Ayoku, Top Businessman, Dies At 69

THE tribe of Nigeria's top entrepreneurs depleted yesterday with the death of Chief Solomon Adebayo Ayoku, at the age of 69.

Ayoku, who passed on in the early hours of yesterday, was the Chairman of Golden Gate Paradise Nigeria Limited, a conglomerate with interests in hospitality, casino and construction businesses.

The holding company has in its fold, Golden Gate Restaurant, Millennium Inn, Golden Susan Nigeria Limited, and Golden Plaza, all based in Lagos.

Ayoku was also the Chairman of Golden Gate Abuja Hotel, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In the 1960s, he co-founded Face-to-Face Pools Limited with Chief Adebutu Kessinghton.

Besides, he was operating a chain of casino houses around the country, most of which were situated in top hotels.

Ayoku, who hailed from Ede in Osun State, was described by his friends and business associates as a thorough-bred entrepreneur, a philanthropist and humane socialite.

The Chairman of Eleganza Group of Companies, Chief Razak Okoya said the late businessman would be remembered for his humanitarian gestures and impressive business acumen.

"He was a very close friend, kind with very good sense of business management. He lived a very good life and would be remembered for his kind humanitarian gestures," Okoya said.

Okoya, also said that Ayoku, who was the Babalaje of Lagos and Asiwaju of Ede, was a loyal and trusted friend, who exhibited honesty and high integrity in his business dealings.

Arrangements were still going on for his burial as at the time The Guardian called at his Lagos home yesterday evening.

Also the National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress (AC), Alhaji Lai Muhammed has described the death of Ayoku as shocking.

Muhammed, who spoke to The Guardian on telephone yesterday night, described the late businessman as a very resilient, a self-made man, hardworking, and an entrepreneur of the first order.

The AC scribe stated that the late business mogul embraced all Nigerians, and lived life to the fullest.

His words: "There was no dull moment in his life. He was at home with Moslems, Christians, had friends in every part of the globe, extremely de-tribalised Nigerian, very humble and unassuming and very successful".

Muhammad said that the late Ayoku would be missed by those everybody who came in contact with him.