing to his consistent support for the Nigerian comedy industry that, for years, struggled to be taken seriously. Glo Lafta Fest has been rated by industry stakeholders as the biggest comedy concert in Nigeria, sharing laughter across cities while amplifying the relevance of the likes of Basketmouth, Bovi, Gordons and several others including Uganda’s number one comedy merchant, Patrick Salvador Idringi known simply as Salvador.

With Globacom’s expansion to other African countries like Ghana, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire, surely, Dr. Adenuga’s relevance to the livelihood of Africans shows a silent commitment to proving the greatness that exists within the continent, and the fact that upcoming African entrepreneurs can find a real life model in Dr. Adenuga Jr. to aspire to greatness, knowing that indeed, success is possible in one’s motherland.

As the man, the silent power behind the Mike Adenuga Group clocks 69 today, one can only beseech the Great Architect of the universe to beam the light of His countenance for longevity and sound health on the enigma of our time.

Ige writes from Ibadan and is the Entertainment Editor, Nigerian Tribune.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Mike Adenuga@69  Mike Adenuga@69

Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train

The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Mike Adenuga@69  Mike Adenuga@69