By Oladoyin Olatayo-Lasisi
It was a beautiful Sunday in Lagos, and a truckload of people was waiting at the destination for a truck driver who had no idea what he was coming to pick.
The truck driver, however, was not driving a truck. He was on his way in a car to attend a wedding ceremony in Lagos, completely unaware that the destination ahead of him had nothing to do with the wedding he thought he was going to attend. Waiting there was a carefully assembled crowd of family members, old schoolmates, university friends, former colleagues, neighbours, friends and business associates, all gathered for one reason: to celebrate him.
The truck driver was Wole Elusakin, a businessman in the logistics and transportation industry and the Chief Executive Officer of Pomegranate Nigeria Limited. He has built a fleet of trucks and, despite occupying the position of Chief Executive Officer, has always been comfortable describing himself simply as a “truck driver.” It is a description he wears with ease, reflecting his deep connection with the business and the journey that took him into the world of logistics and transportation.
Wole had been invited to a wedding. There was no reason for him to suspect anything unusual about the invitation. Like any other invited guest, he set out for the ceremony, expecting to spend the day celebrating someone else. But unbeknownst to him, the invitation was simply the cover for a carefully planned surprise.
At the venue, his wife, Tope, was already waiting, though she was careful not to reveal herself too soon. She had been watching and peeping from her hiding place as he approached, waiting for the right moment. When Wole eventually got to the entrance and saw her, his first reaction was one of genuine surprise.
“Ah! But you told me you are at home!”
Inside, the venue had been transformed in gold, black and white, with lights illuminating the space and portraits of Wole and photographs from different moments of his life carefully incorporated into the decoration.
But beyond the colours, photographs and elaborate setting was something more significant: the people.
They had come from different chapters of his life.
There were members of his family, former schoolmates, university friends, neighbours, former colleagues from Honeywell and UAC, friends and business associates. Some had shared classrooms with him, some had worked with him, some had lived around him, while others had met him through business, friendship or family connections.
As he moved from one table to another, exchanging pleasantries, the surprise continued to deepen. There were repeated moments of recognition and disbelief.
“Ha! You are also here?”
Each familiar face seemed to open another chapter of memory, bringing together people Wole had encountered at different points in his journey.
Those who spoke about him described a man who is intelligent, hardworking, dependable, generous and committed. They also spoke of his ability to value relationships and remain connected with people across different stages of his life. The gathering itself reflected those relationships, bringing together people whose paths with Wole had crossed at different times and in different circumstances.
His professional journey has also taken him through several stages. He worked with Honeywell Flour Mills, UAC Foods, Nestlé, Reckitt Benckiser and FanMilk before moving into logistics and transportation, a transition that eventually led to the establishment of Pomegranate Nigeria Limited.
And that chapter began with a truck.
Pomegranate started with a truck borrowed from a mentor, becoming the foundation of a business that would grow into a larger transportation and logistics operation. It is therefore fitting that Wole has continued to describe himself simply as a “truck driver”, even as he became the chief executive of a company operating a fleet of trucks.
But on this particular Sunday, the businessman and the company were not the centre of attention. The focus was Wole himself—his life, his relationships and the people who had travelled with him through different seasons.
Apostle Lawrence Achudume, Setman of Victory Life Bible Church, spoke about Wole’s journey, the importance of good relationships, divine direction and protection, and the people God places around a person through the different stages of life. He emphasised that God is the cornerstone of everything and that whatever a person becomes or achieves must have God as its foundation.
The celebration also carried the warmth of family.
Wole’s daughter, Ore, an emerging musician, joined her siblings to sing for their father. Tope sang Yoruba songs and rendered oríkì in praise of him, while Wole’s mother joined the celebration, dancing during the praise.
For Tope, keeping the surprise intact had required its own careful choreography. She had helped with the arrangements while allowing Wole to believe that she was simply at home. She remained out of sight until his arrival, ensuring that the surprise was preserved until the final moment.
By then, the different chapters of Wole’s life had converged in one place. Family, childhood friendships, school, university, professional life, neighbourhood connections, business relationships and friendships were represented in the gathering.
The decorations provided the setting, but the people gave the celebration its meaning.
Later, Wole sent a message thanking everyone who had made the celebration possible. He described the surprise as well planned, commended the organisers and expressed appreciation to everyone who attended.
And so, for a man who had spent years moving goods from one destination to another, this particular journey carried something different. He arrived expecting to be a guest, only to find a room filled with people who had travelled through different seasons of life with him.
For once, the truck driver had no consignment to deliver.
He was the delivery—and the truckload waiting at the destination was made up of the people, memories and relationships that had helped make the journey worthwhile.
Oladoyin Olatayo-Lasisi is member Penpushing Media. She writes the piece from Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital
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