Undercover President: Unmasking The Adventures of An Executive Spy

Imagine yourself as the lead character in an action movie. Yes, forget the fact that you haven’t been to the gym in two years and your stomach has grown round from the kitchen love you get at the office. In this version of yourself, you are the fastest, sharpest, slayer of bad guys. You slither through tight Lagos traffic, jump across continents, sit with world leaders and wrestle daily with ideas. On top of all that, you wear the ‘baddest’ suits!

In this edition of HH People, we bring you the young and savvy Heirs Executive, Omosefe Agwoje, with his real-life action stories and adventures in the group. From his confrontation with International Secret Service to his pet peeves and productivity secrets, Omosefe reminds us all of the energy, excitement and rewards that life in the Group can offer.

HH People: Everybody knows you as Omosefe. Can you tell us three unique things about yourself?

Omosefe: * Laughs* Well, I’m big on emotional intelligence, especially in corporate environments. It is understandable that professionals like us have to deal with a lot of pressure to meet up with deliverables and sometimes things get heated between colleagues, or even friends. I’m the guy who likes to calm everybody down by getting them to think and behave rationally. You don’t have to say the first thing that comes to your mind, but even when faced with confrontation, we should be able to move on quickly and laugh about it. Life is short, why waste it carrying face??

I am also a massive historian. I love reading about kings and monarchies, the dynamics of the power structure and the things that motivated these great men. I also find myself curious about their mistakes. It is interesting that some of these men whom people would kill and die for were just mortal and made everyday mistakes like the rest of us. Regrettably, I don’t read as much these days, but the interest remains.

Finally, I love anime and the Japanese culture. I don’t know why, it’s just something I love and find interesting.

HH People: Hmm, interesting. Does your interest in history play out at work? In fact, tell us; what’s your typical workday like?

Omosefe: We all know the Chairman – what he is about, his passion, commitment, stellar attention to details and his insistence on excellence. Some of us in the office wonder how he doesn’t get tired after years of building a conglomerate of business empires. I guess what I am trying to say is that my typical workday consists of trying to keep up with him. As someone who has the privilege to work in the Chairman’s office, you will learn that he is always on the move. And so, plans change quickly. One minute, you’re in a meeting in Lagos, next minute you’re racing down to the airport to conclude the meeting in Abuja.

HH People: What are the high points of the job, and of course, low points?

Omosefe: Honestly, the learnings and exposure are the high points of the job. You can’t imagine how much I have grown from just getting access into rooms and spaces I ordinarily should not have occupied. We have a boss who demonstrates a generous belief in people, and many times, it materializes as opportunities that sometimes feel crazy or unreal. Forget about the work, the deadlines, or even being on call 24/7, believe me, you are gaining so much more than you even know! Of course, it’s not always rosy. There are weekends I just want to attend to personal appointments, but even when the social life takes a hit, it still is a good sacrifice.

Also, Nigerian functions are stress sometimes, have you ever been hit by a wall of angry bodyguards because their principal is trying to get through…i have and it’s not the most pleasant experience!

HH People: Speaking of bodyguards, a little bird told us about a stint you had with Secret Service Agents?

Omosefe: Aha! So, this was a case of over-zealousness on my part. It was my first trip as lead coordinator, and I wanted everything to go well. I think we had left an event in the evening, the First Lady had hosted a dinner and the Chairman left before us, so on getting to the hotel, I got out of the car and ran to the entrance because I was with some of his things. I get to the entrance of the lobby and turn around to see four heavily armed soldiers behind me frisking me. I was shocked, thinking to myself; ‘what the hell is going on.’ It turned out I had jumped out before the security was through with their search and they thought I was a suicide bomber trying to kill the VIPs in the hotel (yup!). Anyway, some government officials sorted it out, but we still got detained at the hotel for 45 minutes, they put the hotel on lockdown and it became a huge thing…one of the soldiers told me later that if he had been the one to sight me, he’d have shot me! Anyways, we joked about it and by the next day, it was water under the bridge. But if I had to, I will do it AGAIN, because what’s life without a little drama!? Also, my principal is my priority.

HH People: Lool, that was close. As we say in Nigeria, God forbid bad thing! But to more interesting things, what is the weirdest thing that goes through your mind when you are in the room with Presidents?

Omosefe: I actually have a recent example. During our 2019 Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum, I looked around the room at the dignitaries and Presidents we were hosting at the Presidential dinner, and I wondered; how do they feel about everyone fussing around about them. They are no longer normal everyday people but leaders of nations with heavy responsibilities

Also It’s a job that must require a lot of mental strength and I wonder how they get up every day knowing that the fate of millions are in their hands, because at that level, you can’t just say ‘oh, I am not interested today, I think I’ll just go back to bed!’.

HH People: What skills do you possess that have been most beneficial in the execution of your job?

Omosefe: Optimism, can-do-attitude, desire to improve and learn.

HH People: You get a phone call inviting you to dinner with one of your strongest inspirations: What two things will you want to talk about?

Omosefe: Hmm, this is a tough one, I see how the Chairman balances work and life, so I don’t need any tips on that…lol, but maybe I would want to talk about how they have sustained the drive to do what they do over the years and if they didn’t go down their particular career path, what would they have done instead if they had the chance to start all over.

HH People: How do you flex on a Lagos weekend?

Omosefe: Lol, Come and join me during the weekend and you’ll find out. 😉