Tech Entrepreneur, OED Marks 40th Birthday in Grand Style with Book Launch, Foundation Unveiling
It was an evening of class, grandeur and glamour as Olusegun Enitan Dada (OED), Group Chief Executive Officer of ITH Holdings, marked his 40th birthday in grand style with a spectacular three-in-one celebration at the prestigious Monarch Event Centre, Lekki, Lagos.
The celebration, held on Saturday, August 22, brought together family members, friends, associates, business leaders, technology executives, entrepreneurs, employees and other distinguished guests to honour the technology entrepreneur and business leader, while also celebrating two other significant milestones in his journey — the unveiling of his debut book and the launch of the OED Foundation.
The elegant venue was transformed with rich wine-coloured décor, creating a sophisticated ambience befitting the occasion. Guests began arriving for cocktails from 5pm, before the main programme commenced at 6pm.
The three-in-one event seamlessly brought together the unveiling of OED’s debut book, From Ground Up: How to Build a Successful Business in Africa, the launch of the OED Foundation, and the celebration of his 40th birthday.
A Grand Cultural Entrance
The evening opened with the grand entrance of the celebrant and his wife, accompanied by rich cultural musical performances, traditional poetry and vibrant chants that animated the venue and immediately immersed guests in the celebratory mood.
The cultural presentation set the tone for an evening that successfully blended OED’s African roots with the sophistication of a contemporary business and social gathering.
From Ground Up: Documenting an Entrepreneurial Journey
A major highlight of the evening was the unveiling of OED’s debut book, From Ground Up: How to Build a Successful Business in Africa.
The book offers a candid account of the realities of building businesses in Africa, drawing from OED’s experiences, challenges, risks, lessons and achievements as a four-time entrepreneur.
Rather than presenting entrepreneurship as an abstract theory, the book provides practical insights into building businesses from the ground up, securing customers, developing strong teams, maintaining cash flow, earning customer trust and creating institutions capable of surviving beyond their founders.
Its central message is that Africa should not be viewed only through the lens of risk, but also as a continent of enormous opportunity for entrepreneurs who understand its terrain and are prepared to build with resilience and discipline.
The book has a foreword by Leo Stan Ekeh, OFR, Founder and Chairman of Zinox Group and Chairman of Konga.
It was reviewed by Professor Olayinka David-West, Dean of Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University and Professor of Information Systems.
In her review followed by an exciting fireside chat with Dada, Professor David-West highlighted the practical nature of the book, particularly its emphasis on lessons that are not always taught in conventional business schools.
She noted the author’s focus on documentation, resources, customer relationships and the importance of building and maintaining trust by consistently showing up, particularly when circumstances are difficult.
She also highlighted OED’s emphasis on maintaining cash flow, starting small and growing deliberately, stressing that entrepreneurship requires rigour, grit and discipline rather than glamour.
Lessons From a Journey: From Curiosity to Institution Building
Insights from the book also offered guests a window into OED’s personal journey from a curious young boy fascinated by technology to the head of a growing technology group.
Born in Epe, Lagos State, OED’s interest in technology began in childhood, when he watched satellite antennas and wondered how signals travelled from the sky to homes. His fascination extended to early video games and arcade centres, where he was intrigued not merely by playing the games but by understanding the systems behind them.
He initially aspired to study Computer Engineering at the University of Lagos but eventually studied Technology Education, graduating in 2010.
Rather than allowing his academic path to define his professional future, OED built his technology expertise independently. While still an undergraduate, he enrolled in professional computer training and invested in certifications, particularly in networking. He also established an IT training programme that provided students with access to professional IT certification training. The initiative eventually evolved into IT Horizons, registered as a business in 2009 and incorporated as a limited liability company in 2012.
Over the years, IT Horizons developed into an enterprise technology solutions company, while OED expanded his entrepreneurial interests into a wider technology group.
Today, as Group Chief Executive Officer of ITH Holdings, he provides strategic leadership across businesses including IT Horizons Limited, ZojaTech and ZojaPay, alongside other ventures. He is also co-founder of Smartsend, a cross-border payment platform.
Foundation Unveiled to Drive Youth Development
The celebration also witnessed the unveiling of the OED Foundation, marking another dimension of the entrepreneur’s commitment to social impact.
The foundation is focused on initiatives spanning nutrition, education, youth empowerment and opportunity development, with an ambitious vision of impacting five million lives by 2030.
A key component of its intervention is the ongoing training of young people in practical and employable skills, including electrical installations, solar installation and other technology-related skills.
The initiative is designed to equip young people with skills that can improve their employability, support entrepreneurship and enable them to participate more meaningfully in Nigeria’s growing technology and renewable-energy ecosystem.
Royal and Distinguished Guests Honour OED
The event’s royal father, Oba Owolabi Saheed Momson, the Abowa of Agbowa-Ikosi, expressed pride in the achievements of the celebrant.
The monarch described OED as a worthy son and expressed optimism about the impact of his book and foundation.
He also launched copies of the book on behalf of the people of Agbowa-Ikosi, describing it as a valuable contribution to conversations around entrepreneurship and business development.
The event was chaired by former Lagos State Governor and former Minister, Babatunde Fashola, who was represented by Mr Hakeem Bello, Fashola’s long-time media aide, an erudite editor, journalist and respected public personality.
Speaking at the event, Bello described the occasion as a celebration of both professional achievement and family life.
“It is a day to celebrate family life and success. It shows the possibilities of being successful in career and family,” he said.
Bello also conveyed greetings from Fashola to the celebrant and announced that the former governor would take copies of the book and support efforts to make it available to a wider Nigerian audience.
A Night of Culture, Music, Fine Dining and Glamour
With the formal sessions concluded, the evening transitioned into a colourful birthday celebration, with guests treated to an impressive selection of choice wines, premium beverages and an extensive spread of local and intercontinental cuisine.
From carefully prepared Nigerian delicacies to continental offerings, the sumptuous menu catered to diverse tastes, adding another touch of class and hospitality to the celebration.
Guests were then treated to an eclectic mix of cultural performances, traditional praise singing, poetry, Afro-inspired music, classical saxophone, live band performances, DJ mixes and energetic dance displays.
A colourful team of dancers delivered an engaging combination of choreography and acrobatics, while the live band kept guests entertained with music spanning different generations and genres.
The saxophone performances added an elegant dimension to the evening, with renditions of familiar evergreen tunes that drew enthusiastic responses from guests.
The celebrant joined family and friends on the dance floor as the celebration gathered momentum.
The atmosphere remained lively late into the night, with guests dancing, exchanging pleasantries and celebrating the milestone with the celebrant.
