The Group Managing Director of Sujimoto Holdings, Dr. Sijibomi Ogundele, has emphasised that employees are the most valuable asset any business can build, asserting that genuine loyalty, compassion, and investment in people are more important than capital.
In a heartfelt reflection shared this week, Dr. Ogundele recounted a recent Zoom meeting with his executive team, during which he made an unusual request.
“I simply said: ‘Bring me a list.’ Not just a roll call of staff, but the names of every single person who has walked this journey with us for over three years,” he requested.
According to him, the mood in the room immediately shifted, as the Human Resources team assumed a round of layoffs was coming. But instead, the Sujimoto founder made it clear: “This is not about downsizing. It’s about honour.”
Ogundele said Sujimoto Holdings recognises those who have shown loyalty, especially in Nigeria’s current economic climate where salaries are insufficient to meet the rising cost of living.
“The system is ruthless,” he said. “But while the economy may be harsh, our compassion must be stronger.”
Already, Sujimoto supports staff by paying rent and funding school fees for over 20 families.
However, Ogundele hinted at plans to expand this support. “Can we stretch further, past the payslip into the silent battles our people fight when no one’s looking?” he asked.
Addressing the common belief that “some staff are bad,” he said that while mistakes are inevitable, one bad apple does not ruin the orchard.
“I’ve watched janitors show more integrity than executives,” Ogundele said.
“I’ve seen young staff, when Sujimoto was barely surviving, dip into their personal funds to keep operations going. That’s not just loyalty. That’s legacy.”
He disclosed that over 100 employees have been with Sujimoto for more than three years, many of whom remained committed through financial and structural challenges.
“That level of commitment isn’t accidental. It’s the soul of an enduring institution,” he added.
Reflecting on Sujimoto’s past, he noted that the company once employed over 900 people, but economic downturns and infrastructural setbacks have reduced that number significantly.
“Not because the dream died, but because the economy stopped breathing,” he said. Nonetheless, Ogundele maintains that if the right environment existed, the company could hire over 10,000 Nigerians.
He paid special tribute to the team behind Sujimoto’s iconic real estate projects such as Lucrezia, the tallest residential tower in Banana Island, which is set for launch in the fourth quarter of 2025.
“Over 2,000 hands, from labourers to engineers, poured their sweat into that structure,” he noted.
Upcoming projects like the Sujimoto Twin Towers, a pioneering 3-in-1 luxury development, and Queen Amina by Sujimoto, soon to be Northern Nigeria’s tallest tower, will each create over 2,000 jobs, he said.
In addition, the company is preparing to launch Motopay, a fintech platform featuring futuristic scan-to-pay technology, along with ventures in cement production, smart city development, and federal infrastructure partnerships, efforts Ogundele believes will reshape economic opportunities across Nigeria.
“These aren’t just projects. They are platforms of possibility,” he remarked. “Their ripple effect will do more than change lives, they will reshape generations.”
He further explained that many employees have spent up to a decade with Sujimoto.
“From janitors to general managers, they haven’t just worked here; they’ve grown here. When someone stays that long, they stop being staff, they become a stone in the foundation of your legacy.”
Ogundele challenged traditional ideas of staff welfare, calling for a shift from rent support to home ownership and from paying school fees to investing in children’s futures.
“At this stage, it’s no longer compensation, it’s succession planning,” he said.
He also encouraged business owners to go beyond salaries and embrace equity, saying: “Salary will feed you, but it won’t free you… True wealth isn’t found in a monthly paycheck. It’s found in ownership.”
Highlighting that his team has remained resilient in tough times, Ogundele said: “When you invest in people, they don’t just work for you, they fight for the mission.”
He concluded by urging fellow business leaders to reflect: “What are you doing for the people who are building your dream? Because until you invest in your people… you haven’t truly started building wealth.”
Dr. Sijibomi Ogundele is the driving force behind renowned projects like Giuliano, Leonardo, Queen Amina by Sujimoto, and the ambitious Sujimoto Farm, which integrates housing, healthcare, markets, and agriculture.
His vision has transformed skylines and continues to position Sujimoto Holdings as a beacon of innovation and resilience in Nigeria’s real estate sector.
