….Amazing Lifestyles Of Nigeria’s rich and Famous
Adaora Umeoji: Imprints of an Amazon
Nigeria has witnessed an emergence of female MDs, CEOs and other high-level executives in the corporate sector, especially in banking recently. With this new force in operation, one wonders how best to describe one female banking executive who has kept pace with the men on her block long before other women daringly attempted to follow in her steps. Who else is this Amazon among Amazons but Adaora Umeoji?
For those who know Umeoji and have followed her career closely, few women in corporate Nigeria can compare. Within the hallowed halls of Zenith Bank Plc, the spirited woman is essentially indomitable. Her charm billows to the heavens and her grace puts swans to flight. But her talents and grasp of banking and leadership? There are, at most, a handful of women that can hold a candle next to her.
With 20 years under her belt as a corporate executive in banking and finance, Umeoji is one of the individuals that have gradually risen to epitomise business ethics and dignity. If the corporate jungle had nobility, Umeoji would be a crownless queen.
This is actually the case in Zenith Bank where she has made as many solid contributions as anybody else. No wonder it is said that the Zenith Bank founder, Jim Ovia, would entrust the helm to her if he must.
In recent days, Umeoji has been highlighted as one of the more successful women in corporate Nigeria. As more and more of her peers are climbing the topmost spot in their banks and organisations, folks are standing to wonder if the paragon among paragons will soon follow suit. At the moment, Umeoji is Zenith Bank’s Executive Director in charge of the Public Sector and has placed the bank at the height of popularity and influence in the northern and southern regions.
Umeoji is really the crownless queen in Zenith Bank and is one of the ace cards that the founder has in his possession to compete against his peers in other African nations and the rest of the world. Yes, Umeoji is that valuable.
Will Ambode Visit Asiwaju in London?
Ralph Hodgson wrote that marvellous poem titled: ‘The Bells of Heaven’. It would ring the bells of heaven, he said, the wildest peal for years if Parson lost his senses and people came to theirs. This poem strangely comes to mind at the sudden gathering of well-wishers, almost-rivals and well-known political enemies of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his London base. Somehow, Tinubu’s simple actions are already ringing the proverbial bells of heaven, and folks are thronging in to clinch first place in the race to ingratiate themselves to him.
It might be because of his allegedly failing health or the fact that the 2023 elections are getting closer, but Tinubu has suddenly gotten exponentially popular among several circles of the Nigerian elite. Indeed, Tinubu has always been popular considering he helped lay the bricks of democratic governance in the country. This new development, however, is still far from everyday experience.
One individual who some folks are saying will soon be found in the company of Ekiti and Ondo States Governors, Kayode Fayemi and Rotimi Akeredolu, respectively, is Akinwunmi Ambode, the immediate past Governor of Lagos State. For those with a good memory, Ambode shockingly lost his second shot at commandeering the Lagos State ship. Among the many factors indicated as responsible for Ambode’s misfortune was the profoundly loud absence of Asiwaju Tinubu drumming up support beside him.
Folks have stated that it was not Tinubu’s wish that Ambode get the return ticket to the number one position. Therefore, Ambode lost the ticket to someone else that Tinubu’s staff had touched on the shoulder: Babajide Sanwo-Olu who won that election and became Governor of Lagos.
So the question is whether or not Ambode will forget old slights and pay a visit to his supposed godfather in London. And if he does, will there be small talk before the can of worms is opened? Will there even be closure, forgiveness, blood and sweat and tears? Maybe not. Maybe Ambode will not even step out of the country to pay homage to a promising presidential aspirant come 2023.
Samba Seye: Right Peg in Right Hole
These are rainbow times for the new Managing Director of Total Nigeria Plc, Samba Seye, as the former MD is reassigned to make room for him. As every visionary is sending in their compliments, one is reminded of the proverbial fitting of round pegs and round holes. This is Seye in the best position possible.
Total Nigeria Plc recently announced that its MD, Imrane Barry, will be handing over his position to Seye. This bit of news was welcomed in every corner of the country as it is evident that Nigerians are gradually striving and succeeding to lead their industries in their own countries. Needless to say, Seye is getting far more accolades than usual as it appears as if the man has broken the chains of mediocre ambitions and begun to glide through the distant clouds.
Folks who paid more attention to the appointment of Seye noted that his star is indeed rising after so many years of diligence and unyielding efforts. After all, how often does the MD of a respectable oil company in Nigeria get reassigned to a different country for someone else to get appointed almost immediately to take over the prominent position? And yet this is the fortune that has fallen on the laps of Seye after Barry got reassigned to TotalEnergies SE Headquarters in Paris, France.
For those who do not know Seye, he is one of the most notable figures in the Total conglomerate. A well-known corporate savant, Seye joined Total in 2014 after his foray into Shell. With a doctorate in Fluid Mechanics from the University of Sciences and Techniques of Lille, France, Seye might have become an established engineer. But the call of the corporate world outclassed that of engines and levers.
Now that he is at the helm of affairs at Total, folks are doubtlessly expecting increased productivity from him and the company itself.
Will Andy Uba Get Lucky This Time?
It has to be said that Nigeria has not seen a gubernatorial aspirant that is as confident in his victory as Senator Andy Uba. Citing the fact that he has been in the game far longer than any of his opponents for the Anambra gubernatorial chair, Uba’s confidence stirs the interest of all the people of Anambra and outsiders alike. Will he get in this time? That is the question.
For those who are a bit unaware regarding the matters of the Senator whose real name is Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba, this is not the first time he has trained his gaze, efforts and resources to the Anambra governorship seat. In 2007 and 2011, Uba contested the seat and was defeated by Peter Obi both times. The first time, Uba even won and spent 17 days in office before Obi involved the court and got himself reinstated to the horror of Uba.
Interestingly, Uba has tested nearly every major political party in the country, bearing their flag at one point or another. In the 2007 Anambra guber, it was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); in 2010, it was the Labour Party (LP). He had to return to PDP in 2011 or he might not have gotten the senatorial title that has characterised his political profile ever since. Now, he is a proud card-bearer and flag-flier of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
These experiences have enclosed the heart of politics in Nigeria to Uba, some folks have said. It might explain why Uba would go so far as to refer to his gubernatorial contenders, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Valentine Ozigbo of the PDP and Obiora Okonkwo of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) as juniors and learners before him. For this comment and more, the contest is heating up.
As all three parties amass even more resources to contend against Senator Uba, the question on the minds of folks is whether or not Uba’s confidence will hold. Will he clinch the Anambra seat in the face of solid opposition or not?
Bola Atta: An Amazon with Beauty and Brain
It has been a while since the saying that “what a man can do a woman can do twice as well” made the rounds. Truth be told, there are quite a number of women in the Nigerian corporate corridor that bring that notion to mind, especially since they started taking over the big banks in recent days. Nevertheless, one woman who has always been in that position is Bola Atta, one of the champions of the United Bank for Africa (UBA).
Describing Atta in a few words is an arduous task. The woman is a legend. Since stepping into the corporate limelight some two and a half decades ago, she has been leaving massive prints on the lists of the high and mighty in the country. Although she is most popular for her accomplishments in marketing and communications, the woman is really an all-rounder.
Atta is currently the Group Director for Marketing and Corporate Communications for UBA, CEO of UBA Foundation, and the Executive Producer of REDTV. So dazzling is her career profile that she was celebrated as one of the 100 most influential women in Nigeria in 2015. But that is not all she is.
As stunning as she is brilliant, Atta exhibits both excellencies with a charm that few people can wield. If hers is the face that launched a thousand ships like Helen of Troy, it would not only have been on account of her beauty. She has a large and working brain, to say the least, or she could not have accomplished half of what she has.
Atta’s nearly three decades of corporate experience derived from an unyielding passion and a relentless pursuit of her dreams. With only a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and an MBA in Marketing, how else could Atta have risen to the heights of banking, communications, entertainment and the media in the past 25 years?
This is truly an Amazon among Amazons, one whose footprints are all over the African continent and gradually stretching into the distance.
Between Dakuku Peterside, Tonye Cole …Who Will Rotimi Amaechi Support?
Nigerian poet Niyi Osundare is a marvel. His poem, ‘The Leader and the Led’, narrates the contest for the leadership of the jungle among the animals. The eyes of the giraffe are too far from the ground, he said; the warthog is too ugly and the rhino is too riotous. A similar contest and comparison of characters are gradually playing out as the Rivers 2023 gubernatorial election draws near. On one side is the camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and all the drama native to that camp, and on another side are the other parties. In the middle, truth be spoken, is Rotimi Amaechi.
It would be a lie to state that the Minister of Transport does not hold any sway over who will eventually emerge as Rivers State Governor. Some have compared his influence in the state to the influence of a certain Lion of Bourdillon in Lagos State. Thus, to those who are familiar with this speculation, cosying up to Amaechi is one of the surest ways to clinch the Rivers State top seat. But who will win the Transport Minister’s favour?
At the moment, the top contenders for the seat are on the APC side: the former Director-General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, and renowned oil mogul, Tonye Cole. Between these two, folks have been debating which has the fortune of winning the hand of favour of Amaechi for the imminent 2023 elections. Unsurprisingly, some other folks have stated that this would determine the eventual winner of the election.
It is no secret that Amaechi threw his weight behind Cole in the 2019 Rivers gubernatorial elections even though Peterside was also vying for the party ticket. However, someone might argue that Peterside has known Amaechi and has been loyal to him longer than Cole. But Amaechi chose Cole, not Peterside. And Peterside has remained loyal even then, going so far in recent days as to offend the incumbent Governor Nyesom Wike in his defence of Amaechi.
Is this enough for Peterside to win Amaechi’s favour and support or will there be a repeat of the 2019 saga? Who will Amaechi choose? That is the question on the minds of the people.
Will Kogi Governor Finish His Term in Peace?
There are quite a few people oiling their gears for the 2023 presidential race. The political profiles of these individuals are enough to recreate the settings of George Orwell’s novel, ‘Animal Farm’. One can only say that some of the front liners in the race—Kogi State Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello come to mind—are facing more opposition than others.
More curtains are falling over the presidential ambition of Bello. These curtains have taken the form of complaints and allegations to the effect that the Ebira man has left his constitutional duties and begun to chase his dream of occupying the presidential suite at Aso Villa. In other words, Bello has been accused of gradually shifting gears, abandoning his current seat of power in Lokoja for regular visitations elsewhere. Why? Because he wants to be President come 2023.
Interestingly, this is the latest sling of accusations thrown against the charismatic and audacious 46-year-old. Ever since he came into gubernatorial power in 2016, it has been one allegation over another. For the first time, however, the accusations have taken the tone of complete abandonment. This is all the more remarkable considering that Bello has declared time and time again his deep and overwhelming disinterest in the top seat.
One of the most recent slurs against Bello came from within his All Progressives Congress (APC), a youth group given to the approbation of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This group accused Bello of being the worst Governor in Kogi State history as he had done nothing worthy of commendation or emulation. The accusation came after Bello advised Tinubu to allow the younger generation to lead the country while he (Tinubu) could assist them from the background.
In any case, Bello’s popularity came as a surprise for many considering that he did not feature among the ranks of the most effective state governors as of 2018. One might argue that it was the COVID-19 pandemic (during which time Bello ran against the grain) that brought him to prominence. Unfortunately, this cannot sustain any political ambition, presidential or senatorial. One might also argue that the only thing Bello has going for him is his age and a political party that is seemingly fractured and frazzling.
Ergo, folks are wondering how he will get himself out of the bind, prove that he is still a working governor, and assuage the reported anguish of Kogites.
Petra Atlantic Boss, Wale Akintujoye in the News
There are very many things that can expose one to the wilderness and fruitful fields of life. Education is one, wealth is another — and there’s the fruit in the garden — each of which usually leads to the same thing, a kind of wisdom that is usually incongruent with common sense. One might argue that Wale Akintujoye, the young and strapping oil trader is gradually enjoying the fruits of his affable association with First Lady Aisha Buhari with bigger oil deals. Is there a danger in being indebted like this? Opinions vary.
From what some folks are saying, these are orange times for Akintujoye. The man is striking it hot, they say. This is especially the case after Akintujoye reportedly secured a mouthwatering oil deal that is bound to shake his already nearly unshakeable strongroom of wealth. So why are folks complaining?
According to reports, Akintujoye’s ability to secure that oil deal came primarily because he is capably related to her excellency. One has to know that being related to the lion in the jungle is its own kind of security at times. Not always; only at times. And this is what folks are saying about Akintujoye.
For one reason or another, folks are drawing parallels between the First Lady’s favour on Akintujoye and the favours that former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, granted to some people. Those people got into trouble when she did. Is that the case with Wale Akintujoye?
There’s really no arguing the man’s potential and room for growth. He is quite capable considering how far he has come, especially his work in Petra Atlantic. But is that enough security against overwhelming indebtedness? Considering all the First Lady has done for him, how can he be anything but grateful and devoted to her should the storms rage later on?
Ayiri Emami Recoils into His Shell?
The people of Warri are still celebrating the ascension of the new Olu of Warri, Tsola Emiko, Ogiame Atuwatse III. After months of disagreements over who is deserving of the throne and who is not, the dust has finally settled and the noble and common alike can put their minds to rest. However, there is one individual whose rest is slightly different: Chief Ayiri Emami. His is a rest born out of forced retirement, the kind that eventually graduates into his living under the radar. And it already has.
Some folks are doubtlessly wondering where exactly Emami, the honourable Ologbotsere of Warri and Chairman of the Olu Advisory Council has run off to. He was noticeably absent at the coronation of the new Olu of Warri. So conspicuous was the absence of the traditional Prime Minister that folks wondered if there would be an ‘Orubebe-ic’ performance in subsequent days. But no, nothing of the sort has happened, indicating that perhaps Emami has decided to let sleeping dogs lie. For those in the know, Emami was one of the staunchest voices against the emergence of the now affirmed Olu of Warri. While Ogiame Atuwatse III was only the Olu of Warri Designate, Emami voiced his support for a different prince. So firm was Emami’s unyielding resistance that it eventually led to the Ginuwa Ruling House suspending him.
Emami’s opposition was reportedly predicated on the traditions of the Itsekiri people which qualified some royal princes to the throne and consequently disqualified others. By this logic, Emami insisted that Prince Tsola Emiko (now Ogiame Atuwatse III) was less qualified compared to the eldest son of a former Olu of Warri. Thus, when Emami was suspended and the Prince he opposed came out on top, he left the limelight of his own volition. Ever since Emami has turned into a hobbit that is dedicated to his shire. No outing, no press releases, nothing.
