UNILAG was my dream but I ended at Middlesex University —Inubile

Bamidele Inubile

Mr Bamidele Inubile, popularly known as Mr. Dee is a software engineer and owner of a record label company, Turtle City (TC). He shares the story of his life with SEGUN KASALI in this interview.

Who is Bamidele?

That is a very interesting question because I had a clear idea of who I wanted to be from a young age. I am that guy that would find solution in a creative and imaginative way. I believe life should be lived in full colour. At age six, I had already started making robots and controlling them with strings. It was clear to me I wanted to be an engineer, a software engineer precisely, in order to be able to automate the workings and actions of the robot. So, that was clear to me. Even though I had this extremely technical side, I also had the fun side.

What about the fun side?

I remember back in secondary school, I started doing SS 2A beauty pageant. At some point, it became so popular that people from other classes started attending. This was at Holy Saviour’s College, Isolo. I have always believed there is a lot to do.

Where did you get inspiration for the pageant at the time?

I was just emulating my hero, Ben Murray-Bruce at that time. When you look at the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, that was the only beauty pageant in Nigeria at that time and I loved the way he was courageous to stand on his principles then; he did it so well. I can still see him in his tuxedo, saying ‘Welcome to the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant’. I just loved it. So, I just thought about organising something like that during my free period. The point was how did you do something like that in just one hour? So, what people were complaining about –the lack of time or time being short– were not a problem for me. Things are more possible than you think and that is the way I have been living my life. There is no ambition that is too high. I have always been intrigued about how great projects like stadiums are built. I had the opportunity to be in England when the old Wembley Stadium was built.

You must have been a lady’s man from SS2 then?

I had beautiful ladies that would wait for me early morning before I get to school just to run down the whole walkway to come and take my bag. So, yes, I was. I just embodied love you know. I normalised hugging each other and occasional peck. Besides this activity, I loved football obviously; my school was big on football.

Was it later you went to Middlesex University in London?

Exactly, but my dream was to go to UNILAG. It was around that time that strikes were happening. So, my mum decided that I should go to England. I am still pained that I did not go to UNILAG. I absolutely love UNILAG.

Why?

I went to see my cousin in UNILAG and you know, entering that university, seeing the Senate building and the so many good-looking girls. I have never seen so many beautiful Nigerian girls congregate in one place before and I just fell in love with it. I did not apply to any other university aside from UNILAG. I don’t think they appreciate what the founding fathers of the university did. When you enter an establishment, its purpose is to make you feel small but not in a bad way. That was what UNILAG made me feel.

So, you did Electronics Engineering and Management at Middlesex University?

Yes, I knew I wanted to do engineering with an infusion of management. So, I used to throw boat parties when I got there. I remember during one of my boat cruise events we couldn’t find out where my brother, who drove us to the event, was. We left there about 4 am and when it was 6 am and still we had not heard from him, I jumped inside my cousin’s car and wanted to go back there. As we were approaching, we saw him sleeping in the car. I was so mad at him but I could not be mad because I was so happy, finding him.

Unforgettable experiences?

If it is negative, I can never forget losing my mum five years ago. I think it is part of grief nobody talks about. Mama was a huge part of my life.

Were the socials not distracting your educational pursuit at Middlesex?

What affected me was that I found Middlesex easy because there was nothing they put in front of me at Middlesex that really challenged me and that led me to become lackadaisical. Around then, I lost my dad and that tore me apart. I think I was even about to write my final exams. That really tore me apart. But, I think the entertainment helped me focus back then. This was like 1996 and my dream was to own a multi-billion dollar company in Nigeria and that is still a prayer point. It is my drive till today because I would love Nigerian companies to be prayer points.

How did life treat you after school?

Funnily enough, life was good. What a lot of companies were doing at that time was to recruit graduates into their trainee programmes. I applied for quite a few of them and, as you know, you would get rejections. But, when I applied to NORTEL Networks, I was excited and I was with my mum when I was called up by the company. So, I started my professional career with the company in Northern Ireland. After that, I joined NEC, which was making the first 3G in the UK then. I had a chance to travel the world. Yes, I was born in the UK but I stayed there for six weeks and we came back home. When grandpa named me Bamidele, he knew my parents were coming back. Bamidele means follow me home. There was this insatiable part of me that wanted to excel in Nigeria.

How did you meet your wife?

It was actually a very interesting story. Eve and Jojo came to Polo Club in 2000 and I just got back from London then. I was walking to my car and she just walked by. Respect to my brother, Richard, with whom I grew up in London. It was always fascinating the way he predicts things. So, I chilled and waited. About five minutes later, she came back that way and I just said ‘how are you’? So, that was how we met. I asked if I could get her number, but she said no and asked that I give her my number, saying she would call me. I was like ‘why don’t you write it down’ but she said ‘No’. Well, I told her the number and she called. She memorised all 11 digits. From there, we have two beautiful kids right now.

Segun Kasali