Otunba Stephen Abiodun Ojo is the Group Executive Director, (Finance) of the Energy Group of Companies, a conglomerate that comprises Insurance, Reinsurance, Banking, Oil & Gas, Hotels and properties owned by Barr Jimoh Ibrahim, the 2023 Ondo North Senatorial candidate under the platform of APC.
As an experienced business/financial executive, he started his career with Mobolaji Oluwa & Co (Chartered Accountants) as an Audit Manager, he later moved to the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) where he served as the Chief Finance Officer. He established his accounting firm called Stephen Abiodun Ojo & Co. (Chartered Accountants), and he is the Managing Partner. He has also worked with Great Nigeria Insurance Plc, as Executive Director, Finance & Administration, NICON Insurance Limited as Chief Finance Officer, and as an Executive Director, Finance & Administration and Air Nigeria Limited, as Executive Director, (Finance). He is a respectful finance expert who has in the last 3-decade, pitched a tent for himself in the cooperate world.
Otunba SAO as he is fondly called will join the league of diamond jubilee big boy on the 30th of this month. The event to mark his new age took place at his country home.
Despite his career in the cooperate world, his philanthropist nature had earn him several chieftaincy titles like the Akogun of Ilupeju Ekiti, Tayese of Ijelu–Ekiti, the Babalaje-Ijo of Catholic Church, Ilupeju Ekiti, the Mayegun of Ipole-Iloro-Ekiti, the Majekobaje of Akure Kingdom. He was also honoured with the Otunba Gbobaniyi of Itapa Ekiti chieftaincy title on his birthday.
His humanitarian service had also won him several awards which include; Ekiti Man of the Year 2016 by Hero Magazine International and the Distinguished Corporate Achievers Gold Award among others. Recently, Event Diary Lifestyle Publisher, Princess Adeola Shittu was at his Ilupeju Ekiti country home where he speaks about his life at 60. Enjoy!!!.
Congratulation on your 60th birthday and your chieftaincy title, you are 60 years old, what was running through your mind as you attain this new age?
First and foremost, I want to return all glory to God Almighty, the beginning and the end, who had made it possible for me to witness this day and I pray to celebrate more years on earth. Though 60 is a big age and there is this feeling that comes with celebrating a milestone age like this, am happy and grateful to God for his grace upon my life, my family, my business and everyone around me. I was born on the 30th of December 1962 and my 60th birthday is one year I was looking forward to because attaining the age is grace, many had plans for it but they have no grace to witness it, in my case grace has always spoken for me and this was one of the reasons am celebrating it. Part of the plans is the birthday thanksgiving and which took place in my church while I host friends, families and dignitaries across the globe in my country home at Ilupeju. Sixty is a unique year and we refer to it as diamond jubilees. Also to celebrate the day, HRM Oba (Dr) David Olusola MAkanjuola Ajaja, PhD, the Owa Itapa of the Itapa kingdom honoured me and my wife with a chieftaincy title as the Otunba Gbobaniyi and Yeye Otunba Gbobaniyi of Itapa Ekiti. Also, I discovered a new energy in me, even more than when I was in my 40s maybe because I engage more in sporting activities than then.
How do you feel about the chieftaincy title?
I feel honoured and I appreciate the good people of Itapa Ekiti and HRM Oba (Dr) David Olusola Makanjuola Ajaja, PhD, the Owa Itapa of Itapa kingdom for finding me and my beloved wife worthy for the Otunba and Yeye Otunba Gbobaniyi of Itapa Ekiti title, we will not relent in our service to humanity. This is my seventh chieftaincy title, just last year I was honoured by the late Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Emmanuel Olaleye Oniyelu as the Akogun of Ilupeju Ekiti alongside my wife, as the Yeye Akogun of Ilupeju Ekiti. I will say we will not relent in touching lives and making our impact felt in Ilupeju Ekiti and the society as a whole.
What has life taught you at 60?
Sixty is a milestone age and I believe it’s a year that requires total reflection on one’s life. You see between 50 and 60 years of age, one needs to slow down a bit to see how he or she had been able to impact life in his or her immediate society because at 60 you are automatically an elder in your various community and one must be able to account for how many life’s he or she had touched, one has to change his / her behavioural pattern in other to accommodate more people and let our impact be felt by our people, relatives and the community we belong too. I thank God, he has been helping me to make an impact in people’s lives and with my new age, I will not relent in impacting life mostly among the youth and also making my present more visible in my town and state.
The Late Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Emmanuel Olaleye Oniyelu honoured you with the title of Akogun of Ilupeju before he joined his ancestors, how do you feel?
This life is a journey and everyone will drop at his or her bus stop, May the soul of kabiyesi continues to rest peacefully. His 40 years of reign brought lots of achievements to the community and history will not forget him. Last year during his 40 years on the throne and his 70th birthday, I and my wife were privileged to be among the sons and daughters of Ilupeju Ekiti kabiyesi honoured due to their contribution to the development of the town. It was the last major event kabiyesi witnessed before he joins his ancestors. In my case, kabiyesi had always wanted to honour me with chieftaincy but I keep turning it down until last year. Kabiyesi said to me that he was given me the Akogun title, that though it’s a big title and I said to him, I will take it and perform my responsibilities as Akogun of Ilupeju Ekiti and here we are today.
As the Akogun of Ilupeju Ekiti, what is your role in the community?
The Akogun title is referred to a warrior just like the position of Balogun, though no more war, the era of war has passed and nobody is praying for it. It is my duty as the Akogun to oversee the security of lives and property by providing adequate security and surveillance to watch over the town from street to street. We are trying to engage about 30 personnel to do this. I’m devoting my power and strength to maintaining peace and harmony in the town.
How peaceful is Ilupeju Ekiti in the last 40 years?
We are blessed in Ilupeju Ekiti. The town is the combination of two communities that come together to become one. One significant thing about the town is that we love each other, there is love between the youth and the elderly ones, we see ourselves as brother and sister, we don’t discriminate and we are always ready to lift each other and this amount to the level of cooperation among the citizen, mostly the elites in town. You will agree with me that when the elites come together, things will surely work out and when things work out, it will ensure peace and harmony in town, this cooperation amount to the peace we are enjoying in the town today but that didn’t say we are crime free because we are still battling with the minor crime but at least the town is peaceful.
Any regret at 60?
I don’t have any regret. You see to be in life is an opportunity and I believe in the adage that says, you lift to help others to live, that has been my nature. In my little way, I make sure people feel my impact, I might not be able to give you fish all the time but am ready to teach you how to catch the fish. I have no regret for any of my years on earth because I make judicious use of it.
Life begins at 60, haven’t spent 6 decades of your life, what are your plans or resolution?
Like I said early that the energy in my body now is more than when I was 40 years. One of my major resolutions is to impact more lives and mentor youth for the future ahead of them. Also, I will take care of myself and my health very well because health is wealth. I will continue with my daily fitness activities, I start my days with exercises and I spent time praising and worshipping God. Now at 60, I will be actively involved in my local and state politics and makes my impact felt by my people. Again I will be extending my humanitarian service to the youth and also mentoring them because sooner or later, we are going to leave the stage for them to take over.
Can your share with us your 26 years of experience in the co-operate world?
Thank you very much, after my secondary school education, I started as a class teacher at Bishop Akinyele Independent Primary School as an Auxillary teacher from there I moved to Abimbola chemist & supermarket as the Accounting clerk and account officer for two years after my secondary school before I went for my A-level and I return to Abimbola chemist/ supermarket as the stock keeper for a year due to my performances in my first 2 years then. So after my university education, I started my professional career with Babalola Akinsegun & Co a Chartered Accounting firm as an Accountant. It was while I was there, I started my professional exam so eventually, I got a higher appointment with Mojibola Oluwa & co as an Audit trainee. So when I qualified as a Chartered Accountant, I was promoted to Audit Manager and I later left Mojibola Oluwa & co and moved to Nigeria Aviation Handling Company ltd (NAHCOL) in 1992 as the Management Accountant from there I rose to the position of Deputy Account Manager to become the Account Manager and later rise to the Head of the Department of Finance. So l left NAHCOL as Chief Finance Manager in December 1999. It was after then I established my accounting firm called Stephen Abiodun Ojo & Co chartered accountant as the principal partner, so I was running my auditing firm until when I got an appointment with Great Insurance Plc in 2005 as Executive Director of Finance & Accounting. So I was there when I had another offer with NICON Insurance as the Chief Finance Officer when it was been privatized in 2006, I left NICON in 2007 and return to my business and which gives me time to participate in politics fully. I was a member of ANPP ( All Nigeria people's party) then and I was elected as the National auditor of the party, so then I combine my practising firm with politics until 2010 when I got another appointment as Executive Director of Finance & account of Air Nigeria limited former Virgin Nigeria, so I was part of the team that turns the company around, after working for some time I left to go back to my auditing firm which is always at standby for me. Until 2015 when I got an appointment back to NICON Insurance as the Executive Director of Finance & accounting. Today am the Group Executive Director of Finance, Energy Group of a Company owned by Barr Jimoh Ibrahim. So I want to say that my profession as an accountant makes me function well in any sector I find myself. Aside from my auditing firm, I am also the chairman of Dam Oil limited an independent oil marketer and to the glory of God we have 3 filling stations, am into cattle rearing and livestock and don't forget; I was born and brought up by a farmer, which makes me a farmer and I run a dry cleaning firm, we deal in wine and herbal drink in Ekiti. Aside from that, we are also into the hospitality business as I own the popular Trendy Hotels limited in Ogun state.
As one of the industrious sons of Ilupeju Ekiti whom God had blessed, how have you been able to give back to society or your community?
Anytime, any day am proud to be an indigene of Ilupeju Ekiti and one of the sons of the soil. You see in the last couple of years, 21 years precisely I float a foundation in which scholarships are given to students in primary and secondary levels in the town and the scholarship program has been extended to all primary and secondary school students in the local government area. The procedure is very simple, we pick the 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions in each class and we give them scholarships to motivate them. We also sponsor indigene students to various universities. Also, we give indigent students an annual bursary and today some of them are engineers and some professionals like me. Aside from that, I played a major role in the development of my community, as a member of the Ilupeju Association. I have functioned in various positions like Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Auditor, and Ex-Offio and we are very active. We constructed a modern market through the Ilupeju community association and several other developmental projects in town. So we have been trying our best to touch life and we pray that thy lord we serve should help us.
Any plan for active politics and are you contesting?
Sure, I will be returning to politics soon, before now I went on sabbatical leave but now, at 60 we are planning our retirement back home and one of the things that will keep us busy and impactful is politics, but how and when is what I can’t say, let’s keep our finger cross.
Am not new to politics mostly Ekiti politics, I joined politics in 2002 and I was nominated as the deputy governorship candidate in 2003 for the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP). I was among the National working committee member of ANPP. I served as the national auditor and member board of trustees of the party for 8 years.
Going by your decision to join politics, which political parties will you be affiliated with?
For sure, am not returning to my previous political party and I will surely flow with the new party in vogue we all know the political party trending in the southwest today, it's the Emilokan party (meaning it’s my turn). When I conclude my plans to go into active politics, I will join the All Progress Congress (APC).
You are a member of various social clubs, like Up ASSO, Island Club, Yoruba Tennis club, and klassiq club Ilupeju, how do you manage your social life and work together?
One thing I want you to know is that we are all social animals and in life, we need to network and meet with our professional colleagues, and people that have made it in life. This category of people can only be met at a social gathering and if you are not there, you can't meet them. It's only when you are there, you meet with them and at the same time sort things out. We all have different motivations for why we join clubs but in my layman's language, aside from going there to relax, the major motive is to network and gets your link with those that matter. My business needs networking to grow, so while going there to relax, you are also creating awareness for your brand or businesses. And networking through this has helped me a lot. I was a former treasurer of the Island club and former president of the Klassiq club of Ilupeju Ekiti and now am a member of the executive of UP ASSO (Association of friends). Am a social animal and it has helped me in life, I love to mingle and make contacts and also enjoy myself.
How do you balance your role as a father, Socialite, politician and community person?
Well, it is a question of timing and planning. You see during my working hours am always in the office busy with official work. Some weekends I attend seminars and workshops and if my weekend is free, I travel to my country home to do one or two things and return to my base in Abuja. So it's a matter of structure. So I try to structure it very well without anyone affecting each other. On the social aspect am very social and I belong to the Island Club, a member long the tennis club, a member Lagos Senior civil service club, the klasses club of Ilupeju Ekiti, and the Ilesa sports club among others. In my fathering role, it's well-taken care of by my wife. So I balance all well because one needs to find time to relax. In a nutshell, I balance all my roles and I can say none is disturbing the others.
Many of your friends describe you as the life of a party, how do you feel about the such statement?
One thing you can’t take away from me is that I like socializing, meeting people and making people laugh, again I go to parties to enjoy myself, unwind and network with people, at every function, you make new friends. I love to see people happy, so when am with them, I crack jokes, and bring back memories of old times this might be why my friends call me the life of a party because one minute with me, you will forget your worries and all you think of is happiness. I get invites from my friends; they all want me to be around them because they know I will bring life to where they are and also change the narrative.
How do you manage your relationship with your friends?
I have friends and I have very close friends, I have friends who have been coming with me for more than 40 years, some are 10 years and some we meet yesterday. Am a man with a large room that accommodates everyone without having issues, though we have our differences but settles without a third party. The simple secret is that, if am going into any friendship with anybody, the first thing I do is to study him or her, to know his / her strength and weakness, so when he/she is coming out from the weak side, I adjust myself to it and just be myself, this has been my rule in any friendship/relationship I have with all my friends. We are not perfect, am not perfect and they are not perfect and once you know this, there won’t be issues. So when they come out of their weakness, I forgive them and we move on as if nothing happens.
The likes of Jide Babalola, Oscar Seyi Aiyeleso and many others, all graduated in 1981 from Obalatan Commercial Grammar School, Ilupeju Ekiti. We are close friends and we respect ourselves. Oscar Aiyeleso is my neighbour today, his house in Ilupeju Ekiti is in front of my house.
Let's talk about your relationship with Dr Akintunde Ayeni founder of Yem-Kem International.
He is my friend and I respect him very much. Our friendship is close to 10 years and we belong to the same social club, Up ASSO. Our friendship started on a business level, I picked an interest in some of his herb products because they are very authentic and well-researched products and I respect him more on that level. I became their distributor and I was even made one of the ambassadors for titanic products gradually our relationship keeps growing today. I respect him a lot and he also does.
You are no doubt a fashionista person due to the nature of your profession, what is fashion to you?
Am a fashionable person, that loves to look good always. When my friends want to describe me, they call me, Omo elewu woyi- woyi (meaning someone that wears a different type of outfit). I take good care of myself and I move with the tone of what it’s in vogue in the fashion industry. Am never out of style and as a socialite and a finance expert, our slogan is looking good. What are your favourite fashion Items?
My favourite fashion items are shoes and I love to wear a designer wristwatch. As I speak, I have well over 100 pairs of shoes and 30 different types of designer wristwatches. And they are never out of vogue. Don’t forget that how you dress or what you wear speaks more about you.
You will agree with me that you look younger than your age, what is the secret?
I will attribute it to God and on the other hand, I love to keep fit and healthy, to enable my body system to work perfectly well and always to have a sound sleep. Exercise is good and it has nothing to do with age. In a nutshell, I don’t joke with my walkout and this has been part of me for 20 years now. I live at VGC, Lagos and whoever is familiar with the place, knows they have enough space for the walkout; walking around VGC is about 6000 steps and I go twice a day which amounts to 12,000 steps daily, sometimes I do 15,000 steps, it’s a simple exercise. I go to the gym to stretch my muscle and do some erotic. Aside from all this, I eat good food and I don’t stress myself.
Aside from exercising and keeping fit, what other things do you do to unwind?
I love walking out and I also play Ayo olopon and sometimes ludo games. Don't forget I love socializing with people.
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