The story of Sir Oluremi Festus Omotoso MFR, KJW is both inspirational and exciting. Born 70 years at Ayedun Ekiti, Remi did not find a silver spoon in his mouth while being nurtured as a baby and had to waddle his way through not at any ivory league secondary school or resident at any palatial court but in a humble Secondary Modern School and a Teacher Training College.

He self taught himself to obtain the much prized General Certificate in Education Advanced Levels to qualify him for Direct Entry to study Geography at the prestigious University of Ibadan where our paths crossed in 1966.

Upongraduation in 1969, he taught brieflybefore gainingemployment withLeverBrothersNigeriaPlcinJuly1971asaManagementTrainee.

AtLeverBrothers,heroserapidlythroughtheranks and got promotedtotheBoardoftheCompanyinOctober1987asHumanResourceDirectorandwasinthisrolefornearlysixyearsandheadedfourotherfunctionsasExecutiveDirectorbeforeheretiredin1999February.

Based on his exemplary performance at the Lever Brothers and his well known diligence in Boardroom strategies he got appointed asGroupManagingDirector/CEOofOdu’aInvestmentCompanyLtdandservedforaboutsixyears retiringinNovember2004.

Appointments on appointments started trailing his career progression as he became sought after by many companies, corporations and institutions. He was Chairman of Nigeria Association of Development Finance Institutions between 2000 & 2002 and then Chairman of Association of Africa Development Finance Institutions 2002 – 2004.

In rapid succession he got appointedDirectorGeneral/CEOLagosChamberofCommerceandIndustryandservedfrom2005 - 2008.

Along the line he receivedwideandvariedTrainingandDevelopmentinUnileverinvariousfieldsoffunctionalmanagementandingeneralmanagement,particularlyincorporategovernance.HeattendedtheExecutiveProgrammeofFuquaSchoolofBusiness,DukeUniversity,NorthCarolina,USAin1992. He also attended various AfDB, World Bank Programmes and Bank Directors and Chairmen Programmes in various parts of the world; all in his quest to acquire knowledge and more knowledge. This of course would not be a surprise because education is an Ekiti man’s favourite food next to pounded yam!

A very widely travelled Business and Human Capital Development Executive, Omotoso has virtually travelled through all the continents.

Sir Remi Omotoso who started life with virtually nothing but hope, determination and strong will to succeed currently sitsonquiteanumberofBoardsincludingStandardCharteredBankPlcofwhichheisChairman;GreenwichTrustLtd;currentBoardChairmanofDNMeyerPlc;ChairmanJ.Wesley Investment Ltd, a commercial arm of Methodist Church Nigeria.InFayemiAdministrationinEkitiState,heservedasChairman,EkitiStatePublicPrivatePartnershipAgencyAdvisoryBoard(EkitiStatePPP), etc.

HeisamemberofanumberofBoardofTrusteesamongwhichareMethodistChurchNigeria;TimothyAdeolaOdutolaFoundation(TAOF);BookhouseEducationTrustofNigeriaandheChairsGbagadaResidents’AssociationRegisteredBoardofTrusteesetc.

Sir Remi Omotoso equally finds time for God and humanity. He is always with piles of Christian pamphlets and literatures on his desk and almost on every available space in his living room and office.

HeistheimmediatepastConferenceLayPresident ,MethodistChurchNigeria and thecurrentBabaIjooftheCathedralofHisGlory,MethodistChurchNigeria,Ayedun-Ekiti and as a Community leader he is the AmonaObaofIkoleEkiti, etc.

At 70 Omotoso has lived a life worth copying and emulating. HeisamemberoftheOrderofFederalRepublic(MFR);KnightofJohnWesley;Fellow,InstituteofDirectors(FIOD);FellowNigeriaInstituteofManagement(FNIM);HonoraryFellowGhanaCharteredInstituteofPublicAdministration(FGCIPA);FellowCharteredInstituteofPersonalManagementofNigeria(FCIPM ) and many more all in recognition of his sterling qualities as a distinguished Boardroom leader, a decent gentleman and a man of God, who has also .deliveredquiteanumberofpapersonvariousSocio-economicsubjectsathomeandabroad.

Omotoso is happilymarriedtoPastorLadyEbunoluwaOmotosoandblessedwithchildren,maleandfemale.

A very humorous individual and unequalled humility, Omotoso’s life is a rich book for any youngsterwho aspires to succeed in life.

Remi, you are welcome to the world of Septuagenarians!

•Tola Adeniyi is former Managing Director of the Daily Times of Nigeria. Photo shows Sir Remi Omotoso.