Lagos, Nigeria – The ninth edition of the BusyBee Event Business Summit, held on November 19th and 20th, 2025, at the Hyde Park Corner (Buckingham Hall) in Agidingbi, Ikeja, successfully empowered event professionals with the tools and insights needed to build enduring businesses.
Under the compelling theme, “Building Legacy-Driven Brands,” the summit challenged attendees to look beyond immediate profits and trends, focusing instead on creating enterprises that can stand the test of time and outlive their founders.
Speaking at the opening plenary, the convener of BusyBee Event Summit and CEO of BusyBee Event Group, the award-winning Coach Bisi Sotunde, thanked all the forward-thinking participants for embarking on the transformative journey who are ready to rise, evolve, and build excellent legacy-driven brands. Coach Bisi Sotunde, who is also the founder of the Well-Watered Garden Tribe, a community of intentional event professionals who are ready to thrive and blossom, went further to explain that the choice of the theme is a call for action, a challenge to build businesses that are not just profitable but sustainable, memorable, and influential for the generations to come.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of BusyBee Events Group, QS Bolaji Sotunde FNIQS, emphasized that a legacy-driven brand stands on purpose, consistency, and long-term thinking built not only for today’s market but for future generations.
This was followed by a keynote address by the keynote speaker, Oluwatoyin Bakare, the COO and Executive Director of SAS Textiles, a second-generation family business and Nigeria’s home of exquisite, world-class textiles and fabrics, thus setting the tone for the participants to be stretched with an intensive, specially curated masterclass sessions from A-List Speakers such as:
- Eizu Uwaoma, Lead Strategist, Hexavia
- Abimbola Balogun, COO SoFresh
- Mojibade Sosanya, an award-winning MC and & Brand influencer.
- Abidemi Abisola Adeyemi, COO Tammys Event
- Adefisayo Adeyinka Beecroft, Managing Director, Eventful Limited.
- Foluso Ogunjimi, Sokoyokoto, Award-winning Traditional Wedding MC
- Nelson Jack, The King of Stage
- Olufunbi Akinyosoye, CEO, Dunamis Events
- Jumbo Victory, CEO Celebrazioni Catering
- Segilola Alex-Ajayi of EpiCenter Global Events
- Akinkumi Oladipupo, CEO Alveena Events
Speaker after speaker shared what it takes to create brands that stand the test of time, brands rooted in purpose, excellence, and impact from different perspectives.
Key Takeaways from the Summit
Focus on Legacy: Speakers emphasized that a successful brand is not just about a name, but about the experience, reputation, and long-term value it provides. Entrepreneurs were urged to focus on building businesses that can “outlive trends” and founders.
Professionalism and Business Systems: The summit concluded with a renewed commitment among participants to elevate industry standards, strengthen business systems, and embrace long-term, strategic thinking.
Innovation & Collaboration: The importance of innovation, shared values, and collaboration was a recurring point, highlighted as the foundation for building strong, legacy-driven brands.
Cross-Border Cooperation with Sofitel, Cotonou: A key achievement of the BusyBee Event Summit 9.0 was strengthening relations with francophone West Africa, with Sofitel Cotonou’s international appeal contributing significantly to its success and sparking dialogue on destination events and tourism collaboration. Two participants were offered an all-expenses paid holiday at Sofitel, Cotonou in the Republic of Benin.
Day one concluded with an evening of elegance, a sensory experience where the theme of flowers was incorporated into the decor, cocktails, and interactive elements of the evening. The atmosphere was sophisticated and visually stunning, designed to be highly engaging for guests. The bloom-inspired cocktails-themed “A Floral Experience” featured a dancing competition, networking, and engaging discussions to wind down the highly intense Masterclass earlier in the day.
Day 2 was dedicated to The BusyBee Excellence Awards 2025, a high-profile gala held tagged “A Black and White Grand Ball in honour of MET Gala.” The event served as a stunning homage to the iconic MET Gala, emphasizing glitz, glamour, and “steeze”. From the strict black-and-white color décor theme, creating a space characterized by luxury, class, and breathtaking beauty, to the thoughtfully curated with luxurious furniture and immersive floral and lighting elements, the venue was described as a “picture-perfect masterpiece”.
The evening celebrated industry icons and members of the “Well-Watered Garden Tribe” (WWGT) community who have made significant impacts in their respective Connects/Zones and in the Event Industry generally.
At the end of the evening, the BusyBee Excellence Awards 2025 left an indelible mark on the landscape of the Nigerian event industry. More than just a night of black-and-white glamour and MET Gala-inspired steeze, the BEA served as a powerful declaration of our collective resilience and commitment to excellence. By honoring the trailblazers of the Well-Watered Garden Tribe, BEA have not only celebrated current achievements but have also laid the foundation for the legacy-driven brands of tomorrow.
…By Cletus Asikpo, Creative Director, Postmyevents Media Services.
