Nightlife Magnate, Ken-Calebs Olumese, Hits 80 

Ken-Calebs Olumese has become a man no one could ignore in the scheme of things. He is a rare icon, simply matchless in astuteness and humanity. Till today, most of those who matter in the larger society, especially in the showbiz world, can’t afford to ignore him. All treat him with awe and respect. The man, fondly called The Guv’nor, is deserving of the reverence. For almost 40 years, Olumese shaped and enriched the nightlife in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

When in 1988, Olumese established the Niteshift Club in a small flat on 21, Opebi Road, Lagos, he began a fresh chapter in the entertainment story of the city of Lagos and Nigeria as a whole. As much as he wasn’t the pacesetter, Olumese brought something different to the nightlife ecosystem. He carved a niche and constantly reinvented it.

The gregarious gentleman from Ekpoma, Edo State, had been a prolific nightlife giant, even as a top corporate titan with a leading multinational pharmaceutical company before turning his interest into a full-time business. There was a turning point for Olumese’s Niteshift in the early 90s after an inferno forced him to shut down and move the celebrities’ hangout to a bigger, more permanent space, the purpose-built Coliseum at 21, Salvation Road, off Opebi Street. As a place of work, Olumese’s Niteshift Coliseum became a second home to him where he felt comfortable.

As a nightlife magnate, he paid attention to every little detail. His dressing was impeccable and he knew most of the club’s regular clientele personally and took an interest in their personal lives. He was always very generous to his guests till he retired from running the club almost a decade ago after logging over three decades as a nightlife entrepreneur.

The fact is that Olumese enjoys, even as a retired nightlife mogul now, going to nightclubs. This makes his influence unwither. Thus, when he hit the big 80 on Monday, May 27, the frenzy that characterised the social establishment’s top members’ jostling to celebrate the respected Guv’nor came as no surprise at all. Though the day was marked with very little celebration.

Turning 80 is a huge milestone for anyone. Olumese’s children and their dad’s friends and protégés know this and want to make sure they throw him a party no one will ever forget in a hurry. A committee has already been put in place to organise a Super Grand House Reception in honour of the entertainment impresario on July 27 at a posh event venue in Lagos. The committee is spending good dough on making the celebration absolutely perfect and a very classy affair worthy of Olumese’s standard.