Femi Otedola and His N5 Billion Donation
Fellow Nigerians, let me say it has been a particularly hectic month for me. I have had to juggle a lot of things including pursuing my Fellowship, dealing with the business affairs of the Ovation Group, private media work, writing columns, charity work and attending a variety of functions and events. This has necessitated my travel between Oxford, Ghana, Rwanda, Germany, Amsterdam and Nigeria. I now totally understand what Chief Moshood Abiola meant by his popular saying “the bigger the head, the bigger the headache...”
To succeed in life, especially if you were accidentally born into a humble family and not a silver-spoon background, you must work like work is going out of fashion. To quote Chief Abiola again, “hard work is prayer in action...” It is difficult, if not impossible, to find a successful man who just sat at home doing nothing! Even winning the pools or lottery requires some effort, albeit a lot of luck. infectious smiles. Cuppy smiles so much that
The story of my life continues to be like a you would forever wonder if she ever frowns. fairytale. I get invited to so many events and Thus you can imagine why I instinctively said places practically every week. I’m hardly able yes, instantly, without even thinking or checking to honor up to 20 percent of requests for my my diary or itinerary. Beyond family ties, Cuppy personal attention and presence. For me, it is a has been totally supportive of The Ovation Carol great honor and privilege to receive invitations annual event we host, for the past few years. She from everyone including certain friends and might say “I’m sorry Uncle Dele, I’m likely to distinguished personalities, especially those who come a bit late but I will certainly make it” and have also supported my dreams over time. I she’s never failed to join us and perform in her do not discriminate between my friends. I find inimitable style. And she’s grown very big in her each is unique and distinct in his or her own trade over the years maturing into her status not way. I cherish everyone of them irrespective of only as a much sought after world class DJ but background, wealth or lifestyle. As they say, to also a delectable, tuneful and soulful musician whom much is given, much is also expected, with a glittering career ahead of her. How on and such was my situation, and dilemma, these earth would I ever say NO to Cuppy! past couple of weeks. Again, to Femi Otedola, the enigmatic but
Recently, I received a message from my friend’s gregarious gentleman himself whom I have daughter, Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, asking if I known for close to 30 years, starting from our would be able to join at the launch of her Cuppy days of rocking the phenomenal music of Sir Foundation, on November 10, dovetailing into her Shina Peters with many other friends. From those birthday at midnight, on November 11, 2019. My days at Surulere, Femi has grown in leaps and God, I thought aloud, how could I ever say NO bounds. His has been a meteoric rise to wealth to a young lady I have come to like so much and and stardom. But you must give it to him that admire for certain sterling qualities, and several he never forgot his old friends. Every now and reasons including her humility, warmth and charm. then, he would check on you and even support
I was present when she launched her musical you in your days of tribulations and triumphs. career as well as celebrated her birthday and He has been very kind to me. The easiest way to graduation in a gala of triple festivities, five years get me hooked is by supporting my hustle and ago, at The Mandarin, a premium class luxury this Femi has done relentlessly by patronising hotel, in Knightsbridge, London, a stone throw Ovation International magazine loyally. When from her dad Femi Otedola’s historic home, where I launched my books last year, Femi did not Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana once bonked stay with us from the beginning to the end, he before their controversial deaths. But that is bought hundreds of copies and he’s been gifting another story for another day. Femi has always them to many of our mutual friends. Femi has been a man of great charisma and style. Even greatly inspired my affable son, Eniafe Momodu, when he didn’t command and control the kind a photojournalist, speaker and wordsmith, even of stupendous wealth it has pleased God to bless hosting him at home. him with today, he was known generally as a About two weeks ago, Femi sent me a WhatsApp man of impeccable taste and sartorial elegance. message requesting for our full address, to be His adorable wife, Nana, has remained a paragon doubly sure, since he’s visited me at The Penthouse of beauty since those days, when I used to visit before. I immediately responded and he told me them in Ilupeju, Lagos, before the deluge of cash he was sending me Cuppy’s invitation card. That flooded in, like an angry hurricane. So I was not was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. For surprised that their children took after them in sure, there was no going back on my promise to the area of exotic lifestyles and vocations. It is Cuppy now that her Dad had also reached out remarkable, and a sign of the great spirit that personally and frontally. I crossed the Rubicon. Femi has, that he has supported his children as However, I soon discovered one major obstacle. they take on careers in the arts and entertainment. I had assumed the event was going to be in He is not the typical stereotyped Dad who would Lagos until I suddenly realised it will take place frown or smirk at the prospect of his children in Abuja. Cuppy’s event clearly clashed with turning their noses up at formal careers in law, our Editor, Michael Effiong James’ investiture as accountancy, medicine or pharmacy. He has not a Rotary District President which was at Ikeja just been financially supportive, he had thrown Sheraton, as well as his 50th birthday on the 11th himself wholeheartedly into the genre they have of November, just like Cuppy’s. Since I do not chosen and assisted and boosted others like them. own a private jet, how would I get to Abuja same
On that occasion, five years ago, I saw first evening? I had no ready answer but I knew I hand Ife’s passion for music and entertainment. would have to perform the miracle of Jesus Christ DJ Cuppy, as her moniker goes, was all set and by turning water into wine and by developing ready to explode on the music stage and prove wings and flying like an Angel towards Abuja. cynics wrong about being a spoilt brat, which My confusion was so monumental but I was was never the case. Her humble spirit totally determined to crack the nuts and bend the irons disarms you on first contact, garnished with her with bare hands, if need be! Our Editor’s event was
THISDAY Newspapers Limited. billed to start at 2.00pm and Cuppy’s at 7.00pm. Knowing Nigeria reasonably well, I added one to two additional hours to waiting time, meaning the Ikeja event may start at around 4.00pm. I figured that I must immediately find a flight around 6.00pm-7.00pm to Abuja. I left nothing to chance. Everything was meticulously planned and assiduously executed. Neither Michael nor Femi would ever forgive me, if I failed in this mission.
Fortunately, my office said they found a 7.00pm flight on Arik, meaning I could leave Sheraton at 6.00pm and get to Murtala Muhammed Domestic Airport well before my flight departs. That was how God opened his doors of favours and my best friend, Adedamola Aderemi, who as a Director of Ovation would not miss Michael’s event, and who had also been invited to Cuppy’s event, finally boarded the Arik flight and landed in Abuja at some minutes past 8.00pm. We had both booked our dear Transcorp Hilton for our accommodation since the show was taking place there and we are Diamond members (I am a proud lifetime Hilton Diamond member). We just managed to quickly freshen up before rushing down to the venue of the great event.
The whole space at the banquet hall was totally filled up by guests, artistes, government officials, led by The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, State Governors, Ministers, legislators, top journalists, past leaders at both executive and legislative levels, captains of industry and many others. It was such a magnificent and colorful affair. It was televised live by Ayo Animasahun’s wave-making HIP TV. Above all, most of the top echelon of Save the Children, UK, one of the biggest children charities in the world, which has The Princess Royal, Princess Anne as a Patron. Leading the team were Kevin Watkins, the Chief Executuve and Dianna Melrose a member of the Board of Trustees. Cuppy herself is a Save the Children Ambassador and a feature film on her harrowing visit to the Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camp in Maiduguri was shown. Cuppy has adopted the camp as her main charitable and philanthropic project with the able support and endorsement of Save the Children, UK.
The high point of the event was when Tolani, Femi’s first daughter, came on stage and announced a donation of an unprecedented sum of 5 billion Naira to Save the Children UK for use in the Maiduguri IDP. His close friend and ally, Aliko Dangote, had earlier weighed in with a donation of N100 million to the same cause. Needless to say, the top brass were gushing and effusive in their praise for Femi and Cuppy as they acknowledged that the stupendous sum had already been transferred to them.
Social media ignited fire with automatic alacrity. Most people were touched by this remarkable act of benevolence, graciousness and Femi got a standing ovation for it...
The grand finale of the night was a rave performance by Cuppy, the singer and DJ. Cuppy gave an amazing account of herself and wowed and dazzled the appreciative audience with her mellifluous voice and slinky dance steps.. She performed two of my favorite tracks “Abena” featuring Kwesi Arthur, Shaydee and Ceeza Milli, as well as “Gelato”, featuring Zlatan. She seemed destined and determined to demonstrate her full maturity on the music scene... And we all had great fun, which continued well after the clock tolled at midnight and Cuppy was serenaded with a wonderful rendition of the happy birthday song and the cutting of the birthday cake!