Q: Please tell us about yourself
I attended 3 primary school starting from.St Michael Primary school, Kaduna. I then moved to Ibadan in 1977 to continue at Ayodele Nursery & Primary School and finishing in 1981 from Bishop AKinyele Independent School.
For my Secondary school, I did my O levels, at Community Grammar School, Challenge, Ibadan and my A levels was at Ibadan Grammar School, Molete Ibadan

I did my first and second degrees at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife graduating in 1994 and then 1999. My Third Degree was an MBA at Ladoke Akintola University finishing in 2002. My fourth was an MSc in Corporate Governance at London South Bank University, UK in 2011 and my fifth was a PhD in Business Administration at Babcock University finishing in 2020.

My friends call me, Mr Corporate Governance. I am very passionate about process and procedure. I started my career with NNPC, in the department of Pipelines and Product Marketing. I later joined Industrial and General Insurance. I believe that, whatever environment you find yourself, you affect your environment and you also take away from your environment.
I later found myself in Banking. I spent most of career in the financial services industry. At some point, I decided to move to business. I grew to become zonal manager, business banking. I was responsible for six branches of the bank, as a cluster branch manager. In all my seventeen years in banking, the most beneficial experience for me has been my last two years in business, because, I was able to network and collaborate. In my practice and my other Ventures today, the experience garnered has helped me. I am very passionate about anything that relates to Corporate Administration, Corporate Governance and making positive impact.
Q: What are your biggest strengths and what are your biggest weaknesses
My biggest strength is making positive impact.
My weakness is numbers. Right from childhood, I never liked numbers. I struggled a lot with numerics. I did a lot of professional exams which had to do with numbers, but it was a big struggle.

Q: What is your typical day like now
When I was still in a paid job, 9-5, I thought it was too much work. I thought, when I start my own business, it'd be so much pleasure, but I realise that the effort is a lot more. These days, when clients ask about my closing time, I say, I have no closing time. I close when I'm tired. My day is unpredictable, I'm not a configured person, to say I resume at 8, and close by 5 or 6. Sometimes, I might not resume to work till about 1pm, but then, I had started work from wherever I am. If I have serious deadline, I can be in the office till night. My typical day is determined by the demands of the client and events that occur at a point in time.
Q: How did you start your day when you first started at work
9-5 job was not my thing, but I had to cope. It worked for me at a certain stage of my life, but perhaps, not now. Back then, I went to meetings, that kept me busy, all through the day. So, I worked late almost every day.
Q: How was your early life growing up, your days as a teenager
Life is a roller coaster. Your dream might not be where you'd eventually find yourself. As a teenager, I wanted to be a medical doctor. I was in form 4, all my friends were in the sciences but something called me to art and I was doing so well without attending classes regularly. Meanwhile, I failed the sciences, I struggled to pass. One day, my uncle looked at my results and advised that I moved back to art. I looked at the available courses to study and I chose law which shaped what I have become today. My uncle was part of the people that shaped my becoming a lawyer today.

Q: What was your first job
A: I worked in a law firm. At the end of the month, everyone got paid, apart from me. When I approached the principal partner for my salary, he laughed and said 'You have been wasting my paper, my time, because you don't get it right. I always have to teach you things.' Then he said, if he calculates properly, I would probably be owing him. I looked at the man and wondered what part of hell he came from. Today he is my friend. The following week, he paid me the salary which was 800 naira. He helps me till date. When I get new people to work with me, I tell them the story, a pointer to continuous learning.
Q: What was it like getting your first salary pay cheque
A: I got my salary and thought of renting a house buying, a car, then I thought again, of not spending my salary for about 7 years. I wondered if I was in the right profession. With perseverance and right attitude, you will continue to grow. All the bosses I have worked with, turned out to be friends, who give insights into being better, expanding your horizon, which created opportunities.
Q: Did you have a mentor in your early days at work
A: Everybody needs a mentor. I also mentor people. At different times, I had different mentors. One of my mentors is Doctor Olayonu. He is a senior advocate of Nigeria. Our parts crossed, when somebody referred me to him that I needed a job. He listened to me, but told me, he had no vacancy. However, he had a client who needed an in-house Counsel in a finance company. He decided not to leave me to his client.
He rather told his client, I'm a staff and supports me to work with him. Whatever the pay would be, the client would pay into his practice and he'll pay me, without taking a dime from it. He wanted to secure a contract with the man. That was why he handled it that way. For that act, I have a lot of respect for him. Till today, he has been very supportive. He assisted me to get my first job in bank. He still mentors and guides me.

Q: What is your current or your last job
A: I run my own law practice, but I'm also into other things. I do Consulting, Trading, I sit on the board of other organisations as non - executive.
Q: How do your balance your work and your life
A: I'm an advocate of work - life balance. My approach is that work is part of life. I make myself comfortable. Anywhere, I have my office, there's shower, there's wardrobe. It's nice to plan, but make your work environment like home, in order to be able to make quick changes.
Q: How do you manage stress
A: I'm a triangular person, from home, to work, from work to church or back home. Once in a while, I'm a social person. I take out time to relax. I like being around my friends and I particularly like hosting people. I have a strong association of my alumni in the university. We meet from time to time for a mini reunion.
Q: What are your hobbies
A: I'm lazy in sports. I love meeting, hosting and entertaining people. I go to the gym when it's convenient for me to go. Some of my said, if I wasn't in a professional job, I'd be a good event planner.
Q: What is your ideal vacation
A: Take off, shut down, be with your family.
Q: Your favorite food, dessert and Snack
A: I love Eba and Efo Riro, but I've been told to cut it off my diet.

***What's your favourite snack and desert?***
None, I'm not very English.

Q: Your favorite place in the world outside Nigeria
A: Caribbean Island
Q: How did you meet your Spouse
A: Interesting! We met at work. We were both working in an insurance company. She was the new staff that was introduced. Immediately I saw her, I told my friend that, that lady is going to be my wife. That's how it started.
Q: How many children do you have
A: Four children two girls, two boys.
Q: Did you want more
A: No(laughs), four is a good number.
Q: Did any of them follow in your footsteps, career wise
A: Apart from my first born who studied law but ventured into Human Resources, my second child is a lawyer, my third child is studying law, my last child who is about to enter university is proposing to study law as well. My wife is also a lawyer.
Q: How does that make you feel
A: It's a good feeling , because if you've done something, and your children are taking after you, you'd want to see them flourish and do better than you ever did. I thought I was influencing their decision, but later I realized it's not about me, it comes from within. I only support them to do better.
Q: What do you think of people that force their children to do what they want
A: I have a close friend whose parents forced to do law, but today, I call her engineer, because she's into furniture fabrication. She eventually followed her passion. I don't encourage parents forcing their children to be who they had struggled to be, that they couldn't. The important thing is, discover their passion, allow them to follow their passion and give them support as much as you can. Always encourage them to be the best in whatever they do. If my son wants to be a Yoruba teacher, then I'll tell him to be the best Yoruba teacher in the whole world. (laughs)
Q: What is your favorite time of the day
A: It depends on what I'm doing. If I'm working, I think evening is my favourite time to work. I like to spend mornings with my family.
Q: What experiences have you had in your life that you’d say have shaped you to be the person you are today
A: I see things differently. In my life, I've been distant a lot of times, but I don't let that swallow me. What I do is to make sure I reappraise the situation and I try to make the best out of it. That is one key experiential learning from life that I have seen. The second experience was when I was a company secretary, I was the most junior. I decided to take a plunge. I relocated abroad, many thought I just travelled. Within three months abroad, I realized that I'm better off going to Nigeria. Within a month that I got back, I got another job and life moved on.
Q: What one thing do wish you could go back in time and do all over again
A: There are a number of things I wish I could turn around, which are quite personal. If I could go back in time, I'd like to change my relationship with some of my extended family members.
Q: What are the best qualities you look for in people
A: I love people who have high integrity, people who are truthful. I appreciate quiet people. I appreciate things other people have, that I don't have.
Q: How is your relationship with God
A: I love God. I'm a Deacon on the Redeemed Christian Church of God. I am a worker in church. I'm a work in progress, May God help me.
Q: If you could pick 3 people to have a conversation with either living or dead, who would they be
A: I am very passionate about governors. I may want understand your perception of issues with governors, the sustainability, the inconsistencies in government and how it affects the lives of people.
I'll seek people's opinions on what they're doing to transform the way young people think, thereby transforming our nation.

Q: What are your 3 greatest achievements thus far
A: I'm grateful to God for how far he has taken me. Four years ago, I started an NGO. It's about making impact in the society. Each time I remember what I've done in that regard, I think it's a great achievement, but I still want to expand and leverage on what we have done so far. I dedicate it to God, for giving me the enablement.
Achievement number two: Today, two of my children are graduates and they have joined the work force. One is working in the United Kingdom, one is working in Nigeria, while the other two are still in school.
The third one: In my church, my wife and I have been the leader of the Marriage Counseling for about ten years. We've been married for twenty six years. We've had our challenges, but still together, hoping to stay strong, till death do us part. It's an achievement.

Q: Beef or Chicken or Fish
A: Fish
Q: Morning, Afternoon or Night
A: Night
Q: Sweet or spicy foods
A: Spicy
Q: Read, Watch TV or Listen to music to relax
A: Watch TV
Q: Iphone or Android
A: Android
Q: Native, Formal or Casual clothes
A: Native
Q: Window seat or aisle on a plane
A: Aisle
Q: Europe, Asia or North America to visit
A: Europe
Q: Going out or staying home
A: Going out

Q: Please can you give us 3 people that we can interviews as well
A: Mr Victor, Mr Anthony Eden, Ms Yemi Asareogun
Q: Please can you give some advice to the young people coming behind you
A: Everything in life is in time and seasons. There's a time to sow and a time to reap. The early part their career is the season to sow. They shouldn't be expecting too much, as long as they're doing personal development. It's a matter of perseverance. There'll be a season of reaping.