HRM OBA BASHIR SOTONWA, Sekumade of Ipakodo
I first got to know Monzor Olowosago when he applied for the membership of the Oriwu Club, Ikorodu. At that time, some members of the club came to me then to tell me that he should not be admitted to the Club because he’s troublesome but l was quick to tell them that he didn’t appear to me as that kind of a person and that even if he’s truly troublesome, when he gets to our midst, he would change for good because of the quality of people he’s coming to meet there. When he eventually joined the Club, he behaved and conducted himself very well to the extent that those that came to me to oppose his membership of the club equally attested to his good personality and conduct. I told those people then that what they referred to as troublesomeness then is called youthful exuberance and it happens to everyone because we all had our childhood period.
But sincerely, Monzor is a very good person and he comes from a very good home. Since l have known him, he has been a forward looking and straight forward person who would never see white and calls it black.
The fact that he has been able to publish his paper, Oriwu Sun, for 36 years successfully shows that he’s very responsible, reliable and very focus. I really commend and applaud him for that.
My advice to him now that he’s 70, is that he should take his time to reflect on his past and makes necessary adjustment where necessary because he’s obviously not getting any younger.
He should use this stage of his life to be a source of encouragement and inspiration to his children and others and also be closer to God more than ever before.
I wish him happy celebration and may God grants him good health to spend the rest of his life.”
HRM, OBA SEMIUDEEN ORIMADEGUN KASALI, Adeboruwa of Igbogbo.
All I will like to say is that Chief Monzor Olowosago should keep up with the good work. He is someone I see as a mentor, I sense many qualities in him. Through doggedness in his chosen profession he has achieved a lot. The reason Oriwu Sun has remain the leading community newspaper in Nigeria is not farfetched, I like him and will like to encourage him to continue making his people proud.
My earnest prayer for him is that may Almighty Allah continue to guide and guard him. The legacy he has created will never go into oblivion. It is a rare privilege for anyone to attain 70, going by statistics, life expectancy here is between 45 and 50.
Monzor has achieved an important feat by attaining 70. He should use this time to reflect and be closer to God, also he should be good to others. This is time for him to take care of his people and the community.”
OBA KAYODE RAJI BALOGUN (The Eweye of Isiwu):
We give thanks to God, he is a very nice person and I have known him now since 1984. Then the company was still at Lagos road and I have known him around the community when he works with concord.
He has also brought development to Ikorodu division and he has also promoted Ikorodu division through his community newspaper.
I pray he lives long in good health and may God perfect all his ways and Ikorodu will be fruitful and we that are living in Ikorodu and its environs God will bless us.”
CHIEF AYODELE ELESHO, Agbakin of Ikorodu Kingdom:
Monzor Olowosago is a good friend, principled and knows his onions. He is a goal-getter. He is the pride of Ikorodu division. Monzor is a friend of everybody in the community. He has been promoting Ikorodu to the best of his ability for years. He has built a unique community newspaper, first of its kind in Nigeria. I admire him for his many qualities, he has a serious business acumen and human relations skill.
Everybody has their ups and down, Monzor may be friendly until you gets on his nerves and he will fight you to the last. He is raised in Aga, a tough section of Ikorodu, when he is pushed to the wall, then you will see the Agasim in him. He doesn’t take nonsense from people.”
ASIPA KAOLI OGUNSANYA, Vice Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos East Senatorial District:
Baroyin is a very good friend, he has really done well himself and the community.
70years and his paper is 36years that means he has invested his energy in his most vibrant age, talent, resources in establishing a community newspaper to inform, educate and to entertain and to focus on the development of this division.
He has invested all he has, all he is into developing his community that is a heart of patriotism and consistently he has been following that passion.
Oriwu Sun for those who don’t know him will think he is a controversial person, he is blunt and will tell the truth to any category, status of person because that is the training as a journalist, but he stepson so many toes but he is doing it professionally and what is good about him is when he is wrong he says “SORRY” he apologies.
He does not habour animosity, he is a cheerful person, cordial person, social and he is a man of peace, You see that in way he worship his faith.
I love Monzor, for all the years I have known him there is nothing diabolical about him, he is a free minded person that is what he is, he is also a fighter not a coward.
So I wish him the very best, I want to congratulate him on attaining 70years, he has become an elder in the society and I am sure he will behave more as an elder than he has been doing before, not that he has not been doing well as an elder but I am sure he will behave as an elder in the society, community and everywhere he finds himself, so I congratulate him and wish him all the best.”
ALHAJI BABATUNDE ROTINWA, Former Head of Service, Lagos State:
Well let me first of all congratulate him and thank almighty Allah for adding another year to his age, my prayer is that the blessings of Allah will continue to be with him all the time of his life.
I want to specifically again rejoice with him and tell him that now that he is getting to that stage he should now slow down and let the younger ones take out the job.
My prayer is that he will live to be 90 till 100 and he will enjoy all the fruit of his labour.
SHEIKH SEIFUDEEN OLOWOORIBI, Chief Imam of Ikorodu:
I thank god for his life because this country don’t like people who say the truth and all the people who says the truth always walk through fire and anyone that almighty Allah allow to scale through we should greet him and he is not scared despite all the challenges he has faced.
There are many like him who are also journalists that can not say the real truth but he is someone who is not scared of anybody he says it the way it is.
It is only God’s protection and guidance over him and Allah’s will that he will live up to be an elderly person in the community.
I thank god for him, he is an honest person and the work he does not do dirty and it is only god that stays with honest people and I pray god give him long life.
ALHAJI MUSILIU ANIMASAUN (DE-CUBANO):
Monzor is blessing to Ikorodu division, he is doing 70years, I pray he will do 80, 90years by God’s grace.
Since he has started his newspaper there has been progress in Ikorodu, I know how he started when I open hotel in 1985 it was there he launched Oriwu Sun.
I pray that he will live long, he won’t die untimely and he will eat the fruits of his labour.”
ALHAJI KAZIM GANIU-SANNI, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Oriwu Sun:
He is a hardworking man who believes strongly in his profession. He has been in the profession for over forty years, during his early years he worked with national dailies and great journalists in the country before establishing the Oriwu Sun.
Chief Monzor Olowosago is a goal-getter and goes after what he believe in. I wish him many happy returns with Allah’s blessings.
PRINCE AJIBADE BAKARE:
Chief Monzor Olowosago is a nice man and a workaholic. He detests laziness, if you can’t work hard enough then you are not his kind of person. You can only get along with him when you are dedicated to your job. I learnt a lot from him, especially how to deal with people and how to handle business transactions. I have been his printer for years and have been handling the printing job for Oriwu Sun in the last twenty six years, I can say I don’t have any regrets so far.
Though, there are moments we argue over prices, which is part of doing business. People agree and disagree over prices, which is normal. Since I have been working with Chief Monzor Olowosago I have no regrets and no reason whatsoever to path ways with him.”
ALHAJI MUFTAU JIMOH, Editor, Oriwu Sun
Alhaji Monzor Olowosago is a hardworking man, in spite his age, he has not slow down. That explains why he has remain successful. Like the saying goes, ‘a man that is diligent in his works will dine with kings’. His hard work and diligence has paved ways for him as he has built good relationship with rulers, politicians and movers and shakers of the society. Again, his work habit has rubbed on his staff. Another good thing about him is that he is a man of his words, he keeps to his words. We thank God that he has attained a special age in life-70 years. My advice for him is that he should create time to relax more. He is aging and needs some time off to regenerate much energy to live a healthy life.
On this note, I want to wish him a very successful and happy 70th birthday celebration. I wish him long life and prosperity.”
MRS OLUKEMI AROHUNMOLASE, Head, Computer Graphics, Oriwu Sun:
I have been working with my boss, Chief Monzor Olowosago, for two and half decades now. That means I started working with him when he was 45years old. Now, he’s 70 but his workaholic attitude is still the same despite that he’s aging.
He loves his job and works tirelessly always. I really appreciate that about him. Another thing I also appreciate about him is that no matter who you are or your mood, my boss will make sure that he drives you to work and gets the best out of you. Even if you are a lazy person, he will drive you to work because he himself still works, even on weekends, despite his age.
He has really paid his dues and as a result, deserves all the rewards and accolades coming his ways. Though, I can’t say he should continue working the way he had been working before since that is what makes him happy, he should continue the work and make time for himself so that he can rest. I know that the spirit of hard work is in him but he should try as much as possible to slow down a bit so that he will able to enjoy his money and the rest of his life with good health.”
MR KAZEEM B. OLARIBIGBE (La-Stampa):
I thank God for this opportunity because I have been looking for a chance to say something about Alhaji Monzor Olowosago. He’s someone that l know very well and he’s a very good person. He’s a person l can appoint as my role model because of what he has been able to achieve with his newspaper (Oriwu Sun).
He has really done well in using the paper to propagate Ikorodu division and its culture to the world and also has written so many stories and articles that have contributed to the development of the town.
He has really done well and has come a long way. I rejoice with him on the occasion of his 70th birthday and l wish him well in life.”
HRM, OBA KABIR ADEWALE SHOTOBI, Ayangbure of Ikorodu
Baroyin of Ikorodu is a successful and experienced publisher and he is very friendly, accommodating. He is actually doing what God has ordained him to do and he is using it to create development path for the community.
He is a generous man and a kindhearted gentleman too. I will continue to associate myself with him. He is one of my chiefs and one of my confidants and advisers. He is always there for the generality of Ikorodu kingdom. May God bless him.
My royal advice for him @70 is to have a forgiving mind. We can’t do without having one or two people that will step on our toes but we should always learn to forgive people when such situation comes up.
At 70, he should feel free to remember some of his associates, friends and family members that might have offended him in the past and call them to say I have forgiven you. By doing this, he will continue to be rest assured that his passage from this world would be easy and also, he will be free to go anywhere he wants to go without having the fear that someone will hurts him. He should also try as much as possible to link up and reunite with them and continue his good relationship with them.
At 70, what else does he wants? He has already achieved much and since he has accepted God in his life, he should learn to forgive. May he lives long. My advice for him is that he should continue to be good to people, community and the less privilege and God will continue to give him the wisdom and knowledge and the ability to fulfil his dreams.
HON. BABAJIMI BENSON, Member, Federal House of Representatives
The Publisher I know is an upright person, he’s someone that speaks truth to power, very bold as a lion and anybody that dare takes up a battle with him does so at their own peril.
He is also a loving father, he married my late aunty, so, his kids are my cousin. So, I hold him in a very high esteem because anytime I am doing well, he calls to praise me and if I’m not doing well, he also calls to admonish me.
He is somebody that I hold his words very dear to my heart. He’s also the pioneer and also a record breaker as far as community journalism is concern. His community newspaper has been the first in Lagos State and is still the best community newspaper in Lagos State.
He has learnt a lot from his former boss, Late MKO Abiola, when he was in Concord newspaper, so, I pray that he shall continue to grow in wisdom, good health, prosperity and I also pray that the good Lord shall also grant all his heart desires.
My advice for him is to continue to put the community first, to be steadfast in speaking truth to power and also encourage the young ones who are working with him to attain the eminence status he has attained.
ENGR. AKINTOLA ABIDEMI ABIODUN, a Royal Prince in Ikorodu from the Ewujebe Royal family:
I thank God that I had the opportunity to meet Baba and since the little time that I have known him, l have found out that he has some unique qualities. I will try to express this the best way I could.
Sincerely, as a human being, he has a very good heart and I have known him for that. When we were growing up, we were made to understand that there are some sets of human beings that God has created with good qualities and gifts. But despite that, there are some areas where you know they will lack one thing or the other because no human being is perfect.
Generally, I will say Baba is a luck person because of the kind of family he came from, the life he lives, the education he has, the kind of people he meets even till this age. He has been a wonderful human being in terms of given financial and moral supports to people. In all aspects, I can say he has been there and to some extent, having sound education background, especially as a journalist, has made things easier for him in life.
He is a very good person and a superbly accomplished journalist. I know that in most cases when we are together, he takes his time to get information from me being a journalist, he does that too when he’s in the midst of friends and family. The fact is that the act of journalism is always there and he finds a way of getting information from you which is part of his job and I love that aspect of him.
Regarding the aspect of his relationship with family and children, I have had the opportunity to talk to most of his children, including the one in USA and the comments from them have been wonderful, infact, they are proud of their father for being a good father and the fact that he has done what he ought to have done as a father. The same thing goes for his staff and friends too. Though, there is no way people won’t say something negative one way or the other.
Occasionally, it will come up that Baba is lacking in some areas, it happens and it is a normal thing but if l have to rate him in the aspect of being a good human being, out of 10, I will score him 8 because nobody can score 10 out of 10, it is not possible and for him to have 8, it means he is an outstanding human being and I will advise him to continue in that aspect.
I will advise him to also continue his philanthropic gestures but in a more discreet manner because even in the holy book, Almighty Allah said that the best of the charity you do is those that you do without nobody knowing about it, though, the ones done openly are not bad either but it’s more rewarding if it is kept away from people’s attention.
I know him to be a good Muslim and he has spent a lot financially, morally and physically in elevating Islam. I know he has been doing that for so many years and I have heard so many people praising and commending him for that.
He should continue doing that with good intentions that he’s doing it for Allah and that he’s doing it for himself so as to get favour from Allah and if does that, he live a more peaceful life and also have a peaceful ending when the time comes.
I have loved and respected him so much and l will like it if he can make some corrections in some aspects of his life to further strengthen his relationship with his God before his time comes.
One of the areas is the aspect of religion. I don’t know if he’s performing his five daily solat prayers daily and as when due. If he can be doing that at this stage of his life now, it will be good. Baba is now a grandpa and 70 years is not an easy task in life. For him to have achieve what he has achieved in life, it must have taken him a lot. So, if he can just devote his remaining lifetime to God Almighty, it will be very good for him.
Another aspect is his social life. Baba is a sociable person and you can’t take that away from him but I want him to reduce (if it is not possible to stop it completely) that part that involves the other gender because with the little understanding that l have, this thing has a way of destabilizing one’s life but it’s only by Allah’s grace that this has not affected him and that he has achieved in life.
I respect him a lot and every time he calls me, I see a smile on my face and that is a good sign that he is a good person. I have not been able to talk to him but l will use this medium to say that I would love it if he can stop or reduce it because most of this female acquaintances are coming with bad intentions and he doesn’t realise it, though, he believe so much that nobody can hurt him and I know that he has been saying that often but if he can just let them go or worst case scenario, if he can stay with one or two that he knows very well, it will be okay.
Unknown to him, most these women spent time with him and collect his money, yet they still go out there and say something bad about him which is not a good thing for him at this age.
In summary, Alhaji is a good human being because he has a good heart and he forgives easily as well. My advice, once again, is that he should strive to correct all the aspects that he’s lacking so that he will spend his rest of his days with peace of mind.
ALHAJI AKINOLA AZEEZ OYEWOLE:
MONZOR Kolawole Olowosago means differently to different people at different times and different places. No matter the ways and angle people see him, there are many things that are constant about him or succinctly put.
Inherent in him that makes fun of his lovers and glued them together. I worked with him as NASFAT Secretary when he was Chairman for some years, friends for closely to twenty years, same religion adherent and above all, as senior brother.
TRANSPERANCY
If you are not ready to be accountable for any trust bestowed on you, don’t work with MONZOR. He hates with passion people that are dubious and defrauding.
STRAIGHT FOREWARDNESS
My chair (MONZOR), as I do call him, is a man that is always very blunt and frank on issues. Anybody who wishes to associate with him must not fear being accused of any wrong doing whenever it arises. He calls a spade, a spade when he needs doing so. This is not a forum to start listing\mentioning instances.
PRUDENCE
OLOWOSAGO MONZOR KOLAWOLE that we all know, is among most influential personalities in Lagos State as well as Nigeria at large but when it comes to spending on public project, he is always seeing as being too prudent because you, as a worker or what have you, need to justify reason(s) for your bidding.
RELATIONSHIP WITH WOMEN
I know him to always derive joy being in the midst of women most of the time but it did not translate to being a womanizer. I testified to this severally.
FEAR OF GOD
Aside donation to the house of God, Kolawole Monzor had in many fore demonstrated how rich men and women should live their life. He has a flare for latest cars but not at the detriment of others. He is a rich man that told me, during some discussion time that if he tells me that he is rich, would that make his richness diminish. Unlike some rich men and women, who would not want you to know that they are rich so that you will not seek for their financial assistance.
HOW HE WON MY HEART
Recently, I was with him and he received a call from, maybe, someone who had trusted him with confidence. I overheard him saying “when you know that you are not ready, you wouldn’t have paid the money to my account. No, no and no.
What if I drop dead today? You may not be able to reclaim your money. In case of any other time, don’t do that to me or any other person” that is OLOWOSAGO MONZOR KOLAWOLE that I, Alhaji Akinola Azeez Oyewole know and that I studied with rapture attention this a while and I pray that God in HIS INFINITE MERCY grant him long life.