Popular Ibadan big businessman, Alhaji Babatunde Ologburo is 60. He hit the Diamond age on Thursday, 1st of October 2020. He was born on the same day Nigeria got its Independence. So that makes him an Independence Baby.
But surprisingly he didn’t throw a big Owambe party to celebrate his birthday. He simply took his wife, Alhaja Bola Ologburo and his lovely children to dinner. When City People asked him why he didn’t celebrate his 60th birthday in a big way despite being a socialite, he smiled and said these are sober times. He revealed that its because of the current pandemic which calls for sober reflections. At 60, Alhaji Babatunde Ologburo has a lot to thank God for. He has done well for himself. He is an accomplished businessman who has built for himself, a solid reputation of being a straight forward and reliable gentleman, who represents all the Yoruba ethos of an Omoluabi. He is a Building and Construction giant and he has done a lot in that regard.
All through last week, many prominent Nigerians commended Alhaji Ologburo and paid glowing tributes to him, as he turned 60. A 2019 gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Olasunkanmi Tegbe is one of them. He celebrated Ologburo as he clocked 60.
Tegbe described the celebrant as “a man whose footprints will remain in the sand of time.”
He wrote: “Reaching the diamond age of 60 calls for felicitation. Those who have lived the years well deserve to be celebrated.”
“As an accomplished Construction giant and a socialite par excellence, you have definitely lived. Your footprints are well imprinted in the sands of time
“I appreciate your commitment to personal relationships regardless of age, political and religious divides. Your focus and commitment to set goals makes you stand tall among your peers.”
“I hope your birthday is as special as you are. May the rest of your life dreams come true.”
On the day of his birthday, City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE spent an evening with this Oyo-born businessman about how he feels at 60. Below are excerpts.
How do you always feel when you celebrate your birthday, same day with Nigeria’s birthday? This year, you are both 60. How does it make you feel?
I feel happy & elated. I count myself lucky that I share the same birthday with Nigeria. I thank God for my life. Let me also say there are all these changes when you turn 40 and 50. And I am 60 now. Right from when I turned 50 to when I turned 60, there are so many things that have happened to me. You become more matured. And you come of age. You have much more responsibility than when you were younger. There are so many people looking up to you. In the extended family set up, as you grow older, you have much more responsibility towards your people and the community you live in. So, I believe turning 60 will bring me more responsibility.
How do you see your life at 60?
Sincerely, I thank God for my life. I have been lucky because the No 1 thing one should be grateful for is Good Health. That is the foundation for all other things. I thank God for blessing me with Good health. I thank God for blessing me with good health. I thank God for blessing me with a good family. I thank God for giving me a very good and supportive wife. When your home is good, other things will fall in.
You are 60. But you don’t look 60. You look refreshingly young. What is the secret?
Many people have been saying this. I came out here to have dinner with my family at this Restaurant. When I stood up as the celebrant and they saw that I was the one that turned 60, they said Wow. Can he really be 60? They just can’t believe that. I have some guiding principles. My guiding principles are these. Humility. Be Humble. When you are humble, so many things will work for you because the word humility is loaded because when you are humble you will be tolerant. You will always tolerate anybody that comes your way. In my life, Humility has been one of the guiding principles that have helped me. There is also Tolerance. There is Hard work. I believe in the supremacy of Almighty Allah. I’m also content. Contentment is key. When you are Contented you won’t chase material things. Whatever God has been able to give to you, will be okay for you. You will be happy. You won’t be thinking that you are inferior or that someone else is better than you. Many people craze so much about material things. Hard work has been one key thing about my life. I try to work hard and I live up to my responsibility.
Where were you born? Where did you grow up?
My father was a top entrepreneur in Oyo town. My father was into building materials and he was a big transporter. That was actually what formed the foundation of my venturing into business.
What is his name?
Alhaji Wahab Iyanda Ologburo. He was much more older than Alhaji Wahab Iyanda Folawiyo but they were friends. So, my father was a top Cement dealer and he was also a top Transporter.
So, I grew up in a business family. That actually assisted me.
Did you grow up in Oyo?
Yes I grew up in Oyo. Then I moved out of Oyo in the late 70s to early 80s, I started working with West African Portland Cement, now LAFARGE. I was in their Sales & Marketing Department. The moment I started working was the day I planned my exit.
Why?
As young as I was, I set a goal for myself that I wouldn’t work for anybody for more than 10 years. I only worked for about 6 years. In setting that goal, my father was there to support my aspiration. Before I started working in West African Portland Cement, as young as I was then, I was already into business. When I started working, I was also involved in part-time business. During that period, my father gave me a Working Capital, that can buy like 3 trucks of Cement. That actually helped me, and assisted me and formed part of my foundation for big time business. So, I did Building materials and Cement business for like another 10 years. One thing about me is that I like doing new things. So, I ventured into Export business. I was involved in the exportation of Cocoa and Cashew Nut. After I started it, after about 2 or 3 years, I decided to venture into Importation using the proceeds of Exports to import products. I did that for some years, before venturing into Construction business which I have done for like 25 years. I have been involved in Civil Engineering and Real Estate business for like 25 years. In whatever I do, I always try to be on top of whatever I do. That has also guided me. I always try also to show that in whatever business I do, one of the key secrets of it is my Integrity. You should not allow anything to stain your integrity. That is what has opened doors for me anywhere I go.
What are your success secrets that have helped you succeed in life?
Hard work is key. First of all, you have to be hardworking. Whatever business you go into, you must be on top of it. You must know that whoever that is dealing with you is dealing with your past record. You have to take responsibility of whatever that you are doing. Everything comes back to you. You must take the Responsibility for whatever you do. You must try as much as possible to guard your Integrity. Integrity is very, very important. If your Integrity is good, it will open doors for you.
Looking back, do you have any regrets in life?
No. No regrets. When we started this interview I told you almighty God has been kind to you, it shows that whatever you may call regrets have been part and parcel of your life & God has designed it that way.
Let’s talk about you and your wife, Alhaja Bola Ologburo. Both of you are very, very close. You behave like brother and sister. How did you develop your relationship to that level? What explains the success of your marriage?
The guiding principles for both of us is Tolerance. We are able to understand each other and we are able to Tolerate each other.
She says you have been very supportive of her fabric business. How easy was it to support her business?
Well. It’s my responsibility to support her. Yes. She is my wife and she is also very very supportive of whatever I do. Yes. That is why both of us support other. Apart from Almighty Allah, she has always been my pillar.
Let’s talk about your dress sense. You’ve always been very stylish. How did you develop that aspect?
I can trace that back to when I was young. And growing up in the late 70s and up to the early 80s, the 2 main fashion designers reigning then were Dakova & Vivid Imagination. Vivid Imagination has been my designer for years and up till now, he still designs for me.
What influence does your wife have on your Style as a Fabric merchant?
Well! Well! Well! She is in charge. She is in charge of my choice of fabrics.
What informs what you wear? What do you go for?
I try to look simple. I like to be comfortable. You can see that in most of my dresses you can’t see anything loud. I am not the loud type. Simplicity & Comfort are key for me. I like keeping it simple.
READ ALSO: CITY FASHION COLUMN: 14 INSPIRING WAYS TO ROCK AN ALL-WHITE OUTFIT
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