L-R: Dr Onuoha Nnachi, a former aide to the late former Minister of Information, Dora Akunyili and founder of the Silverbird Group, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce at the two-day event in Abuja on Wednesday. Photo Credit: Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis.
Founder of the Silverbird Group, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, on Wednesday, revealed that he started the media and entertainment conglomerate with a N20,000 loan borrowed from his siblings in 1980.
Murray-Bruce also recounted how the 1983 military coup that ousted former President Shehu Shagari and brought Muhammadu Buhari to power crippled his thriving concert promotion business.
He spoke at the Infrastructure Dialogue 2026, a two-day programme organised for entrepreneurs by Deutsche Partners Holding in Abuja.
Recalling how his passion for entertainment began, Murray-Bruce said his first exposure to global show business came when he watched a James Brown concert at the age of 13.
He said, “James Brown’s concert was the first I ever saw in my life. I was 13 years old at that time. I never had a job in my life. When I graduated, I came straight back to Nigeria. I didn’t want to work in any company. Silverbird cost me N20,000, which I borrowed from my siblings to set up in 1980.
“All my life, I wanted to be a concert promoter. But my dad refused and said that wasn’t what I sent you to school to do. It was a big quarrel. I ended up doing about 20 concerts from 1980. By 1983, the military overthrew the government of Shehu Shagari.
“Once Shagari was overthrown, all hell broke loose. In those days, when a coup d’état occurred, the first thing they did was to cut off your phone. At that time, Buhari was the Head of State. All my shows were also cancelled. That was how they ruined my concert business.”
He lamented that worsening economic conditions and foreign exchange instability dealt a fatal blow to the entertainment industry at the time.
“Foreign currencies and other problems arose in the country. There was nothing we could do in entertainment, and it died. The exchange rate in 1980 was about $1.97 to one naira. In 1983, it had gone up to about N4 to a dollar.
“My ticket rates when I started were N5 to N10. In 1983, my last show was N15 to N20, and I lost 25 per cent of my audience. That was how my concert promotion died.”
The former senator said there were hardly any structures for concert promotion in Nigeria at the time, noting that entertainers like King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti and Ebenezer Obey mostly performed in clubs.
“There was nobody I could learn showbiz from at that time. There was no venue for concerts. We had only the National Theatre in the Surulere area of Lagos.
“People often ask how I became a successful concert promoter. To be a successful promoter, you need one thing — your ear. Then you have to deal with the problems of Nigeria. Between 1980 and 1983, it was hard. There was only one television station in the country — NTA, one radio station — FRCN and four newspapers.
‘If the editors didn’t like you, they wouldn’t promote your shows. So, concert promotion was hell. There was no social media or mobile telephone,” he noted.
Despite the harsh business climate, Murray-Bruce said he lost money on only one out of the 20 concerts he organised.
The media entrepreneur also reflected on his stint as Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“Former President Obasanjo appointed me as the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority. When I resumed, I asked how many hours they transmitted in a day, and I was told six hours.
“I then said, going forward, we will do 24 hours. They cried that it wasn’t possible. I was told we can’t go 24 hours otherwise the equipment would break down. But I insisted and gave them seven days to commence broadcasting 24 hours a day.
“If you have to die doing it, then you will die. And in seven days, that was how television started running a 24-hour broadcast in Nigeria. I didn’t take ‘No’ for an answer,” he stated.
Encouraging young entrepreneurs, Murray-Bruce urged them not to give up on their dreams despite obstacles.
“Wherever you find yourself, you must never quit or give up. The key to success is your ability to dream. Never imagine that you can’t be successful. Don’t always say ‘I can’t’ but ‘I will’.
“When a contract is presented before you, read it. Use a good lawyer, do not depend on friendship or get carried away with your client’s superstar status,” he added.
Reacting, Dr Onuoha Nnachi, a former aide to the late former Minister of Information, Dora Akunyili, praised Murray-Bruce’s resilience and entrepreneurial drive.
Nnachi, who is also the managing partner of Deutsche Partners Holding, described the former lawmaker as his mentor.
He said, “I remember when I was working with Dr Dora Akunyili, and the issue of fixing a radio and television station came up in Abuja. Dora said Ben can solve it. In just two weeks, he made the frequency that wasn’t available by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission available.
“Since that time, I have kept the relationship strong. Senator Ben is my mentor because he has opened doors for me, done things for me and taken me to places I have not been.
“You can’t do business in this country without having those who can create ways for you when it matters most. No individual, institution or bank lends you money because they care about you. They only grant you the fund because you have the potential to return it. Anybody giving you N100m as a loan believes you can grow that money for him with at least 10 per cent returns.”
Also speaking, former Governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna, commended the organisers of the dialogue and encouraged young entrepreneurs not to abandon their dreams despite Nigeria’s challenging business environment.
While admitting that running a business in the country is challenging, Haruna encouraged young startups not to give up too early on their dreams.
