Edgar join me for Sallah- was the terse text I got from this handsome aristocrat who happens to be the MD of the CSCS
For those of you who don’t know, the CSCS is Nigeria’s nay possibly Africa’s biggest custodial service with trillions of Naira worth of capital market Assets under its custody
Jalo has been its MD and has during his tenure towed the line of technology which has streamlined their services thereby pulling in monumental market share making the CSCS one of the most profitable companies in Nigeria
It is as a result of his far-minded approach to leadership, that Jalo is today on the Board of several international institutions which see his International. Passport loaded with more stamps than that of Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister
Jalo is a quiet and extremely influential power broker and his parties attest to this
It was at one of Jalo’s parties that I met the former Chairman of Airtel, now Chairman of Nigeria’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, Mr Segun Ogunsanya.
So this time, I dressed well and carried myself to this soiree and was not disappointed
The beautiful MD at Fidelity Bank – Mrs Onyeali-Ikpe, Tosin Runsewe, former MD at Axamansard and one of the biggest Entrepreneurs in the Health Sector, Frank Aigbogun, Publisher of Businessday, Femi Awoyemi of Proshare, Chairperson of Naicom, Hajia Halima Kyari, Kunle Afolayan, the gifted Cinematographer, to mention a few were in full attendance.
You know I am currently mapping power and influence in a new book that has attracted about 50 extremely brilliant Nigerians including powerful banker Atedo Peterside and legal luminary Prof Koyinsola Ajayi SAN and it is the kind of power and Influence that Jalo packs that I am trying to understand
Jalo is not loud, but can be talkative within very guarded circles. His charisma stems from his aristocratic background drawing bloodlines from the Waziri of a huge emirate and whose father was Nigeria’s first Speaker of the House at Independence
Jalo has paid his due in the capital Merket prodding through very brilliant institutions on a trajectory that is reminiscent of the lucrative trans Saharan trade route
From the innocuous Afriinvest through Kakawa Asset where I met him, he clocked in at UBA from there he hit the NGX and finally berthed at the CSCS
His journey in Corporate Nigeria remains quite eponymous as he has over the years garnered subtle charismatic power and influence
To say that Jalo is well respected by high-powered Corporate giants is to state the obvious.
From the Alikos through his eternal rival Abdulsamad to the massive corporate Activist Otedola down to mercurial businessmen like Tony Elumelu, Jalo has been a major part of their success through his work at the CSCS and, more importantly through his understanding of subtle power and influence and its deployment.
It is no wonder that from the extremely visionary Aigboje Aig Imoukhuede through the late Herbert Wigwe and the boys at the hugely successful FMDQ he is seen as an ally
I have known Jalo for years. He was a client at BGL and I used to go to his office to collect mandates and we would sit down and talk
His fixation with Ikenne still baffles me. Ikenne was the young but extremely brainy boy who worked with me at one of my jobs and also worked with Jalo at Kakawa, I suppose
Every time Jalo sees me, he would ask – you dey hear from Ikenna and I would smile and say yes but in my heart, I would mutter wetin concern Ikenna with this food I come chop hear abeg
Quiet confidence, extreme capacity, strategic deployment of thought processes and powerful visionary insights are the ingredients of Jalo’s power and influence
It is no wonder that his firm declares billions as post tax profits making it the darling of corporate Nigeria with its shares being the most sought after.
Jalo as an individual is today one of the most sought after Africans on global Capital Market Boards.
As I push for a second helping of deliciously well made ram meat, I see his beautiful family meander thru the sterling guests greeting and being the perfect guest
His beautiful wife, asking if we need more meat, his well trained children doing the same and getting very comfortable with the powerful set thereby preparing them for immediate inclusion as soon as they are ready.
Edgar, Gbaja came after you left and he stayed for over two hours – one bird whispered to me and I smiled and said, wetin you expect, shebi Tony don wear Tshirt come one of those parties, I retorted.
Jalo is a must watch. He is a man of sterling confidence, highly respectful and extremly suave in his approach.
He understands the power of network as a veritable tool of curating influence but much more importantly, he is a good man and at the end of the day, that is what really matters in this life.
Thank you
Duke of Shomolu
Joseph Edgar also known as the Duke of Shomolu is a student of Power and influence and is currently working on a book – Maddtimes power list Coffee table which has pulled in 50 essays on power and influence.