By Onochie Anibeze

FORTIS NOIDA, INDIA: “If you need more money, just know that I’m a phone call away”.

“Thanks so much, sir. I’m still coping well with the money I brought here and the one you gave to me”.

Above was part of my chat with Chief Mike Adenuga Jr in 2010.

I was in far away Nioda area of India for a medical treatment and I had texted Chief Adenuga to thank him for his assistance and keep him posted on how my treatment was going on. He texted this: “Thank God your treatment is going on well. If you need more money, just know that I’m a phone call away.”

For moments, I was still, shocked, my heart thawed by the goodness, the love and the generosity of this Nigerian whose passion for charity and care for the less privileged knows no bounds. He had sent me money when he heard I was billed for medical treatment in India. It was unsolicited. Chief Adenuga knew about me when Globacom was sponsoring not only our league but also the Super Eagles and all the other national teams. Globacom appeared the best thing to happen to our sports then. They once spent about N9billion yearly on sports. Media houses were also sponsored to cover international events. In one of my sports columns then I commended Chief Adenuga for his sponsorship of sports programmes. The title was THE DEBT NIGERIA OWES ADENUGA. The man was in far away France. I gathered that he called his office and asked if somebody initiated or influenced the piece I did. They told him no. He was impressed. The logo of my column had my telephone number. Chief Adenuga immediately called me from France and spoke some Igbo that touched me. He was grateful for the piece. I thanked him for what he was doing for Nigerian sports. He played a big role in 2003 when Nigeria’s Enyimba became the first Nigerian club to win African Champions League, beating Ismaily of Egypt 2-1 aggregate. Chief Mike Adenuga has a title then  Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State liked celebrating. ENYI 1 OF AFRICA. Enyi in Igbo means Elephant. His contributions to sports were as huge as an elephant.  Orji Uzor Kalu, now a senator, piloted Eyimba to become the most successful Nigerian club, winning the African Champions League in 2003 with Kadiri Ikhana as coach and successfully defended in 2024 with Felix Emordi as the coach. The Enyi One of Africa had a hand in those victories.

There was glitz in Nigerian sports when Chief Adenuga was involved. CAF Awards  were glamorous when Globacom sponsored them. Top African artistes featured. It was always a night of culture, music, sports and entertainment. Senegalese Youssou N’Dour was the first black to play as the major artiste in the World Cup finals. He was a well known star abroad especially in Europe. Chief Adenuga hired him to play at the CAF Awards hosted in Lagos. N’Dour was at the time global grade A artist and only God knew how I felt seeing him perform in Nigeria. What Chief Adenuga did for Nigerian sports was tremendous. Passion and patriotism always fired him on. Sports began to lose him when corruption set in and the account of his sponsorship money was no longer transparent. But  Chief Adenuga  would not ditch the country for anything. He started sponsoring individual athletes and creatives. Music stars, comedians and Nollywood stars are today benefiting from his sponsorship or generosity as the case may be.

On Tuesday, Chief Mike Adenuga will add another year to his age. Every year, Nigerians celebrate his birthday. Listen to the radio, buy newspapers, watch the television stations and you may also attest to the goodwill the man commands largely because of business acumen, generosity, philanthropic activities etc. How many people in the world would help someone with some money and still tell the person that if you need more ”I’m just a phone call away”. I will never forget that chat with Chief Mike Adenuga. It lifted my treatment and helped my healing. I join many who will be wishing Chief Mike Adeniyi, Agbolade Ishola Adenuga Jr well on his birthday. May God bless him as he turns 72 on Tuesday. As usual, Nigerians will sing his name.

Take these from 2024 celebrations: MIKE ADENUGA: CELEBRATING ICONIC BUSINESS MAGNATE’S IMPACT AT 71 – In the world of billionaires, there are those who make headlines with ostentatious displays of wealth, and this is Mike Adenuga – a man of quiet distinction and profound impact. As he marked his 71^st birthday on April 29, 2024, the media erupted in a symphony of accolades and well-wishes for this titan of industry – Oghenovo Egodo Michael.

WHAT SHALL WE SAY ABOUT MIKE ADENUGA AT 71? 70 years from now when the history of Nigerian enterprise is written, one name will tower, head and shoulders above many – Michael Adeniyi Adenuga Jr (GCON). He turns 71 on April 29. As has become the norm, the airwaves, newspapers and biographers would be redolent with congratulatory messages and tributes like this one you’re about to read – Tony Kan

MIKE ADENUGA @ 71: SALUTE TO BOUNDLESS INGENUITY, RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF GREATNESS – In what has become an annual ritual of sorts, the Nigerian media will tomorrow, Monday, April 29, celebrate the 71^st birthday of an illustrious son of Nigeria, the renowned Nigerian telecoms and oil tycoon, Chief Michael Adeniyi Ishola Adenuga – Festus Akanbi.

There were so many others. If I add tributes from the likes of Reuben Abati, Nduka Irabor, Dele Momodu and Mike Itemuagbor, the indefatigable sports marketer who sold sports to Adenuga, then this will run into a book of a thousand pages, focusing on his many parts in business, industry, philanthropy, sports, entertainment and humanity. Happy birthday in advance to Enyi One of Africa. May God continue to bless you and grant you the grace to continue promoting humanity in Nigerian and beyond.