Fadekemi Ajakaiye

The co-founders of renowned real estate firm, Pertinence Group, Dr. Sunday Olorunsheyi and Mr. Wisdom Ezekiel, recently authored a book on how they have thrived in business partnership after successfully growing the company, currently worth billions of naira in 10 years.

The book titled ‘The Pertinence Way – Our Partnership Story’, was recently unveiled at the company’s corporate head office in Akowonjo, Lagos.

The authors stated that the book chronicles how they went from local land sellers to global business leaders within a decade. They added that they have generously shared their lessons, pitfalls, and victories recorded within the period under review.

“It’s a ten-chapter book that covers everything you need to know about Pertinence, as well as the backbone of the business which is our business partnership,” said Olorunsheyi.

He added that, “the book is about how we went from local land sellers in 2012 to becoming directors of a group of companies, with subsidiaries blazing the trail in various sectors of the Nigerian economy such as: real estate, finance, automobile and technology.

“An interesting thing about the book is that we didn’t just write principles, we told stories of how we scaled through. You will also not just read about the success stories, but also about the failures and lessons we learnt especially when we began diversification of our business operations.

“There might have been certain things you saw us do and thought of as successes, but in this book, you’d be surprised to find us recording them as failures,” he said.

Olorunsheyi explained that since meeting Ezekiel, they have shared similar personal values and a credible vision to establish a good legacy in the coming years. He noted that the aim of the company was to reach the centenary status in partnership and business, as there are not many partnerships with such a history in Nigeria.

On his part, Ezekiel said they decided to write the book about their entrepreneurial journey because documentation was necessary for processes to be replicated.

“We realised that there are so many people who have succeeded in business as partners even in this country, but they have not documented their journeys for younger people to read and learn from. One of the reasons why we embarked on writing this book is to fill this gap,” said Ezekiel. He said in the next 10 years, the company will undertake mega projects, adding that a major goal was to build over one million houses into African space.

One of the guests, Mr. Olusegun Ajayi, a UK-based friend of the organisation, said he was stunned by the success of the business partnership between the co-founders, especially considering their ethnic differences.

Another guest who’s also a realtor, Ms. Oluwakemi Adegoke, said she had always believed that partnerships could never work in this part of the world, but has since changed her mindset after years of working with the co-founders of Pertinence.

“From what I have heard from the co-founders today, I believe that business partnerships can really work. I have bought a copy of the book. I am expecting to learn more about how partnerships work, and what they have done together to have come this far. I believe that by the time I’m done reading the book, I would have seen all the secrets and all the methods they adopted to build this great organisation,” Adegoke said.

The book launch was anchored by the Chief Operations Officer, HostNowNow, Mr. Emmanuel Osubu; while the Chief Executive Officer, Quanta Africa, Dr. Stephen Oluwatobi, welcomed the guests.

Other dignitaries at the event included a popular TV show co-host and CEO Rep360, Mrs. Tope Mark-Odigie; CEO, 1st Royal Character and Values Limited, Mrs. Bosede Olusola-Obasa; co-founder, Abode Asset Limited, Mr. Damilare Oshokoya, several realtors, members of staff and other special guests.