A top real estate developer, Abikoye Emmanuel Adekunle, has been speaking on how the strong Christian upbringing he got from his devoted Christian parents helped him to overcome the challenges he encountered in the real estate business. 

Emmanuel Abikoye, who is popularly called the Chief Coach of Lagos by business acquaintances, family members, friends, and a host of admirers for various reasons, stated that his foray into the real estate business would have been an exercise in futility if he had not inculcated the godly virtues taught him by his father and mother. 

“My parents are devoted Christians, most especially my mum as she will always force us to go to church and attend vigils. As a result of this, I joined the church choir at a tender age. As a church boy, even though we were raised in the ghetto, I was able to maintain some moral vibes and values despite so many temptations to do drugs, cultism, fraud, and hooliganism 

“Growing up in the slum and ghetto has always been a matter of survival for me and my family. We used to live in a one-room apartment on a street very close to the canal. While growing up, I used to travel to the village with my parents, especially during the Christmas festive period. On a few occasions whenever we came back to Lagos, I always fell terribly sick”, he said.

On his most memorable moment in life so far, Abikoye Emmanuel Adekunle said, “That has to be when we delivered our first housing projects, The Ambiance, 48 units of duplexes behind LBS Lagos”, adding that his biggest lesson so far is not to “oversell your projects and make sure you reserved units for yourself for company assets 

 Dr Emmanuel Abikoye, a native of Iludun Oro, Kwara State, and first child of a family of eight, who was born and raised in Lagos, Ajegunle, noted as one of the most notorious slums and ghettos in Lagos state, said growing up in Ajegunle made him be strong to face the storms and challenges that will confront him later in life.

Speaking on why he is fondly referred to as the Chief Coach of Lagos, Abikoye Emmanuel Adekunle, who co-founded BRG Network Limited, reputed as one of the biggest brokerage firms in Africa said, “I was called coach by my friends because of my leadership skills while playing football on the streets of Ajegunle

“Then, when I was in the higher institution, I participated in school politics and I became the Student Union Sports Director 010/011 and I was referred to as ‘Coachee’ 

“When real estate came, because of my leadership skills and knowledge of the industry and how I trained people on how to sell real estate leveraging on the internet, I earned the name Chief Coach”,  Abikoye Emmanuel Adekunle added.

While recollecting some amazing things that happened to him while growing up, the Chief Coach of Lagos said, “My mother told me I started walking at seven months old and whenever she went hawking her wares I used to jump in her back and help in chanting “Pokulowo e” meaning whatever she is selling is not expensive. I think that’s where my entrepreneurship journey started. 

“After school, I will hawk my mum’s wares around the neighborhood to assist with funds for the family. I have hawk kerosene, Ankara fabrics, dusters, etc”.

Abikoye Emmanuel Adekunle, who bagged a Higher National Diploma in Microbiology from Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, was conferred with an Honourary doctorate degree in Luxury Real Estate Management and Property Development from the University of Panama.                                

He also has certifications in Real Estate Dynamics Skills and Strategies from the Metropolitan School of Business Management in the United Kingdom and Real Estate Marketing Certification from Lagos Business School.