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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Oluomo of Erijiyan Ekiti, Seun Oni, has said Nigeria’s future depends largely on rebuilding family values, promoting ethical leadership and strengthening institutions, insisting that national development must begin with responsible families and communities.
Oni, a corporate restructuring expert, said the country’s quest for greatness would remain elusive if attention was focused only on physical infrastructure and economic reforms without addressing the weakening moral and social foundations of society.
He argued that a great nation must be built on families that instil discipline, integrity, responsibility and respect for others, as well as institutions that guarantee equal opportunities irrespective of people’s backgrounds or connections.
The corporate executive spoke while reflecting on his recent recognition as Icon of Intellectual Leadership and Community Development at the Ebony Herald 2026 Lecture, describing the award as a renewed call to contribute more to knowledge sharing, ethical leadership and grassroots development.
He also expressed concern over the challenges confronting business sustainability in Nigeria, noting that the problems extend beyond exchange rates, inflation, interest rates and regulatory uncertainties.
According to him, while Nigerian entrepreneurs have demonstrated remarkable resilience, the survival and growth of businesses also depend on internal stability, including integrity, competent management, transparency, accountability, effective governance and operational discipline.
He added that humility and faith were equally important in achieving enduring success, describing what he called the “God factor” as an important element that complements strategy, skills and hard work.
“Some may call it luck, but one of my professors at Wharton referred to it as the God factor. It encompasses outcomes that cannot be fully explained by strategy, skill, effort, or market conditions alone,” he said.
Tracing his professional journey, Oni recalled that he studied Computer Science at Obafemi Awolowo University before beginning his career in information technology, including a brief stint at Nigerian Arab Bank.
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He said his career took a decisive turn in 1998 when he joined Standard Trust Bank and was posted to Commercial Banking by its then leadership, Tony Elumelu, despite recommendations from the IT department.
He described the decision as a turning point that taught him the importance of recognising people’s potential beyond their academic qualifications.
He said his subsequent exposure to AT&T Wireless in the United States during its merger with Cingular, alongside senior roles at Standard Chartered Bank, United Bank for Africa and FCMB, further shaped his understanding of leadership and institutional development, while he also attended executive education programmes at Wharton and IMD Switzerland.
On community development, Oni said his contributions to the multi-billion-naira Ijesaland Geriatric Centre, affiliated with the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, and the ultra-modern palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland were driven by a desire to leave lasting legacies.
He explained that the geriatric centre was particularly personal to him, recalling the difficulties of taking his parents to Lagos for medical attention before his mother died there.
He also highlighted his more than 15 years of annual outreach programmes for elderly women and Christmas parties for schoolchildren in Ilesa, linking his commitment to philanthropy to lessons from his modest upbringing as the son of a cocoa trader.
Advising young graduates, Oni urged them to combine academic excellence with practical skills, networking and good character, stressing that competence may attract opportunities, but character determines how far individuals go. “Your reputation becomes one of your most valuable assets. Guard it carefully,” he advised.
On Nigeria’s future, he advocated a country where every child, whether in Ilesa, Lagos, Maiduguri, Port Harcourt or Kano, has access to quality education, healthcare and security, regardless of birthplace or family connections.
He urged leaders to prioritise building strong and enduring institutions capable of guaranteeing opportunities for future generations, rather than measuring their legacies solely by roads, bridges and other physical infrastructure. “A great nation is built one family at a time,” he declared.
