There is no coincidence in
life; most successes are achieved through vision and strong will to emerge
victorious in whatever we do. In existence, challenges have been identified as pathway to progress
to some while some others allow challenges overwhelm them to the point
of wanting to resign to fate.
For Olajide Adediran, the challenge
of being born without a silver spoon dangling in his mouth did not debar him
from setting a clear vision for himself to get atop the ladder of success that
always seems insurmountable for many with his predicament.
Born in the notorious area
of Mushin in Lagos State that is known for all sorts of social vices
perpetrated by the young and old. His life is a perfect example of struggles
that eventually paid off. Today, Jide Adediran has built an empire known as Core
Group but what you see today did not come as easy as it seemed because he went
through several phases before he could stand on his own. His resolve not to allow stereotypes hold him
back with their belief helped a lot by injecting personal passion, talents and
interests to build a brand that has gone international.
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| jide in the middle with Dame Fashola |
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| jide giving a speech |
The beginning was very rough for young Adediran, the mother
being a petty trader had difficulties in fending for the whole family. She had no choice than to take in little Jide to help
in making ends meet. Jide was soon enrolled into the street trading business
which is widely known as hawking. Though, many people will think this is not
unusual for most kids, but Jide’s case was different. He not only hawked as a
young lad, he did that till he finished his secondary school.
Today, success has become
his friend, but then many friends and colleagues laughed at him because he
hawked till he sat for his West African School Certificate Examination. He sold
mat and coconut. Jide, then, helped the mother who specialized in the making of
mats to survive and coconut was one fruit that the mother dealt in as at that
time.
Even when he finished he
secondary education, the no-nonsense mother took him straight to a furniture
maker workshop where he was forced to learn the art of making furniture. To the
mum then, it was a way to take him away from the hawks who were readily
available to poison his young mind and also a way to stop him from playing
football and table tennis about which could make him mingle with the wrong
crowd.
Jide would have probably excelled in the furniture
business, should he have stayed longer and taken it for a lifetime job. This is
because; he has always promised himself that to break the jinx of poverty, he
must be very diligent in whatever he does.
But his admission in the school of higher learning took away hawking and
furniture making from him. Young Jide soon found himself in Ibadan, the capital
of Oyo State where his school was located
And just as fate would
have it that he was destined to be a leader, Jide Adediran vied for the
political office and found himself at the helms of affairs of the Students'
Union. He was elected the president. As good as that sounds, the school then
was notorious for cultists’ activities and he found himself caught between the
devil and the deep blue sea. But he was
able to sail through before bowing out of the school.
Jide later proceeded to
the popular Lagos
Television channel 8 for the mandatory
National Youth Service Corps. At the station, Jide started off
as an entertainment correspondent, where he worked with bright minds. The
leadership quality in him once again reared its head when he became the assistant president, Entertainment Writers
Association of Nigeria, before he was transferred to the politics desk. That
saw him being transferred to the State House, where he became the State House
correspondent for the Television station. This, he did for about a decade
before the idea of being on his own surfaced.
The astonishing part of
his story is that he had no money when he decided to float what has become a big
brand today. Jide had only N200,000 which was his whole life savings, but
because he was determined to make it grow to the level he had foreseen many
years ago. Jide then applied operation cut down on flamboyant lifestyle, if
there was any then. He ensured that every little kobo that came in from the
baby company is directed back into the business and that is one aspect that
worked for the company. Whatever he got in terms of profit was channeled back
into the business. Jide, did not start very big when the money started rolling
in, he first rented few square meters space before moving into a three-bedroom
apartment and after which he moved into the company’s building in just in two
years.
Today, Core Media Services
provides in-depth media services to clients with two editing suites and
studios. It also boasts of studios where top range adverts are put together. It
also provides sound services and lightening among other things that are needed
to make an event a world class one. It
is the company that is responsible for all the Lagos State pay your tax
adverts, the Under 17 World Cup held in Nigeria (Lagos State Outreach) and
other big adverts, so also is the LG electronic, Haeir Thermocool among other
things which are media inclined.
At the moment, Core Media
Service Limited has unveiled a digital TV station christened Core TV News,
established to provide 24-hour news network services.
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