SIJIBOMI OGUNDELE: THE MASTER MOTOMATICIA
By OKI SAMSON
CEO, Sujimoto Construction, Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele displaying with admiration his award plaque as “Trek Africa Entrepreneurship Personality of the year” presented by Trek Africa Newspaper.
-Bagged Award as Trek Africa Entrepreneurship Personality of the year.
Behind every great man is a set of philosophies that form the driving force for their life’s work. For Sijibomi Ogundele, the 1 + 1 = 11 mantra is one principle that is at the core of his life. Make no mistake, ‘this is not Mathematics’, says the man holding the aces at Sujimoto Construction, ‘it is Motomatics and it means ‘never give up’.
And that is so true, especially for anyone who aims to achieve success in entrepreneurship in Nigeria. Yes, the country boasts a huge market but the harsh economic climate, fleeting government policies, huge infrastructural deficit can kill the fighting spirit in a Nigerian youth but that’s why 1 + 1 = 11 encourages everyone never to give up.
In his own life, the dynamic entrepreneur has had reasons to want to give up his dreams of redefining luxury living in the country. But he represents ingenuity, perseverance, hard work and dedication to a defined course of action. His latest project, LucreziaBySujimoto, named after Lucrezia de’ Medici, daughter of one-time richest man in the world, Cosimo I de’ Medici. When completed, the project will be the tallest residential building in Banana Island and will beat all other apartments in terms of features and facilities. The building which has a twin floor maisonette of approximately 600sqm with four bedrooms, four car parks, and two boys’ quarters will also be fully automated.
L-R: Publisher, Trek Africa Newspaper, Oki Samson; CEO, Sujimoto Construction, Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele and Associate Editor, Trek Africa Newspaper, Sidney Nwachukwu during the presentation of “Trek Africa Entrepreneurship Personality of the year” Award to Mr. Ogundele in his office at Ikoyi, Lagos.
This daring project and others are fuelled by the over 250-strong staff at Sujimoto Construction Limited, a world class real estate and construction company that is set to transform Nigeria and Africa’s real estate market. The same theory of making the impossible possible and going the extra mile Mr. Ogundele has infused in the staff members, thus they carry their abilities, skills and expertise to delivering the kind of luxury apartments that compare with others in Dubai, New York and other mega cities of the world.
Fondly called the czar of luxury real estate in Nigeria, Sijibomi who aims to revolutionise the luxury real estate sector points out ‘when you negotiate the price of quality, you pay the full price for mediocrity’ and will thus leave no stone unturned to ensure that quality is not compromised at every project site and stage.
Amongst many eggheads whom the ‘Master Motomatician’ has benefited from is his mother who also doubles as his mentor. He shares about Mrs. Victoria Idayat Ogundele, one of the biggest distributors of Nestle Nigeria Plc., ‘I have always considered myself fortunate to have won an ovarian lottery by being born to a mother like mine. My mother, my number one mentor! A woman who at the age of nine was sent to Cameroon as a sales girl but defied all odds and today, she is one of the biggest distributors of Nestle Nigeria Plc.’
He furthered: ‘My mom never ceases to drop one or two pieces of advice that can only be learnt in an MBA classroom. She would say: Suji don’t employ 10 staffs if you can pay for only four. Don’t promise people nine when you can only afford five. My mother laid the foundation to the hardworking man I have become today.’
Oluwasijibomi believes that ‘he would surely become the President of Nigeria if he contests.’
The King of Luxury Real Estate, Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele (Suji) with his prestigious award.
