Grandeur as Lagos Serial Entrepreneur, Beulah Akingbelu-Banjo, Marks  40th Birthday

Mary  Nnah

It was spectacular and impressive sight as friends and family members gathered recently at The Maradive, Lekki, Lagos to honour  Lagos serial entrepreneur and CEO of Pukka Logistics and Support Services, Mrs. Beulah Akingbelu-Banjo who celebrated her 40th birthday in a grand style.

It was an old-school party tagged,  “Ruby Jubilee” and titled, “Beulah’s Retro Party”.  The theme and dress code for the party was Retro (the 1980s) and the aim was to depict the 1980s model of dressing and to have the music of the 80s while guests had so much fun.

Speaking on what informed her choice for the rare theme chosen for the party, Banjo, a lawyer, business midwife and immigration consultant, said, “I have had this idea for two years now and I am so excited that it is coming to fruition. I wanted to take people back to the period when I was born, which was in the 80s, so that was just what inspired the theme. 

“Everybody was excited about the theme because it is not something you see every day. You know people do Owambe and they tie gele and all that but I wanted something different. I wanted a disco and that is what we are in here for.”

As the Chief Executive Officer of Pukka Logistics and Support Services Limited and Principal Partner of Pukka Solicitors, a director of the Sporty Internet Group: owners of Sportybet and Sportytv; a director of Mobile Sport; worldwide proprietors of the Msport brand, Legal and company secretary of Wetherheads Advertising Group Limited, Recoplastic Limited and a host of other companies, Banjo is popularly known within the business space as a corporate midwife responsible for birthing and supporting several companies in Nigeria.

Also as an immigration and management consultant, Banjo assists foreign companies to set up their businesses in Nigeria and also provides support for them.   

Explaining her role as a business midwife, she said, “We birth cooperate babies. I’m a professional midwife. So if a company in Germany phones me and says they are coming to Nigeria, I help them curate the experience from start to finish. I  help them register their companies,  procure all their licenses for all their expatriates  and business setups.”

She explained further that although her company was set up to support Nigerians living in the diaspora but intends to come back to Nigeria to set up, however, while it progressed, the vision became clearer and its services were extended to foreign companies.

“Nigerians in the diaspora know more about Nigeria already even though they have left Nigeria and may have a faint idea of how things are run but foreigners have not been to the country before and therefore don’t know what the social climate look like, so supporting them goes a very long way”, she noted. 

Driven by the passion to serve and the desire to impact her world, what keeps  Banjo going each day is the inclination to work.

“I am a self-driven person and I believe that I can do a lot of things. I waste myself if I don’t do them. So, that’s what inspires me to wake up and ensure that I do a lot of things. I am very passionate about service, so when I wake up in the morning,  I think of how to improve my world”, she affirmed.

On how she manages to juggle several roles as a serial entrepreneur, wife, and mother at the same time, her response was epic.  “My work time is from when I open my eyes till when I close them. I don’t have a resumption or closing time. Whether I am in the car or anywhere I work. That is my life. Even when I am relaxing I am working but I always find a way to relax because it is very important for my mental health and well-being.  And I take time to sleep as well”.

Banjo who revealed further that her 40th birthday celebration was the first ever birthday she has celebrated in her entire life, added, “I am so excited that people have come out here to celebrate with me. I can see the efforts that have been put into dressing up; I am so excited that people are excited about this birthday celebration.”

Expressing great joy, her husband, Bola, said, “I am so happy because it is my darling wife’s 40th birthday. I am so glad that God Almighty has granted her the grace to see this day. From the depth of my heart, I feel grateful because it can only be God that has given us the grace to see this day. I am so glad people have come to celebrate with us and also to support us  on this special occasion of today.”

He described the wife as “very loving, charming,  understanding, caring, focused and hardworking”, adding, “she is very dedicated to God Almighty. “I just want to wish her a happy birthday. I pray the almighty God will grant her the grace to see many more years ahead”.