PUNCH NEWSPAPER FORMER CHAIRMAN, AJIBOLA OGUNSHOLA REFLECTS ON LIFE AT 70!

Says: “I Have Been Very, Very Fortunate In Life”

When the news first broke, a few months back, that Chief Ajibola Ogunshola was to clock 70 soon, many didn’t quite believe it. Quite a few people couldn’t just come to terms with the news that the former Chairman of PUNCH newspaper was that far gone in age. This is because there is nothing about Chief Ogunsola’s looks or gait to suggest that he was joinning the Septugenarian Club that soon. Over the years, he had managed to keep his slim figure intact. Uptill now, he is still very active in the running of Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) as an elder and he is one of the South-West delegates to the ongoing national conference. He still runs around here and there to attend social functions and supports worthy causes.

But believe it or not, this Ibadan Chief is 70. In fact, as you read this interview, he is celebrating his 70th at his home in Ikoyi, Lagos, and will be hosting a classy dinner in a few days time to mark his birthday. How has this brilliant mathematician and actuarist kept his agile and youthful looks aglow? Is there any special regimen he follows? What are his reflections on life at 70?

These and many more were the questions that came to mind when An Online Magazine kept a date with the Baaroyin of Ibadanland who has become a living legend. He has always been known to be a shrewd businessman who is well respected within media circles for reviving a newspaper that was dying and turning its fortunes around to make it become Nigeria’s No 1 most successful newspaper. It was a rare interview, as Chief Ogunsola was in a very relaxed mood, ready to answer all questions. So for 3 hours, one of the godfathers of Nigeria’s newspapering business told City People the story of his life.

Chief Ogunsola is 70. But he looks for younger than that. What’s the secret?

Thanks for the compliment. I think it is because I am fortunate to have what appears to be the right genes and I am lucky I don’t have any health challenges that is worrisome. Essentially, I am healthy. Then, I watch what I eat. I have a diet plan that I follow to the letter. I also try to, whenever I can, to exercise, 3 to 4 times a week and it’s not rigorous exercise. It’s just fast work for about 30 to 45 minutes, swinging my arms and drinking water before, in between, during or after. I don’t sleep enough, though. That’s not good enough I know. (Laughs) I stick to my diet. I try to avoid sugar, milk. I don’t eat beef at all except at parties. Even chicken. We eat chicken at home only rarely. At home, we eat almost always fish and snail.

As you turn 70, what comes to mind. What are your reflections?

The thing that comes to mind, mainly, is about those who have died, like my brothers and sisters, and occasionally my parents. In these last few days, that is what comes to my mind more. About myself? I don’t think I have been doing much reflection. That’s the truth. Reason is simple. I don’t have cause to complain about my life. So, I have not found myself reflecting on what I have missed or not missed. That is the truth.

But if you look back at your life, you seem to have packed a lot into your life in terms of accomplishments. Does that make you feel good?

I would say I have been fortunate, not in terms of miracle or in esoteric terms, but in the sense that most of the things that I will like to do I have been able to do them. The things that I have and the people that I have around me I am fortunate that they have been largely supportive. I mean my wife, children, my family, most of the people I work with. I have had enough money to live on, if I don’t over do things. and I have tried all my life not to over do things. Some of the little embellishments that you see here were not here 10 years ago. But as I grew older I said to myself I don’t know how many years I will live, let me have a little more of comfort around me than before.

It is a good thing, because people who know me know that I have tried not to be extravagant in my spending, all my life. I have tried and tried to conserve. And that has helped me. I am happy. Today, I may live up to 90 years but when I look back to those who have died, my friends, my brothers, my family members and so on, I realised that living up to 90 years is not necessarily a high probability. That means I probably have less than 20 years more. Thats not a lot. So far, therefore, I can say I have lived more than 70% of my life probably.

At 70, will you say you have been able to accomplish most of the things you set out to achieve in life?

Yes I have achieved most of the things I set out to achieve in my own generation and for my own career path. I went to a good Secondary School, Government College, Ibadan. I was born of well off parents. My mother was, by the standards of the time, a wealthy woman in Ibadan. Among the Ibadan native women, of middle age she was believed to be number 2 in assets to late Humani Alaga, a famous woman, who was the richest native Ibadan woman. And my mother was number 2. And I lived with my mother. My father was well off, but not as financially rich as my mother. He was more of an Ibadan Public Servant. He ended up as Otunba Balogun of Ibadan, next in rank to the Balogun. He went to Ibadan Grammar School, in his early years, in 1914-1917, then he was headmaster of the biggest primary school in those days in Ibadan.

They call it Middle School more than Primary School. Then, he entered into the native authoritative system. He was distinguished and held many positions there. He became a Grade A Customary Court judge. He was also a member of the Western House of Chiefs. He also had his own farm. He was quite well off. When he died he had an Opel Capital car. My mother had more money. All I am trying to do is to make the point that I was born of well off parents, I was fortunate. The next issue is what did one aim at doing? At that time, you either aim to be very rich by going into Business or to go into top Bureaucracy or Technocracy. At that time, the bright boys in school did not think of going into business.

You were supposed to finish your secondary school first, if you do well enough, you will go on to University. That was the prestigious thing to do. Then, from University you then go into employment or you can wait in the University to do a Ph.D and be a teacher and eventually end up as a Professor or a Vice Chancellor. If you were brilliant at school going into business will not occur to you.So what were my aims? My aims therefore was not to go into business. At that time it was considered that only those who could not make it academically went into business. I considered going into academics, but I wasn’t so much impressed I was thinking of going to do a degree in Engineering because I was very good in Mathematics, Physics and so on. Just as I was finishing my Higher School Certificate, my late maternal brother, Chief Moyo Aboderin, not Olu Aboderin, who is also my maternal brother…

Can we digress a little to have you tell us about your siblings and who was who?

Chief Moyosore Aboderin is number 1 of our mothers children. He succeeded Olu Aboderin as Chairman of PUNCH. Between him and Olu Aboderin there were 3 others making 5 and me making 6. What connects me to them is maternal. So, like I was saying, he Chief Moyo Aboderin, was a top businessman and had international contacts and exposure. It was from him I first heard the word Actuary. He said why don’t you go and study this course. He had interacted with actuaries abroad. He was a local director here of one of the insurance companies of that time. As at that time the profession was the highest paid in the world. He got the documents about the profession for me.

So I dropped my idea of wanting to be an Engineer. The way it was then was if you were good in Physics and Maths you would go into Engineering. If you were good in Biology, Zoology and so on you will go into Medicine. Very few wanted to go into University to go and do a degree course only in a subject like Maths, Physics. Going to University to get a B.Sc in Maths or Physics was considered to be rather narrow, unless you wanted to be a teacher. From the brochure I got to go and study Actuary it was desirable to go and take a 1st degree in either Mathematics or Statistics. It wasn’t compulsory though but it was better. I did a 1st degree here in Mathematics at U.I. before going abroad to complete my Actuary profession.

In 1972, NICON wanted to start Life Insurance Business and the post was opened for the 1st head of the Life Department called Life Manager, I applied for it and I was employed. So, I came home to start the job. I became the 1st Nigerian fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of England. It was all over the newspapers. I was the first black African to have that qualification. I was very fulfilled when I joined NICON. My first car was a Toyota Crown. I was 28 then. It was a big thing then. I was 28 and the head of the Life Department of NICON, a government owned company. I was at a very high level for my age. The next youngest person was about 40. My plan was that after having a successful career in Insurance Management at NICON, I would set up an Actuarial Consulting Firm, do that and make enough money to live well. That was my goal I worked at NICON and Niger Insurance. I later worked as the Managing Director of Niger Insurance.

How did you end up in publishing?
It was fate. I had my own plans, but Fate intervened. My maternal brother Chief Olu Aboderin died. And I became a Director of PUNCH newspapers and Chief Moyo became Chairman. Unfortunately again, he died 3 years later. So, by 1987, I became Chairman of PUNCH. But I still continued my Actuarial Consultancy Firm. But I spent at least 40% of my time on PUNCH matters. Here we are today. So I had my goals, I achieved it and feel very fulfilled. I am happy now that The PUNCH has succeeded greatly in the newspapering world. It gives me great joy. I told myself I will leave as soon as we complete the new PUNCH building. It was at the opening of the building that I announced my retirement.