The dinner which started at exactly 6:30 pm with cocktails provided an atmosphere of convivial, funfair thrills and frills, the firm also used the platform to celebrate staff members, partners and especially clients, who have helped to sustain its business.
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The Gbenga Biobaku and Co’s 20th-anniversary celebration was indeed exciting and full of activities as it ended with a special anniversary dinner held in Lagos.
According to the Founder and Senior Partner of Gbenga Biobaku and Co, the law firm recounted two decades of an interesting journey so far.
Mr. Biobaku said the twenty years were a major milestone for the partners and the staff of the firm, he stated how it all started at a small office in Lagos.
Reflecting on the twenty years of excellent legal services, the Senior Partner went on to say “Our twentieth Anniversary celebrations actually started in December 2022, we had a charity visit to Bethesda Primary and Secondary schools. It also had a thanksgiving service and a beach party for GBC officials and GBC alumni.
Biobaku noted that it has been an interesting journey for the law firm that started twenty years ago at a small place on Keffi Street, Ikoyi, Lagos and for those years is a major milestone for the law firm.
He also appreciated the firm’s long-standing clients such as Equinor, Baker Hughes, Parker Drilling and Bolamark Engineering.
“Twenty years of any business is a major milestone and we think that this is a good time to celebrate with our clients, and friends and also to reenergise ourselves for the future as well.”
“We thought it would be good to bring together most of the people that have been part of our journey in the last 20 years and some of our close friends and associates,” the senior partner said.
Tracing the journey from the firm’s days of little beginning, Biobaku said, “We started a little over twenty years ago at a small office in Strachan Keffi Street. The office was actually provided to us by a good friend of mine who is also here with us.”
There were four of us at that time, myself, Mrs. Lola Ogunmodede; Ms. Dupe Ogutuga and Gbenga Williams.
“The firm has grown over the years to become a medium-sized commercial law firm in Nigeria. We moved to a much bigger office in Keffi Street within one year of starting up, and after a few years, we moved to a much bigger space, which is our current location in Lekki. Most of the people here have played very important roles in our journey in one way or another and I will like to extend my appreciation to you all.
The dinner witnessed an insightful presentation by Prof Chris Ogbechie, Dean of the Lagos Business School, who was also the guest speaker.
Prof Chris Ogbechie, in his presentation titled: “Navigating the Uncertain Business Terrain of 2023” reviewed the economy, business and corporate world in a practical way that exposed the challenges and also ways to navigate the uncertain business terrain of 2023.
Speaking, Prof. Ogbechie said the only way out of the tough business terrain in Nigeria in 2023 is to remain focused on a business directional beacon. The university don congratulated Gbenga Biobaku& Co (GBC) for its focus and flawless execution of its business purpose and organisational beacon, saying such is required
He noted that to navigate through these complexities, flawless execution of policies, strategies and investment in staffers that would drive the execution is highly recommended, insisting that downsizing of the staff strength, which is usually an approach towards cutting business overhead, is not the way to go.
According to him, those airliners that sacked pilots and other staffers during the COVID-19 pandemic are still grappling with the effect of their actions, employing and retraining the pilots while paying heavily for their recertification.
Prof. Ogbechie noted that brilliant execution by the leadership of innovation-driven companies would make them relevant and pave way for cost containment, which is targeted at driving efficiency.
“This is where technology comes in and training of the workers with the new technology to make them more efficient and thereby making the companies spend less. Flawless execution is needed and not the time for any business to muzzle the other but acting smarter,” he insisted.
“What the brilliant execution is needed is the leadership, more leadership and even more leadership. The things that would enhance business sustainability and relevance in 2023 complexities are leadership and innovations. The only message here is innovation, grow or die, he added.”
Ijeoma Abalogu, a partner of the law firm, expressed her excitement over the sustained growth and giant strides achieved by the firm over the twenty years in business.
She hailed the commitment and professionalism of the partners, especially the senior partner in steering the firm to greatness.
Abalogu said, “We are here celebrating a huge milestone and cannot wait to see what another 20 years will look like. I joined the firm in 2006 as an Associate and Administrative Manager. I am excited to celebrate our twenty years anniversary today as a partner and Director of Administrator of the firm.
“We love what we do as a firm, when we solve our client’s problem we are happy. Working with my team has been an amazing journey. Cheers to all of us.”
The climax of the event was the cutting of the anniversary dinner cake by Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, who was the chairman of the event.
He said, “GBC’s twentieth anniversary was indeed truly a big milestone considering that many businesses have gone down because of the economic realities and challenges of doing business in Nigeria.
Sunmonu praised Biobaku and his team, he urged them to sustain their commitment and professionalism in order to ensure GBC lives to see even beyond another twenty years anniversary.
In appreciating the firm, Daniel Jackson, the Director, Strategic Accounts, at Baker Hughes, said, “You can’t live without a lawyer and you can’t die without a lawyer, meaning that you can’t succeed in business without a lawyer. GBC has been there for us improving our transactions”.
“We have been working with them. They are bringing value to our business and I believe that we are bringing value to them too. I encourage GBC to look back and rejoice. We wish them more success.”
The Lead Legal Counsel, Equinor, Kingsley Sawyerr, in his response, said, “When we need a legal firm for a transaction, so we called on GBC, and we are celebrating 30 years plus with GBC. Our partnership with GBC is great and we are confident of them. May we keep our partnership in good and bad times?”
Gbenga Biobaku& Co, GBC as the law firm is called, has other partners which include; Okey Nwanya, Ijeoma Abalogu, Ayoade Oluwasanmi, and Wole Tejuoso.
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