Many money men covet and lobby far and wide for a mention on the Forbes Rich List. Don’t blame them, it satiates their conceit. They deploy huge resources to push their rating in the American journal and when listed, these billionaires take out congratulatory adverts in newspapers.

But Dr. Mike Adenuga, the Globacom boss, is markedly different. He pays no heed to such ephemeral listing. Many analysts have even consistently argued that he is bestowed with wealth far beyond the worth ascribed to him in previous Forbes Rich Lists and might even be the richest on the continent. He is, however, unperturbed by such guesses.

Yes, if Adenuga doesn’t strike you at first sight, then possibly, he is a masterpiece of a man disguised as a blank canvas. The trillionaire businessman affects a flurry of beings curled into one: he is science, an art, a foundation of genius with dashes of brilliance brightening the creativity of his mind and soul, thus illumining the world. A product of pure intellect, vision, and sheer enterprise, he can become any form he creates; he is a library of masterpieces, an intricate web of sensitivity and hope attuned in full measure to the world’s needs. This is a glimpse of who he truly is.

In top business schools across the continent and beyond, the corporate exploits of Adenuga are veritable case studies for academic researches. And there seems to be unanimity of opinions that the patently self-effacing businessman has created phenomenally successful businesses and changed the world in significant ways.

A force of nature; a towering force of hope and entrepreneurial depth, indeed, very few men can knead the tripartite traits of genius, modesty, and character into that moral and human centaur that remains unattainable to generations of tycoons and multi-billionaires like the entrepreneur extraordinaire.

The Globacom chairman achieves this with unequalled grace. He also epitomizes merit and affluence with indescribable allure. He’s got a heart of gold too. His forays into the business sector are richly layered and iconic. He is a peerless patriot whose commitment to national and economic stability is beyond doubt.

Having recorded a series of remarkable firsts in the highly competitive world of local and international commerce, there are no more worlds for Adenuga to conquer. He has created a legendary brand in Globacom, Africa’s biggest telecommunication network which is both a burden and blessing. But rather than submit to the rigours and pressures of commerce, he towers in excellence thus creating a powerhouse that Africa can be proud of.

Stories are told of his greatness and echoes of his humanity are fed like fodder to the masses. In a land dogged by human and infrastructural lapses, the humanity of ‘The Bull’, as many affectionately call him, nourishes the glands of kith and kin even as his genius oils the wheels of industry. This is why he is perpetually on the song, among his clan and league of extraordinary men. He emerges as the perfect symbol of business excellence seen at home and abroad as a historic figure, the personification of a business calculus within Nigeria and the African continent.

Yet, unlike the proverbial warrior who lives to sing the song of his deeds and derring-do, Adenuga remains impressively humble and immune to conceit, treading a rare path to acclaim thus, attracting honour in torrents, from home and abroad. He is like the mango tree, the more fruits he bears, the lower he bows in humility. For Adenuga, success comes with the weight of humility. (THISDAY)

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