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HIGHLIFE
Class Act! Access Bank MD, Herbert Wigwe Dazzles with Diamond
Wigwe
Genius is of no country. But it is surely of a descent of men who reach such an acute unlimited excellence in their prime, that every sterling exploit afterward, savours of unprecedented brilliance. Few men are wrought of such transcendent capacity for genius as Herbert Wigwe, the ebullient MD of Access bank. The top banker pulsates exceptional intellect and that singular forthrightness that imbues philosophy with logic and sound theory. Like a lightning shaft from Eden, Wigwe dazzled with the acquisition of Diamond Bank some days ago. Herbert has said its ongoing business combination agreement with Diamond Bank will lead to the creation of a financial power house. Wigwe also assured staff of Diamond
Bank that the deal would not lead to job losses. He said this during a media briefing in Lagos on Wednesday. Wigwe said Access Bank had enough capital to consummate the deal. However, Aig and Herbert proved bookmakers wrong as they painstakingly forged Access Bank’s path to its esteemed height as one of the country’s top three banks today. When Aig quit the saddle as manager of the bank, it was believed that his successor, Herbert, would act according to stereotype and commence a vicious plot to reduce and make irrelevant, his friend and predecessor but Herbert didn’t do so. This is because the bond between the two exceeds the common affiliation of colleagues and random business partners.
Herbert remained loyal to Aig and together, they worked to improve the fortunes of their brainchild, Access Bank. And great thanks to the loyalty and vision of Herbert, the bank has grown remarkable leaps from the great height he inherited its saddle from Aig. Unlike other bank chiefs who do not have a mind of their own, Herbert is remarkably different. He is formidable in intellect, wisdom, experience and he is truly independent. Thus he stands tall. Little wonder the management and staff of the bank sing his praises to high heavens. Aig on his part has never grown jealous of Herbert’s success in the saddle. Rather he does his bit to encourage and assist him in running Access Bank and lifting it to greater heights.
Class Act! Dele Momodu Turns Ovation Red Carol into Spectacular Event The right jockey never cracks the turntable. He knows how to tweak the stylus in tuneful measure, every deft move making up a perfect part of the melodic mix. You could liken the influential and well-connected publisher of Ovation International Magazine, Bashorun Dele Ojutelegan Momodu to the proverbial disc jockey (DJ) whose dexterity lures the Lagos party crowd to the dance floor. Arguably, only a negligible number of journalists, whether African, Caucasian or Arabian has had the opportunity of crisscrossing the world royalty-style like Dele Momodu, publisher of the international lifestyle magazine, Ovation. In just a lifetime, he has seen the moon shine and dusk fall on all the continents of the world. The publisher who certainly understands the intricacies and demands of his role; like the practiced jockey, he knows what to add and what to leave out in his melodic mix of thrill and funfare as the coastal ‘City of Excellence’ celebrated another edition of Ovation Red Carol proudly supported by
the Iya Alaadura of the Universe, Rev. Esther Ajayi. The event, at the prestigious Eko Hotel, Lagos, which is a potpourri of exciting musical and entertainment, drew the party crowd from far and near. The elaborate event, which paraded top politicians, respected technocrats, society big wigs and captains of industry, saw the guests shuffle and nod to the liveliest and most delightful musical tunes. No doubt, Dele has turned it to a permanent fixture in the entertainment annual calendar. The climax of this year’s edition was the performances of A-list artiste such as Burna Boy, Mayorkun, Mr Eazi, Sinach, Sammie Okposu, Teni, Adekule Gold, Falz and ad a host of many others. With comedian, Tee A, behind the microphone, there was no dull moment and the tempo of the event went octaves higher when reigning indigenous lyricist, Burna Boy, took the stage. Seguing from his early to latest hits, the singer ensured he made many men discard their agbada while the women did away with their stilettoes as they danced without inhibitions to his music.
Sokefun
Ronke Sokefun at 50: A Birthday Feast Fit for Royalty Momodu
Malaysia Welcomes Nigerian Billionaires‌ As Sani Dangote’s Son Weds
Mohamed Dangote and Sara at their wedding in Malaysia
If the mention of Nigeria evokes criminality like internet fraud or the sale of human kidneys in the mind of a typical Malaysian, that perception changed this week when some of Nigeria’s billionaires like Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and his business and social collaborator, Femi Otedola, stormed the Asian country for the wedding of Sani Dangote’s son, Mohammed to Sara, the daughter of Fouad Hayel Saeed, a wealthy
Yemeni-born, Malaysia-based businessman. The bride’s father is the managing director of the Malaysia and Indonesia ends of the behemoth Hayel Saeeds’ HSA Group, which operates around the world as a multinational company and manages companies in different economic sectors. The HSA Group run by the Hayel Saeed brothers is regarded as the most prominent family business in the Arab region. The groom‘s father is Sani, the immediate
younger brother of the World’s Richest Black Man, a successful businessman in his own right with investments in key sectors of the economy including manufacturing, agriculture and oil services and Vice President of the Dangote Group. Trust the Nigerian billionaires, they stormed the beautiful Asian country in all their finery and moneypower accompanied by friends and fellow billionaires. Prominent in the entourage was Atedo Peterside, businessman and founder of Stanbic IBTC Plc. The week-long wedding rites began with winsome Sara’s ‘Henna and Music Night’, which took place Monday, December 17, at the Mayang Sari Grand Ballroom, JW Marrriott Hotel. The henna night is a deep-rooted pre-wedding ritual in Turkish culture that generally happens one day before the wedding ceremony where the bride celebrates her big day with family members and friends. The idea is usually to get the bride in the mood allowing her to relax, letting go of pre wedding nerves and enjoying the occasion with her closest friends. The following day, the bride’s father hosted ‘A Yemeni Night to Remember’ in his stately home which was very well attended by the Nigerian delegation. The couple tied the knot on Wednesday at the Glasshouse, Bukit Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur, pictures from which have flooded social media. A wedding dinner is slated for Friday, December 21, at the Grand Ballroom, Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Thereafter, the couple is billed to tour different romantic capitals of the world on a mutual discovery of self and soul.
In a more romantic era, she would have become a poet’s delight, in this era; she flaunts an immense backbone of versatility and breadth of character that lures you to stare at her more closely than you are accustomed to in watching certain great women. However, Ronke Sokefun, the board chairman of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) will not allow glitz and glamour associated with the high life as well as the frills and thrills of vulgar materialism erode the more sublime traits that are prime requirements in a total woman. Asides her intellectual depth and accomplishment, Ronke has done very well for herself in the business and public life. Ronke celebrated her 50th birthday last weekend at the prestigious The Wings, Ozumba Mbadikwe road, Victoria Island, Lagos. The mother of a boy was beside herself with excitement as she bobbed and weaved alongside her friends on the dance floor. The men were not left out of the dance spree led by the popular technocrat, Otunba Bimbola Ashiru, who supervised the cutting of the cake. The glamorous gig, with a glut of gripping parades of purposeful phases of culture, couture and postures, was turned into a huge carnival of styles and ceremonial displays. It was easier to count the foremost Nigerians that weren’t at the party than those there. And they were in their eye-watering finery, yet, complied with the casual dress code. Ronke proved, with her birthday party that she knows her way around the labyrinth of high society. Not a few were astounded by the crop of elite guests that thronged the venue. From captains of industries to consummate politicians, royals and rulers, it was an evening when the spangled stars in the Lagos skyline, peering through the gold embroidered blinds, seemed to connive with the neon lights that lit the hall to cast a celestial halo on the birthday girl. The birthday girl was not left out of the dancing binge that lasted well into the midnight. Sokefun is a consummate lawyer, Chartered Secretary and Land Administrator. She is a 1987 Law graduate from the Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University).