•City People Reveals Their Last Moments
It has been a mournful moment for Nigeria’s biggest telecommunication giant, MTN as they lost one of their top managers, Oluwole Rawa to the cold hands of death a week ago. This was one too many as they have lost 2 of their best hands in the space of 4 months.
Recall, in October,2020, they lost top Manager, Dola Bamgboye also to the cold hands of death. One synonymous thing about the death of these 2 topshots was that they both died somewhat the same way. They never exhibited any particular ailment of record of being seriously ill before they passed on. Families, friends and colleagues have started sending in their tributes to the website created for the Late Oluwole where they shared their last moments with him and who he was to them. What was their last moments and how did death crept in? The late Wole Rawa was the General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Nigeria. His life was cut short at a very unripe age of 44 years.
He was an old Alumnus of Harvard Business School, who has under his belt 15 years of experience in the telecommunications sector. It was gathered that he slumped and died on his way to the hospital few minutes after he complained about dizziness.
Mr Oluwole whom his friends do fondly called ‘Wole Bobo’, was said to have felt wonky and complained about chest pain, he was in a car going to the hospital still chatting with his friends but, then got quiet with his friend thinking he had just taken a nap, since it had been a hectic day at work and that was it, he was gone! He was said to have been brought in dead to the hospital. Wole never showed any sign of illness and was a bubbly guy till he passed on.
Wole attended Christ School Ado for his secondary education and proceeded to University of Ilorin for his BSC Degree in Civil Engineering. He completed his National Youth Service at Mobil Producing. Wole worked for Oceanic Bank for about three years before moving on to the Telecom sector. He worked for Econet, now Airtel in 2004 as Manager, Payphone Segment, Marketing Directorate Commercial Group from where he moved to Etisalat, rising to the position of Director, Marketing Segments and Strategy.
He had a love for learning and continuous improvement which led him to complete an Advanced Business programme at Harvard Business School, USA. He was the General Manager, Consumer Marketing at MTN at the time of his demise.His journey in MTN began as Head Group Consumer Operations in 2015. He did the Strategic Leadership Programme in Cranfield School of Management from 2012 to 2013.
Oluwole was born in Ibadan on the 13th of June 1976 to Frederick Olu and Helen Olayinka Rawa. He was the second of three children and the only male. He married his wife Jadesola in 2009 and the marriage is blessed with a beautiful daughter, Olayinka. As a young boy, although a bit rascally, Wole was hardworking, diligent, dedicated, ambitious and extremely generous and kind-hearted.
Wole was the second of three children and the only male. He shared a strong bond with his sisters. He adored, cherished and doted on them, providing a fatherly figure since the call to glory of their late dad.
For Late Dola Bamgboye, who was MTN Nigeria’s Event and Sponsorship Manager for many years, it was another big blow for the telecommunication company. Fola Bamgboye was in his late 50s when he passed on.It was gathered that the man who loved music and was humble to a fault reportedly slept soundly the night before he died but never woke up the next morning. The sad news threw colleagues, family and friends into mourning because he was well-loved for his good nature and open-heartedness. He was solely missed by the Nigerian social scene and entertainment industry where he played big.
The death of Bamgboye, who was described as a down to earth fellow by a colleague happened on a Saturday and the Sunday prior to his death, he was seen hale and hearty in church dancing and singing and never showed any sign of illness. His death dealt a blow to his colleagues when the news was shared on the staff’s social media group platform then.
Dola was born in Leicester City, which he dutifully reminded his wife and children every chance he could get. “13 – 01. 62”, he would state emphatically, as if they could ever forget his birthday, even if they wanted to. His parents, former Nigerian Minister in the first and second Republic,Late Chief Claudius Agboola, and Late Mrs Phebian Bamgboye were both indigenes of Usi Ekiti, but they somehow found themselves in the Windy City of Leicester, bringing Okundola into the world, the man we’d all later come to know and love.
After four years in England, he was brought back home to start Nursery School at Sisi Obasa Day Nursery School, and later, Ladi Lak Primary in Yaba. He had a boisterous childhood with his siblings, Gbemi, Bolamole and Feyi. His secondary school years were spent between African
Church Grammar School and CMS Grammar School. He went off to the Federal School of Arts and Science, and one year later, the School of Basic Studies, Ahmadu Bello University. There, he met Ochee, who he would later call his wife. He often described a whirlwind romance, a meeting of perfect opposites who simply just clicked. He moved to London to start a new chapter, completing a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from the Middlesex University, and a Masters in Social Sciences from Goldsmiths University.
In 1992, he went back to Nigeria, to marry Ochee. Not long after Bidemi came along, and for two whole years Dola and Ochee were a family of three. Ayoade and Ayodola, their twin girls, came along in the thick of summer 1994. Then they were five. He worked hard in London until
he was faced with the opportunity to relocate to Lagos, a decision he did not take lightly. From 2003, until the very end, he worked as the marketing and sponsorship manager at MTN Nigeria. A role he took on with all he had, one can barely think of yellow without thinking of Baba D, as he was so fondly called at the MTN office.
Dola came alive with big projects. He was at home with projects that lasted months and required near-constant engagement and oversight. He was widely appreciated and known for the MTN Street Soccer and Project Fame.
– TAYO OYEDIJI
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