Personality in Focus
Opinion: Celebrating Nigeria’s Media Guru, Oki Samson Olatunji: Promoted by Grace, Exhibiting Excellence!
By ‘Yomi Oyelami
When the grace of God comes upon human effort, there is no doubting the exploits that are generated. The effulgence and excellence of the exploits that the life of one of Nigeria’s youngest and brightest media generals, Oki Samson O. is generating is a proof to the abundance that the grace of God can bring out of man’s dedication to an upwardly mobile lifestyle. Results don’t lie, only fools will doubt proofs!
For Olatunji, his consistency to doing what one knows to do best; his intentionality to seeing through a planned course of action; his painstaking effort to ensuring that the best foot is put into every aspect; his eye for detail in fashion, outlook, and personal grooming; his adroit prowess to portraying the clientele the best way possible, his cerebral nature at holding meaningful and productive conversations; his commitment to the fact that hard work pays after all; and his knack for delayed gratification is simply few of the exemplary characters that have distinguished him among a generation of media personalities that are wont to play a fast one for quick gains. These same qualities he encourages and desires that the vast community of youths under his influence should embody. He goes all the way to practice what he preaches! This is the Samson Oki that I know, I have worked with, and I have come to celebrate over the years.
That Oki Samson born on the 20th April. He is the MD/CEO of McKinggs Media (a media/PR, events, communication, and branding Company) with interests in publications, advocacy, publicity, photography, event, and talent development; the Publisher of Trek Africa Newspaper, Nigeria’s towering news weekly that goes the extra mile for the news with a focus on two key thematic areas of business and governance both in-print and online and have pursued the vision ‘to become a reputable newspaper brand out of Africa’ since its inception in 2014; and also the National President, National Association of Online Security Publishers (NAOSNP) are probably well-known.
Permit me to show you more!
Oki is an award-winning celebrity publicist and brand strategist that has worked over a decade with several high net-worth individuals, hugely profitable business organizations, and impact-making not-for-profit organizations. He has also over the years established himself as a brand reputed for excellence and integrity in the media world. As a freelance journalist with New Telegraph Newspaper, he distinguished himself under ‘The Megacity’ weekly column which focuses on issues around West Africa’s industrial hub and Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos.
‘Mr. Sam’ as he is fondly called by his vast followership of youths is an authority in youth advocacy and youth development. The admirable orator has successfully mobilized the youths for countless community and national initiatives. He is very popular as a voice that resonates with the youths, owing to his numerous initiatives and programmes which keeps empowering several entrepreneurs and emerging young leaders. Two of the youth-centric initiatives are C. E. O. (Creative Entrepreneurial Opportunities) which spurs graduates into skill and enterprise development and the FOTA (Face of Trek Africa) a beauty pageant which brings the spotlight on the intellectual, enterprising and beautiful young African women.
It should be noted that he is the brain behind the annual Trek Africa National Discourse, Trek Africa Real Estate Summit and Expo, and Trek Africa Entrepreneurship Conference – all of which have become veritable platforms for charting innovation for enterprise development, industry growth, and nation building. With these platforms, he has succeeded in bringing eminent personalities and leaders across Africa including Liberia, Sierra leone, Uganda, Ghana, among others and has giving awards to deserving members of the public. In fact, eight team members were in Monrovia, Liberia for one week in 2018 at the august invitation of the Government of Liberia led by His Excellency, President George Manneh Weah where they met and discussed with the Vice President of the country and the Mayor of Monrovia.
The media guru is a diehard and unrepentant follower of Nigeria’s foremost politician and former two-term Governor of Lagos State and All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He was a volunteer mobilizer for the Buhari-Osinbajo presidential campaign towards the 2015 elections. While he closely watched The Jagaban of Africa on the 2015 campaign trail as a media professional, the idea for the soon-to-be-published book ‘THE ICONIC BOLA AHMED TINUBU: AN INSPIRATION TO AFRICAN YOUTHS’ was birthed. Since then, as a co-author, he has pursued and pushed for the coming to the reality of the book with dexterity.
Born to a mixed Nigeria/Sierra Leone parentage in the early 80s, he derived his passion for African leadership, enterprise, and politics while studying as an accounting student at the Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos, Nigeria. He is married to Ayomiposi with a beautiful daughter.
Roll the carpet for the one of Nigeria’s youngest and brightest media general, Oki Samson Olatunji!
Welcome to a fresh phase!
Cheers to a new beginning. Happy Beautiful Birthday Sir!
Writers across Nigeria, under the auspices of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), have united in commemorating the 94th posthumous birthday of one of Africa’s greatest literary icons, Prof. Chinua Achebe. Achebe, renowned globally for his groundbreaking novel *Things Fall Apart*, remains an enduring symbol of literary excellence and cultural preservation.
In a statement issued by Wole Adedoyin, the President of SYNW emphasized Achebe’s unmatched contributions to African literature and his role as a beacon of inspiration for writers across generations. Adedoyin highlighted the Society’s unwavering commitment to honoring Achebe’s legacy through creative and impactful initiatives.
One of the key tributes mentioned is the *Chinua Achebe Annual Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture*, initiated by the Anambra Chapter Coordinator of SYNW, Izunna Okafor. Now in its 9th edition, the festival has become a significant platform for celebrating Achebe’s works and discussing his influence on modern African literature.
Cynthia Maduekwe, the President of the Nigeria Society of Campus Writers, also spearheaded the *Writers Tour*, another initiative aimed at engaging young writers with Achebe’s literary philosophy. This tour exposes aspiring authors to Achebe’s timeless themes of cultural identity, colonialism, and societal transformation, ensuring his legacy continues to inspire future generations.
The Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) reaffirmed its dedication to Achebe’s memory through these longstanding programs. Writers across the country were encouraged to reflect on Achebe’s life and works, sharing tributes and essays on social media platforms to further propagate his vision of storytelling.
Adedoyin lauded the efforts of writers like Okafor and Maduekwe, whose initiatives keep Achebe’s legacy alive.
He also urged literary organizations and institutions to continue collaborating to sustain Achebe’s impact on African literature and culture.
“Prof. Achebe’s work transcends literature. He gave Africans a voice on the global stage, presenting our stories with authenticity and pride. Celebrating his 94th posthumous birthday is a reminder of the power of storytelling in shaping society,” Adedoyin stated.
The SYNW also used the opportunity to announce plans for a series of upcoming events dedicated to Achebe in the coming year, including essay competitions, poetry readings, and book discussions. These programs aim to further Achebe’s vision of nurturing literary talent and promoting African narratives.
As the literary community celebrates Achebe’s life and achievements, his timeless words resonate: “Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”
Achebe’s legacy continues to inspire writers to tell their own stories, preserving the richness of African culture for generations to come.
The Society of Young Nigerian Writers concluded by inviting literary enthusiasts to join in celebrating Achebe’s enduring impact, emphasizing that his legacy is a shared treasure for all who value the power of words.
Personality in Focus
UBA Appoints Henrietta Ugboh Independent Non-Executive Director As Owanari Duke Retires from Group Board
Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has announced the appointment of Henrietta Ugboh as an Independent Non-Executive Director.
The appointment has been approved by the relevant regulatory bodies, including the Central Bank of Nigeria.
UBA’s Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, CFR commenting on the appointment, said, “Henrietta Ugboh brings a track record of professional success, integrity and leadership, which will further strengthen the UBA Group Board, underlining once again the Group’s commitment to robust corporate governance.”
Ugboh holds a degree in Economics and Statistics from the University of Benin, an MBA from ESUT Business School, and is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School’s Executive Management Program. She has over 30 years experience in banking with Citibank and is an Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and a Fellow of the Institute of Credit Administration (FICA).
Elumelu added that with her considerable experience and expertise, which includes commercial banking, credit, and risk management, the UBA Board is delighted to welcome Mrs Ugboh to the Group Board, “We look forward to her invaluable contribution to the Group, as we continue to execute our unique growth strategy across Africa and globally.”
The Board also announced the retirement of Mrs. Owanari Duke, an Independent Non-Executive Director, who joined the UBA Group Board in October 2012.
During her tenure, Mrs. Duke provided distinguished leadership, serving on Committees of the Bank including the Board Governance Committee, Board Audit, Governance, Nomination & Remuneration Committee, Board Credit Committee, Finance & General Purpose Committee and Statutory Audit Committee.
On behalf of the board, Mr. Elumelu expressed UBA’s deep appreciation to Mrs. Duke for her dedication and significant contributions to the Group, wishing her the best in her future endeavour.
United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than forty-five million customers, across 1,000 business offices and customer touch points in 20 African countries. With presence in New York, London, Paris and Dubai, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail, commercial and corporate banking, innovative cross-border payments and remittances, trade finance and related banking services.
Personality in Focus
Tinubu Hails FirstBank’s Immediately Past CEO, Adeduntan on Exceptional Service
By Eric Elezuo
Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has congratulated the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the FirstBank of Nigeria Limited, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan as the bank holds a splendid Sendforth party on his behalf for a meritorious service.
The president’s congratulatory message is contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Information & Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
The statement reads in full:
PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES DR ADEDUNTAN, AS FIRST BANK CELEBRATES EX-GROUP CEO
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulates Dr Adesola Adeduntan, the retired Group Chief Executive Officer of First Bank Nigeria Limited, for his exceptional service at Nigeria’s oldest bank.
In celebration of Adeduntan’s remarkable tenure, the 130-year-old First Bank will host a special send-off ceremony this weekend, expressing gratitude for his contributions over the past nine years.
President Tinubu commends him for steering the bank through transformative growth, which includes expanding customer accounts from 10 million to over 42 million and elevating Profit Before Tax from N10 billion in 2015 to an impressive N300 billion in 2023.
These milestones, the President said, reflected Adeduntan’s visionary leadership and commitment to excellence.
The President expresses his appreciation for Adeduntan’s willingness to serve the nation in various pivotal roles, including his contributions to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and other prominent institutions. His extensive expertise in the financial sector has significantly bolstered Nigeria’s economic landscape.
President Tinubu also lauds the bank’s solid internal management ethos, which is responsible for the seamless transition from Adeduntan to the current CEO, Olusegun Alebiosu.
President Tinubu wishes Dr Adeduntan continued success in all his future endeavours.
