Encomium
The chairman of Geregu Power and First Bank’s majority shareholder Femi Otedola has changed the metrics of marking milestones. Instead of a shindig with society’s pillars and movers, the colourful mogul is celebrating his 60th birthday (Friday, November 4, 2022) with his family aboard the €750,000-a-week Christiana O’—the mega yacht of Aristotle Socrates Onassis.
The billionaire, his wife Nana, four children (Tolani, Ife, Temi and Fewa) and Temi’s fiancé, Mr Eazi (Oluwatosin Oluwole Ajibade), will spend three weeks on the 17-room luxury cruiser. With almost a bill of €3 million, the Otedolas are in for the time of their lives as they cruise through France, Antigua, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ibiza, Mykonos, Saint Martin, St Barts, the Virgin Islands and more.
Earlier, the tycoon noted: “This afternoon, I visited the iconic superyacht CHRISTINA O, which initially served as an anti-submarine frigate for the Royal Canadian Navy in 1943 during the Second World War. In 1954, the naval vessel was bought and transformed into the most luxurious superyacht of its time by the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who has been my role model since I was 13 years old – 47 years ago ⚓️.
“As I mark my 60th birthday in the coming days, I am grateful to God for his continuous blessings and the wisdom he has continued to bestow upon me. The days leading up to this milestone have been marked by deep reflection, and I’m looking forward to sailing the CHRISTINA O with my family for the next 3 weeks. I’d like to use this opportunity to thank you for your support and friendship over the years… F.Ote????”
The 99-metre-long superyacht—named after Christina, the daughter of the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis (January 20, 1906–March 15, 1975)—hosted the lavish wedding reception of Aristotle and Jackie Kennedy (on October 20, 1968).
Setting sail from Nice (France) earlier in the week, we saw a video of the Otedolas arriving to board the mega yacht with his wife Nana (56), Tolani (36), DJ Cuppy Ife (30), Temi (26) and Fewa (22).
Those expecting a public party to mark the 60th birthday of the Ibadan, Oyo State-born man of means from Odoragunsin, near Epe (Lagos State), will wait forever.
Peter Olufemi Otedola, the second of the six children of Sir Michael Agbolade and Lady Christine Doja Otedola (who married in London on December 18, 1958), started his first enterprise (a nail-trimming gig) at 9. He served his father at Impact Press from 19 until he was 29 and became the personal assistant to the governor (his father) from 30 till he was 31. He began serious business (a venture capital concern) at 32, oil and gas at 37 (which turned him into a dollar billionaire), power generation at 51 and was acknowledged as the pioneer bank in Nigeria’s majority shareholder at 59.
