The Builder Called Gbenga Daniel By Boladale Adekoya

Thirty years ago, ace radio presenter and my very good egbon, Mr. Jimi Disu, who was with the Vanguard Newspaper had an interview with one of the two most senior indigenous Chief Executives of multinational companies in Nigeria as at then. One was Pat (later Professor) Utomi who was the Assistant General Manager of Volkswagen Nigeria and the other was Gbenga Daniel who then was the Deputy Managing Director of Schroeder West Africa. This was in November 1989.

In the rare interview which I came across recently, Mr. Jimi Disu, obviously stunned, asked (Engr.) Gbenga Daniel how he rose to that top position which makes it the highest position by any Nigerian in a multinational company as at then and at a very young age of 33. Daniel with his signature smiling gesture, replied him: "It is through hard work. I have worked hard, I have put in all I can into this company. What I have been able to achieve has been so overwhelming, people have had no choice but to recognise that. I have worked and got results."

And that actually sums up the personality of Otunba Gbenga Daniel. All through his life, he has remained true and dedicated to any cause he lays his hands on. Through absolute steadfastness and optimum dedication to business, Otunba Daniel became the Doyen of electro-mechanical engineering systems in Nigeria.

To him, success became a second name and with it he navigated through the sturdy paths of the private sector and before the age of 35 he did not just make his mark through his company, Kresta Laurel, he was so successful at his endeavours that he became the owner of choice properties across Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

In 1986 and at the age of 30, he built his first house at Festac, Lagos. That building had the best architectural design as at then. In 1990 and at age 34, he built the Obalofin Court in Ijebu Ode, long before the affluents of his cradle understood the importance of unique designs in structuring a time-lasting modern edifice. The Court had the best design in the entire region.

In 1992 and now aged 36, Gbenga Daniel bought a magnificent London home. In 1997, he built the now renowned Otunba Adeoti mansion at the heart of Maryland. And in 2003, he completed his taste for built environment with the Asoludero Court in Sagamu, Ogun State.

If there was any further definition to success than this, then it is definitely in helping others and not in assets acquisition. But like a goose that keeps laying the golden egg, Otunba Daniel refocused his penchant for building into helping others. He created the Gateway Front Foundation (GFF) to provide succour to numerous Nigerians and give hope to many who have long forgotten what it looks like.

Under the GFF, thousands of Nigerians from every sphere of life were provided with start up capital, health benefits, scholarships and shelter.

Perhaps, coming to the realization that while his GFF was providing the needed but limited succour, those with the power to better the lots of the people via public office on a larger scale were doing badly at the job. He consequently then decided to advance into the realms of governance using the vehicle of politics. In doing so, he had to disrupt an old order political structure and bring governance to bear at the doorsteps of the ordinary people.

He succeeded in 2003 when he defeated a sitting Governor of Ogun state and one of the renowned strongman of the Southwest, Aremo Olusegun Osoba.