The life of a billionaire is oft befuddling. More often than not, they exhibit weird and wonderful characters that distinguish them from peers. But sometimes, they do things that make them look like the average man in the street. This is why the case of a billionaire construction giant, Adebiyi Olalekan, the owner of LaraLek Construction, blurs the line between utter incredulity and utmost curiosity.
Perhaps one of the most understated billionaires in this clime, Adebiyi is the sole individual whose construction firm is trusted enough by the Lagos State government under Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, for construction jobs. In Ambode’s reckoning, if ‘Laralek, as he is popularly called, could not do it, nobody else could. And if he could, nobody else, not even from Jupiter, would be dignified with a consideration.
Since Ambode became the governor, Adebiyi effortlessly commandeered the juiciest construction contracts notably the 10-lane Oshodi-Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road is a project managed by him. The transformation of road networks in Alimosho, Ipaja-Ayobo and environs was handled by him among many others. His tentacles spread across other Nigerian states.
But its in Lagos he is making the cleanest sweep. Sources close to the self-effacing billionaire say, like his anonymous appearance, he doesn’t like to be noticed, a strategy that might have worked well for him over the years anyway. While not totally colourless, Adebiyi is just one wealthy dude who doesn’t give a damn about style or material acquisitions.
Seeing him for the first time you will never believe he is the guy that has Lagos in his palms for few years now. Adebiyi is so influential in the affairs of the state that the incumbent government and its prominent officers eagerly do his bidding. Adebiyi, whose multi billion naira construction company is coined from his name and that of his wife, named Omolara, to form the synthesis, LaraLek, is addressed as an engineer, but a source claimed he is just a billion businessman with skeletal engineering knowledge garnered on the job.