IN a society with limited opportunities especially for youths, he was terrified by the fear of poverty early in life. In Agege, a Lagos suburb, where he grew up, he converted his apprehension to a motivation which eventually became his saving grace. Education and creativity were vital in elevating Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele to the position of Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of a multi-billion naira real estate firm, Sujimoto Construction. The firm built the tallest residential building, Lorenzo, in Lagos. His wealth and fame at a relatively young age, have been adjudged an inspiration. Ogundele, who is regarded as one of Nigeria’s youngest billionaires, is rated a brave young entrepreneur by Forbes Africa. The following is his story:


In the beginning

While growing up on the streets of Agege, the fear of poverty was my greatest motivation. Out of the 47 houses on our street, only two people owned a power generating set. This taught me a great lesson that for wealth to be generated, my environment and the people I surround myself with, need to change. At the tender age of 9, I started visiting Ikoyi with the mindset that someday, I would also live there. Today, that dream has become reality. I became a billionaire at a young age because I prepared myself for it. It required hardwork and a strong conviction that I was chosen and ordained by God. This is the basis of my confidence which motivates me to dream bigger than my environment.

Passion for entrepreneurship

I speak English, French, Spanish, Yoruba, and Hausa. It will interest you to know that I have a working knowledge of Japanese and Arabic languages. From childhood, I developed a passion for entrepreneurship. That’s been my only passion to date. I was first introduced to business at a tender age in Africa’s largest market, Oke-Arin. Out of curiosity, I followed my mother to the market where I learned every aspect of trading. That’s why I’m not surprised I’m the Managing Director and Chairman of Sujimoto. We usually say Sujimoto is to architecture what Picasso was to art. We are a dynamic and innovative luxury real estate firm. Our major mission is to revolutionize the luxury real estate sector.

Fear of poverty

The fear of poverty brought me this far in life. As a builder, the foundation for me was very crucial because a man’s foundation gives him a glimpse into his future. Without my childhood experiences, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It didn’t only make me resilient, it was a strong pillar. I have zero tolerance for failure and I believe that a man who lives in an apartment in Ikorodu today, can own a house in Ikoyi tomorrow. Success is all about choices we make and our priorities. I’m quite fortunate to have won the ovarian lottery of my mother; a woman who at the age of nine was sent to Cameroon as a sales girl. Today, against all odds, she’s among the biggest distributors for Nestlé Nigeria Plc. She inspired me to be who and what I am today. She taught me the importance of having a great vision and working persistently towards making it a reality.

Foundations of my success

I found wealth by reading books. My first introduction to entrepreneurship was when I read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Ten years in any university could never have given me what I learned in 10 days. This changed my life forever. I understood two things. The first is to look for a product. The second one is to create a competitive advantage. Also, customers should always come first. These principles are the foundations of my success.

My first major break

I ventured into the luxury real estate sector at a time when Nigerians were beginning to demand value for their money. My vision was simple: to redefine luxury living by exceeding all expectations. My simple philosophy was to create sugar, after which ants will come. I have been doing real estate since 1998 when I lived in the South of France as a common agent with no license. Back then, I brokered a lot of deals in project management and financing but my first major break was in 2011 when I bought an apartment in Paris and decided to remodel it. My friends thought I was crazy and ostentatious but after I was done renovating, I sold it in less than two months to a friend from Qatar for double the price. This investment flip in such a short time re-ignited my interest in real estate and changed my career path forever.

Before moving back to Nigeria, I visited my aunt who bought a house on Banana Island. After paying so much for the house, I still had to help her redesign the kitchen, change the doors, tiles and other things. It was very exerting and frustrating considering the fact that one would expect a house of that magnitude and price to have quality accessories and interiors.When I decided to return to Nigeria in 2014, I had the vision to liberate the Nigerian luxury real estate market and bring true value to customers, who were not only tired of architectural mediocrity but also frustrated by value depreciation.


I ventured into the luxury real estate sector at a time when Nigerians were beginning to demand quality and value for their money. They had been at the mercy of mediocre developers who refused to raise the bar in terms of quality but demanded ridiculous prices, because they thought the customer didn’t know better.The market was littered with substandard structures, going for exorbitant prices. All I did was to create sugar by offering world-class service with superb finishing of international standard at reasonable prices. The game changed and today, most of the so-called top developers are using Sujimoto as a case study. Many have copied our designs and tried to emulate our marketing strategy.

Potentials and talents

My desire to create a platform that inspires the next generation made us to organise a mentorship platform. It was to inspire young talents and send a message to the nation that our major asset is our human capital. The Sujimoto one-day internship and mentoring programme is a lifetime project and it’s objective is empowering young aspiring entrepreneurs with business skills, advisory, mentorship and financial support. Young Nigerian students between the ages of 12 and 22 were specially selected from different institutions from all over Nigeria to participate.

This event is about inspiration.Without the right mentorship, people might miss the road to their destinies. That’s why we have different people from different industries, who share their stories with young people and encourage them to pursue their dreams. Youths need to know that their location has nothing to do with their destination. The project is for youths for now. Nigeria has a tendency of discouraging people from achieving their potentials with their talents. We want our brand to empower youths and help them achieve their potentials. A short message can transform a mindset, just the way a piece of advice can change a life.

Accepting failure

Continue reading >> http://www.nairafame.com/2018/08/ogundele-agege-boy-who-became-one-of.html

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