By Moshood Isamotu
One thing I have never hidden is my admiration for people who have genuinely succeeded in life, especially in business and career. Not out of envy, but out of respect for the courage, discipline, sacrifice, and vision required to build something meaningful.
Real success rarely comes by wishful thinking alone. Luck may play a role, but genuine achievement is often the reward for daring greatly and going beyond the ordinary.
Sometimes, I become hard on myself. I see people who did not begin life with more opportunities than I had, yet they have achieved far more. It forces me to reflect deeply on my own journey.
Over the last month, while working on a project, I had the rare privilege of visiting the homes of several accomplished Nigerians and interacting closely with many high achievers in the corporate world. One lesson became very clear to me: none of them arrived where they are by accident.
They dreamt boldly. They acted courageously. Early in life, they chose paths beyond comfort and routine. They took calculated risks, embraced opportunities others ignored, and dared to be different. Most importantly, many of them had mentors, people they learned from directly or observed closely. They were not merely drifting with the wind of life.
Yesterday, at an event in Victoria Island, I experienced something I may never forget.
By chance, I gained access to Chief (Dr.) Sonny Kuku, the Co-Founder of Eko Hospital and the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode. I had briefly spoken with him the previous week, but this encounter was different.
Interestingly, the “K” in “Eko” Hospital came from Kuku himself. The other co-founders were Eneli and Obiora. The three physicians met while working at Lagos University Teaching Hospital. In the late 1970s, they operated a modest clinic in Surulere known as Mercy Specialist Clinic.
Then came a defining moment.
In 1978, the military government banned doctors from simultaneously working in public teaching hospitals and running private clinics. Faced with that difficult reality, the trio made a bold decision: they resigned from government service and committed fully to building Eko Hospital, which officially began operations in 1982.
That courageous step changed their lives forever.
Eko Hospital quickly rose to prominence by delivering high-quality medical care comparable to what was obtainable in teaching hospitals. Over time, it became one of Nigeria’s most respected private medical institutions, trusted by the upper-middle class and the wealthy. In 1991, its parent company, EKOCORP PLC, became the first private hospital to be quoted on the Nigerian Exchange.
Back to the encounter. During lunch at the event yesterday, guests lined up for the buffet, but Baba Kuku sat quietly alone, almost unnoticed. I walked up to him, and he welcomed me warmly. I abandoned my meal and gave him my complete attention. For nearly forty minutes, he lectured me deeply about life, business, values, wealth, discipline, and vision. I kept nodding.
That moment fulfilled me more than the food ever could.
He shared the story of Eko Hospital, the risks they took, the opportunities they seized, and the financial storms that nearly destroyed the dream in the late 1980s. He explained how similar opportunities later gave birth to many successful Nigerian businesses and even banks that exist today.
One thing struck me deeply: opportunities rarely announce themselves loudly. They often appear quietly, dressed like uncertainty, sacrifice, or risk.
After that meeting, I left with a strange fire burning inside me.
Part of me felt inspired. Another part felt regret.
I kept thinking: if I had encountered certain mentors earlier in life, or gained access to some of the principles and insights Baba Kuku shared with me yesterday, perhaps I would not still be operating at the level I am today.
But maybe life itself is a classroom.
I learned that anyone who truly wants greatness must pursue something bigger than comfort, convenience, or immediate survival. The willingness to dream bigger, take calculated risks, and do what others are unwilling to do can completely transform a person’s destiny, regardless of their field.
Still, one painful truth remains: some opportunities are fleeting. Once missed, they never return in the same form. I have many such regrets.
Yet, there is hope.
The Yoruba say: Bi a kò kú, iṣẹ ò tán (if one is still alive, life’s accomplishment is not finished).
And perhaps that is the greatest lesson of all.
