I have been fortunate to have several mentors in my life, each with their own unique qualities. One of the most outstanding among them is Chief Olusegun Oladipo Osunkeye, a consummate UK-trained chartered accountant, the Babalaje of Egbaland, and notably, the first and so far, only Nigerian to serve as managing director and chief executive officer of Nestlé Nigeria Plc.
In December 2023, while I was on vacation in England, I received a call from Chief Osunkeye requesting a conversation. The following week, I got a message from him via WhatsApp: he wanted to host my family for lunch at a designated venue in Central London and asked me to confirm how many guests would attend.
This was an extraordinary gesture, one I could never take for granted. I confirmed our attendance: my wife, Olufunke, our daughter, two sons, and our grandson. I told my wife we had to arrive early, knowing Chief Osunkeye’s impeccable sense of punctuality. She agreed but believed that we would be there before him. She thought she had won the argument until we arrived to find that Chief Osunkeye, then already in his 80s, was there ahead of us, table secured, simply waiting for his guests.
The lunch was a buffet, with an impressive spread of dishes and drinks. We were treated with warmth, elegance, and generosity. More importantly, Chief Osunkeye took time to speak to my children about the values of hard work, integrity, and character. He also promised to send me a document he had written, and one he required all his children to read at a certain age. True to his word, he later sent it, and I shared it with my children as well.
At the end of the meal, Chief Osunkeye did something that left my wife and me speechless: he gifted my wife, and children with a cash gift, individually. To show such generosity abroad, without ceremony or self-glorification, speaks volumes of his character.
Chief Osunkeye is a rare breed: a thoroughbred professional, ethical to the core, and a firm disciplinarian. He is a fearless advocate for good governance and never shies away from speaking truth to power. Yet, he embodies humility, integrity, wisdom, and the rare ability to inspire without dominating. He listens more than he speaks, and when he does speak, his words carry clarity and conviction. He once said during a public lecture: “We will not be remembered for how we managed the quarter, we will be remembered for how we stewarded the future.”
This ethos defined his leadership at Nestlé Nigeria, where, under his stewardship from 1991 to 1999, turnover rose from ₦609 million to ₦7 billion, and profit before tax increased from ₦98 million to ₦1.6 billion.
Beyond Nestlé, he served as chairman of several prominent companies, including GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc, and currently Omnibus Business Solutions and Pilot Securities. His contributions to institutions such as the International Chamber of Commerce (Nigeria), Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria, NECA, and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) have been significant and enduring.
A valuable leadership lesson I learned from Chief Osunkeye is the need to separate personal relationships from professional obligations. I recall helping to plan his 80th birthday in 2020. When he asked for my professional fee, I told him not to worry. He immediately objected, saying, “If you won’t charge me, then don’t do the job. I do not believe in such charity.” It was only after a warning from one of his other mentees, Mr. Olawale Oyedele, chairman of Kaduna-based frontline Agro-business company, NIKOY Nigeria Limited, that I quickly rectified the situation. I later discovered that Mr. Oyedele shares the same principle; absolute integrity in business, regardless of personal ties.
Chief Osunkeye is a visionary leader, known for strategic thinking and selfless mentorship. Through his “Town Meets Gown” initiative, he championed partnerships between the corporate world and academia, notably with the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB). He supported research, farm development, scholarships, and infrastructure projects, all aimed at fostering development and capacity building.
Born on September 7, 1940, Chief Osunkeye is an alumnus of King’s College, Lagos, Staffordshire College of Commerce, Wednesbury, England, and the International Management Development Institute in Lausanne, Switzerland. He also trained with Messrs Akintola Williams & Co. and Peat Marwick, Cassleton Elliott & Co., grounding his career in some of the finest institutions in the profession.
At 85 years old, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye remains intellectually vibrant, ethically grounded, and a source of inspiration to many of us who have had the privilege of learning under his guidance.
Happy birthday, Sir. May your days be long, your impact enduring, and your legacy evergreen.
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Sola Oni, an integrated communications strategist, Chartered Stockbroker and Commodities Broker and Capital market registrar, is the Chief Executive Officer, Sofunix Investment and Communications. You can reach him at onisola2000@yahoo.com
