Mike Adenuga: A Belated Birthday Wish

I did not send my much-awaited birthday greetings to one of the greatest sons of Africa for two reasons. The first reason, I will not mention as it is personal to me and Daddy, and the second reason is that, I didn’t want my own message to be lost in the deluge of messages that fell on Nigeria during the period.

What a lot of people will never know is that I used to have a strange but beautiful relationship with Daddy. He would call and say, “Duke Abadie…” in fluent Ibibio and we would discuss things. I would say, “Lord, hungry dey o,” and he would laugh in his very unique big man laughter and say, “don’t let it be heard that a whole Duke is hungry.”

Well, that was like two years ago and that line has gone cold for reasons only Sir and John the Baptist can tell. Despite this, his phenomenal contributions to business and economy cannot be ever understated. Enough cannot be written on him and his distinct business persona. Today, thousands of Nigerians owe their livelihood and fulfillment to his business dexterity and clear belief in Nigeria. He continues to sweetly play in critical sectors of the economy contributing very seriously to the GDP, infrastructural development and in lighter areas like entertainment and sports.

It is no wonder that his 70th was heralded almost at the same levels as King Charles’s coronation. Daddy has done more than most with less noise. Daddy has with little or no noise emerged one of the greatest employers of labour and by extension one of the biggest believers in the country.

On behalf of the good people of Shomolu, I would like to wish Chief Mike Adenuga Jr a happy birthday and continued blessings from the Almighty, good health and every other thing he wishes for himself. Well-done sir.