Nightclub Impresario, Guv’nor Ken Olumese Deserves A National Honour – Tony Okoroji

Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, has called for a special national honour for Ken-Calebs Olumese, creator and Guv’nor of the famous Niteshift Coliseum that rocked Lagos for many years. Olumese, over the weekend, had a one-in-town 80th Birthday celebration. Chief Okoroji was one of the guests that honoured the Guvnor at the well organised birthday shindig at La Madison Place in Victoria Island, Lagos.

One of the highlights of the birthday show was the launch of his 328-page book, “My Niteshift Coliseum Odyssey” by some notable Nigerians former External Affairs Minister, Bolaji Akinyemi; Channels Television founder, John Momoh; Eko Hospital originator, Olorogun Sunny Kuku; Vanguard Newspaper owner, Sam Amuka Pemu; Frontline political leader, Senator Bode Olajumoke; Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ezekhome; etc.

The book is in one part, the story of an exceptional Nigerian told in the inimitable style of Olumese himself. In another part, the book is a chronicle of the philosophies, ideas, inspirations and unique concepts that propelled one of Nigeria’s biggest successes ever in entertainment and socio-economic engineering, the Niteshift Coliseum. Yet in another part, the book presents succinct evidence of the cross-national appeal of Olumese, a man who broke boundaries, lit the fire in the careers of many young Nigerians, brought diverse people together and established enduring friendships across every nook and cranny of Nigeria.

Some of the contributors to the book include: Newswatch co-founder, Ray Ekpu; respected legal minds, Ebun O. Sofunde SAN and notable constitutional lawyer, Mike Ezekhome SAN; Arise News brain thrust, Reuben Abati; Elegant Stallion, Onyeka Onwenu and former Punch Editor and a Lagos State Commissioner, Steve Ayorinde. Other contributors to the book are several of the czars of Nigeria’s society journalism of several decades: Kunle Bakare of Encomium Weekly; Azu Arinze of Yes International Magazine; Michael Effiong of Ovation; Mayor Akinpelu of Global Excellence and Femi Akintunde Johnson who once edited both Climax Magazine and Fame Weekly. Others whose imprimatur are seen in the book include Zik Zulu Okafor, Ehi Braimah, Tony Agenmonmen, etc.

On page 213, the celebrated former president of PMAN and Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria, Chief Tony Okoroji, wrote what he termed THE PHENOMENON CALLED KEN CALEBS OLUMESE, and said “If any Nigerian deserves a national honour, the Esan born workhorse and creative genius, Ken Calebs Olumese does. To the best of my knowledge, Olumese never held a government job nor did he ever do a government contract. He has however done more to create friendships across Nigeria, give impetus to many an aspiration and promote the culture of intellect, finesse and class than anyone paid from the purse of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
In his 11-page treatise, Okoroji chronicles the contributions of Ken-Calebs Olumese to the spread of Nollywood, the growth of Nigerian journalism, the development of socio-political discourse and the cementing of friendships among Nigerians. Writing about the uniqueness of the Niteshift experience, he insists that NiteShift was not a nightclub but an essential part of the history of Lagos, a Nigerian phenomenon.

Chief Okoroji asserts that “My Niteshift Coliseum Odyssey” is a special book which everyone interested in the development of Nigeria should read. Says the former president of PMAN, “some chapters in the book are captivating, absorbing and engrossing. You will read in the book the management of men and how success that lasts a lifetime is achieved. I consider it one of the best books ever published in Nigeria and I recommend it to every leader, manager or student in Nigeria. In fact, I recommend it to every Nigerian”.