Story Of The Big Boy Everyone Is Talking About In IBADAN
The grand coronation of the Oba Ladoja Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Adewolu Rasheed Ladoja will certainly be talked about not just within Ibadan but all over the country for a long time. This is because no Olubadan has ever attracted the sort of national attention like Oba Ladoja. The former Senator and Ex-governor of Oyo State has spent the last few decades of his life building bridges that cut across ethnic and religious affiliations. This is why, on Friday, 26th September, 2025, the entire nation, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stood still for Oba Adewolu Ladoja. All of the biggest personalities were gathered in Ibadan to honour the newest Oba in town.
There were a lot high points and attractions at the event.
But the one many are still talking about is the brnd new Rolls Royce Phantom presented to the Olubadam. The glittering wonder on wheels worth well over N600m was the cynosure of all eyes. It was a befitting machine for the new monarch. But not many know about the powerful and stupendoulsly rich but quiet billionaire that gifted him the exotic machine meant ony for Royalty. His name is Kola Karim, he is the current Agba Oye of Ibadan land and Chairman of Shoreline Energy International.
The magnificent gift, delivered on Friday, 26 September, 2025, arrived just ahead of the monarch’s highly anticipated official coronation, setting the tone for unparalleled celebration. The Phantom was presented on behalf of the business magnate by his cousin, Engr. Abduljelyl Adekunle Karheem, Afia Group Chairman and Mogaji of Adanla family. According to City People findings, the eye popping automobile was discreetly delivered to Oba Ladoja’s Bodija residence at precisely 7:00 am on the morning of the coronation.
Kola Karim and the Olubadan are said to be very close. For several years running, they have had a father and son relationship going between them. This gesture simply underscores Kola Karim’s profound respect, admiration and close relationship with the monarch.
This isn’t the first time Karim has demonstrated such extraordinary generosity. He famously extended a similar, grand gesture to his close friend, the esteemed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, some years ago, showcasing a consistent pattern of high-profile philanthropy.
For those unfamiliar with his impressive profile, Kola Karim is widely recognized as a highly successful and illustrious son of Ibadanland.
Beyond his formidable business acumen, he is celebrated as a notable philanthropist, consistently contributing to the welfare and prestige of his community and its leaders. This latest act further solidifies his reputation as a key figure within the Nigerian social establishment.
Let us tell you a bit more about this illustrious man. He is a British national of Nigerian descent. Kola Karim is the Group Managing Director/CEO of Shoreline Energy International (Shoreline), a leading industrial group focused on Energy , Engineering , Infrastructure and Power investments in Sub Saharan Africa. Mr. Karim has built shoreline over the last 3 decades into a leading integrated energy company with operating assets in the upstream, midstream, and downstream business and capabilities across construction, engineering, and power generation.
Under Mr Karim’s leadership Shoreline’s energy focused business -Shoreline Natural Resources – has grown its upstream business through the acquisition of OML 30 a world class asset from Shell in 2010. OML 30 is Onshore Nigeria, located less than 50 kilometers East of Warri. The Lease covers 1,097 square kilometers with eight producing fields. OML30 has 2P reserves of 1.2billion barrels of oil and 2tcf of gas reserves. Current production averages 70,00bopd with potential to significantly increase to c.300,000 bopd in the medium term. The field has a combined field infrastructure capacity of c. 395,000 bpd. OML 30 owns and operates the 850,000-bpd capacity Trans Forcados Pipeline to the export terminal.
Shoreline’s Infrastructure development companies have been central to the development of key infrastructure project in Nigeria and across Africa in the Engineering, Power, and Construction Subsectors. Most recently Mota Nigeria, Shoreline’s Joint Venture with Mota Engil the leading Portuguese construction company , commenced work on the critical 700km Kano to Maradi railway that links the Nigeria to Niger and the sub-continent. Shoreline Power Company in partnership with the FTSE listed Aggreko PLC delivered over 300MW of power in support of the infrastructure needs of the key East African economies of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania over a 10 year period. In South Africa, Shoreline’s real estate development company, Ingegni ,has taken a leading role in developing housing estates initially in Johannesburg.
DBN Energies is Shoreline’s subsidiary delivering critical engineering services to leading upstream and midstream companies on the oil industry within the Middle East and Africa. With over 35 years track record of delivery, DBN Energies is a leading EPC contractor to international companies including Nigeria LNG, Total and Shell. The company has taken a leading role in developing gas compression infrastructure in support of Nigeria’s to reduce carbon emission through the reduction of gas flaring and to deliver gas to new markets that serve the energy requirements of Africa’s most populous country.
Mr Karim balances his business interests with a passion for contributing to development, charitable works and education in Europe, The Americas and across the African continent. He has championed a pan African agenda at the Harvard Centre for African Studies where he sits on the advisory board with a specific focus on building a Pan African resource centre with an initial center already launched in South Africa. Mr Karim serves on the Dean’s council of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and on the Africa Advisory board of the London Stock Exchange and is a Young Global Leader Award Honoree (2008), a pioneer and an active member of the Global Agenda Council on Emerging Multinationals of the World Economic Forum. He has delivered opinion and position papers at international conferences, investment forums, business schools and universities. Mr Karim holds an LLM Master of Laws – International Business Law.
Project Halo is the Karim family foundation focused on providing Scholarships and bursaries to fund further education for exceptional young people. The foundation alongside its partner network of UK charities has made a positive impact in the lives of a great number of youths with an exceptional academic background. Project Halos most recently provided scholarships to 14 students to fund their education at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
Mr Karim has , for over, 13 years been on the board of governors of the Grange school with a focus on supporting the development of technology based learning and expanding facilities within the school. The Grange school, located in Lagos, Nigeria , and started by British expatriates is renowned for the quality of the education it provides, the school is one of only three in Nigeria to be accredited by the UK’s Independent Association of Preparatory Schools. (IAPS).
Mr Karim’s pastimes include polo and yachting and he is a Member of Guards Polo Club , Lagos Polo Club and Lagos Motor Boat Club. Mr Karim is married with three children.
–WALE LAWAL
(08037209290)
