Celebrating Michael Ade-Ojo @85

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Raheem Akingbolu

Life is full of bumps, thorns, and twisted turns. Sometimes it leaves a trail of anguish and tears; and yet other times it blazes in the glory of both faith and fate, and bequests unto mankind a threshold of legacies.

Legacies can be negative or positive. For instance, the practice of slavery was a negative legacy, whereas, the invention of the wheel in Mesopotamia for carts, pottery, and grinding grain into flour were positive legacies. A story of positive legacy is usually enchanting, enthralling, and enticing. Just like the famous story of the little city of Bethlehem, which over 2000 years ago bequeathed unto mankind a new beginning, a new life, a fresh hope, and new meaning to existence, so also, is the story of Ilara-Mokin, from where 85 years ago, a little boy was born.

The story of this boy, whose legacies in life encapsulate the true meaning of success, smells of roses; and yet his entire significations exude a range of humility that belies all that come with the fancies and privileges of a businessman of his class. That boy is today, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, Chairman, Elizade Motors, and Founder, Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State.

Michael scribbles on the sands of history, the story of life and legacy. A story that rivets the mind and stirs the soul. As a child, Michael grew up in the eerie, sleepy, solemn but peaceful and progressive town of Ilara-Mokin, located in the present-day Ondo State. His grandfather hailed from the Olisa family of Ilara-Mokin, a virgin puritanical town from whose bowels emerged the great business icon Michael Ade-Ojo.

Young Michael started out in life with life’s lessons and discipline pressed on his virgin mind by his mother, Madam Beatrice Ojo. He recognised this when he said in an encounter “What I am today can be credited to my mother because she brought me up in a disciplined way.” According to him, his mother was so hardworking, in fact, a workaholic that “I don’t know when she rested. She did all kinds of work; eko moulding, trading in kerosene, foodstuffs, especially rice and beans, and others. I never saw her idle.” 

This spirit of hard work imbibed from his mother must be the lever that propelled him while growing up, when he started school, and in fact, all through his life. From his mother, he understood the meaning of discipline and hard work. From her, he learned to be honest and never to tell a lie. He understood early in life from his mother that it is better to tell the truth and face the consequences, than to tell a lie to evade punishment. Surely, this must be a case of “teach a child the right way to live when he/she grows up he will not depart from it.”

 This saying manifested hugely in Michael’s life and he said as much. “When I started school, I began to help my mother in her house chores and in her trade. As a young boy, I could do almost everything the young girls could do; fetch water, firewood, cook food, pound yam, and run all manner of errands.” Of course, young Michael was always eager and ready to support his mother in every way possible. She meant everything to him. “I loved my mother. She made sure that even though I saw poverty, that I would not smell it. She ensured she provided everything I needed both at home and for school. She was a mother like no other.”

Although every child would love his or her mother, Michael had an umbilical cord bonding with his mother that is special and unforgettable. The love of a mother is like a rushing wave. It flows without ceasing. As a growing child, who lost his father early in life, Michael experienced the pangs of poverty that constantly threatened him and his family, all through his primary and secondary schools, even in his university days at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN. However, he passed through the pains with a zest only possible for a youngster who had received appropriate discipline and training from a loving mother.

Fortunately, in the face of poverty, God would always prove himself able to rescue people in all situations and the assurance he gives to finish a project is that he starts it. With the efforts of his mother, brothers, and sisters, he was able to pull through school including his university education. As a student, he was diligent with his studies. For instance, it was said that he normally gives himself a target by telling his mother to deny him food whenever he fails to lead his mates in class tests or examinations. This is to enable him to be responsible enough to make top grades. But, of course, the mother would not do any such thing. His conviction for integrity, focus, fear of God, sincerity, purpose, which were all values imbibed from his mother, became the anchor of his success; and till date, he remains one of the most accomplished Nigerians that ever lived.

Today, at 85, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, that boy who was raised in poverty, is an accomplished billionaire, and is recorded in his trail of achievements as the Founder of Elizade University and Elizade Motors. The company which he started with just one support staff in 1971 has become a conglomerate with several subsidiaries including Mikeade Investment Co. Ltd, Mikeade Property Development. Co. Ltd, Classic Motors Ltd, Elizade Autoland Nigeria, Okin Travels Ltd, Oodua Creations Ltd, among others. 

Growing up, he loved arts and creative works. His other hobbies included football, and golf. He loves golf so much that he built Smokin Hills Golf Resort in Ilara-Mokin, said to be the second largest in Africa. But, now, he is more into supporting the society through ‘Giving’, “I love giving back to people, community, and society. I sympathise with people a lot. I just can’t stand the sight of seeing people in poverty or suffering. I do not know how to decline people who approach me for help.”

No wonder, “Chief” as he is fondly called, has picked up interest in the wellbeing of the Male Gender, especially the boy child. As a Patron of the Elizabethan Humanitarian Life (H&H) Foundation, he is particular about the plight of the male gender including both the boy child and the aged men.

In his address at the launch of the Foundation recently, he demonstrated his commitment to the cause when he said, “As a person, I am committed to the cause of this Foundation, as it concerns the wellbeing of the male gender. I must also say that I love both genders equally and perhaps that’s why God gave me equal numbers of 3 boys and 3 girls. 

“Training both the boy-child and girl-child with equal attention will help to mitigate, if not eradicate, the high incidence of divorce and violence in the homes. A good and well-trained girl will be happy to marry a good and well-trained boy, and both of them will create a peaceful home that will make a good society and then a good nation.” 

He pleaded with parents to show love to their children as no one knows what they will become in life. He admonished those that have been neglecting the male-child to turn a new leaf. He advocated that the society should allow for equal opportunities and chances for the male and female children.

It was Henry Drummond who said that “You will find, as you look back upon your life, that the moments that stand out are the moments when you have done things for others.” This is very true in the life Chief Ade-Ojo, as he finds fulfillment in supporting people and even with the humanitarian cause of attending to the wellbeing of the male gender in the society.

The Founder of the Elizabethan Humanitarian Life (H&H) Foundation, Mrs. Oyinade Samuel-Eluwole, commended Chief Ade-Ojo’s heart for the poor and the needy: “When we approached the Chief with our proposal to be our Patron, we were not sure how he would respond. But I was shocked at his simplicity and how he attended to us. Right now, he is even more committed to this cause than anyone else. In fact, we thank God for his life and at 85 years, we give God the glory for his good health. Our prayer is for God to keep him healthy and grant him many more years to see him accomplish his dream of continuous support to the needy, especially to the wellbeing of the Male Gender. We all in the H&H Foundation, staff and management, congratulate him on the occasion of his 85th birthday.”

A member of the Board of Governors of the H&H Foundation, Joko Okupe, said that Chief Ade-Ojo has a large heart for giving. “I have known him, and worked closely with him, for almost 30 years. His simplicity, humility and consideration for the less privileged are inspiring. Sometimes, I just sit and reflect about his life and wonder how such a wealthy and accomplished man can also live so simply without any chip on his shoulders. It is quite commendable.”

But, Chief Ade-Ojo, OON, at the age of 85, has an answer to that puzzle, “Well, while I can say is that I am not anti-social, my background has something to do with that. From the way I was brought up, I think I trained myself not to be loud because my parents were not loud. I will rather pretend about what I have than exhibit it. I will rather be underestimated than overestimated. I like to do things in a very moderate way.”

Obviously, the family discipline, especially from his mother, shaped his outlook, and his worldview, about life.