For obvious reasons, Wednesday, June 26, will not be just another day in the life of billionaire oil magnate Jubril Adewale Tinubu, CON, the Group Chief Executive of Oando Plc. The reason is not far-fetched. He will be 57 on that day, and he will be celebrated to the heavens by his family, friends, business associates, employees, and beneficiaries of his benevolent gestures, both at home and abroad. While the tales of his childhood, which have yet to be documented in black and white, may only be knitted by his parents, who witnessed his vagitus on June 26, 1967, his inspiring journeys from the Federal Government College, Odogbolu, through the University of Liverpool, and the London School of Economics exposed him as a potentially successful man, a pride to his family and his society.
Since age 22, when he returned to Nigeria to attend the Nigerian Law School and was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990, he has continuously made conscious efforts to give meaning to the words of Brigitte Bardot, a French activist, singer, and model, who said, “Every age can be enchanting, provided you live within it.” Indeed, it is a truism that his life oozes enchantment, which astounds even his competitors. In 1990, he cut his teeth as an attorney specialising in corporate and petroleum law at his family law firm, K.O. Tinubu and Co. And for the next four years, when he wore his wig and gown admirably, he dazzled inside various court rooms, where he had plied his trade.
But like a restless soul, he later glided from the rather tensed courtroom environment to the corporate world when he co-founded Ocean & Oil in 1994, all in a bid to pursue his dream of ruling the corporate world. For the past 30 years, he has made exploits that have changed the narrative in the oil and gas sector in the country. In fact, since he joined the league of industry players, his rare feats have become veritable material worthy of studying with undivided attention.
No wonder, when Forbes Magazine described him as the King of African Oil, there was a general agreement that he fit (and still fits) perfectly into the description. Today, his name is synonymous with oil and gas, as Oando, which started as a mustard seed, has now literally grown into an oak. There’s no denying the fact that the nation’s business in oil and gas is fraught with all manner of risks. However, he has become adept at managing the risks inherent in his line of business while also maximising its opportunities with a combination of expertise, creativity, and courage.
So, at every available opportunity, he wows his listeners, especially newshounds, whenever he gives a snippet into his staying power in the face of the inclement business environment in the country. Beyond his clear vision and unbent resolve, his success story is evidence of the divine grace in his life.