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Beinggoodfriendsdoesnotofcoursemeanthatwelikethesamethings,butitmeanswearetolerantofeachother%u2019squirks!Forinstance,IstillcannotunderstandhowamanofotherwisesuchgoodjudgementlikeyoucanbeaChelseafan!So,Atedo,asyouturn70,Iamcelebrating,firstandforemost,almost60yearsoffriendship.ButIalsowishtocelebrateanaccomplishedandsuccessfulprofessionalandentrepreneurwhohasachievedsomuch.Youfoundedabank,StanbicIBTC,whichisnowoneoftheforemostbanksinNigeria.YouhaveservedontheboardsofmanyoftheleadingquotedcompaniesinNigeriasuchFlourMillsofNigeria,NigerianBreweries,UnileverandCadbury.AndyouarecurrentlythechairmanofAnapBusinessJetsLimited,whichyoufoundedabouttenyearsago.Inadditiontoyourachievementsinbusiness,youhavealsomadeimpactfulpublicservicecontributions.Youhave,amongstotherthings,chairedacommitteethatdraftedacodeofcorporategovernanceforpubliccompaniesinNigeria.YouhaveservedasamemberoftheNationalEconomicManagementTeam.YoualsochairedtheTechnicalCommitteeoftheNationalCouncilofPrivatisationthatoversawtheprivatisationoftheNigerianpowersector.Butmostimportantly,youhavebeenapowerfulvoiceinNigerianpublicdiscourse.Youhavenotbeenafraidofspeakingtruthtopowerandcallingoutourrulersandgovernmentswhenyoufeelthatgoodgovernancehasbeenbreached.YouhaveinspiredyoungpeopletospeakoutandstandupfortheirrightsasameansofmakingandkeepingNigeriaGovernments,andrulers,accountable.Andyouhavebeenabletodothisfearlesslybecauseyouholdyourselftothehigheststandardsofethicsintheconductofallyourbusinessendeavours.Youhavesoughttoshowbyyourlifethatitispossibletomakeasuccessinbusiness,andinlife,withoutcompromisingone%u2019sethicsandstandards.So,Atedo,asyouturn70,Ijoinincelebratingareallycherishedfriendwhohasachievedsomuchinhislife,andwhocontinues,byhisactivism,toadvocateforabetterNigeriasothatthosecomingafteruscanhaveabettercountry.Happybirthday,Atedo.Welcometothe70-year-oldclub.Enjoythespecialdaywithfriendsandfamily.Myverybestwishes.UDOMAUDOMAUDOUDOMA95
