Founder of Gtext Holdings, Dr. Stephen Akintayo, celebrated his 40th birthday with a four-hour marathon praise and worship event held at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.
The milestone celebration was marked by an atmosphere of thanksgiving and high praise, featuring intense worship sessions led by Steve Hills and Tkeyz. The event was further energised by dance ministrations from Blessing Lopez and soul-lifting performances by gospel singer, Onos Ariyo.
One of the notable goodwill messages came from Chairman of the Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, who described Akintayo as a rare individual with an exceptional heart and uncommon achievements for his age.
“Dr. Stephen Akintayo is a young man who scares his fears. I am shocked he is 40; one would think he is much older. He walks with seasoned and established people. He has washed his hands with the elders and can eat with them. Considering what he has achieved at this age, I am convinced that there is much more ahead,” Maduka said.
Former Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, also paid tribute to the celebrant, reflecting on his early encounters with Akintayo and describing him as humble and deeply grounded despite his success.
“I have known Dr. Stephen for a very long time, and I am grateful to see how far God has brought him. Many people get to this height and forget their roots, but Dr. Stephen is different. He constantly acknowledges his source, and that is why we are all gathered here to celebrate God in his life,” Okiro said.
Also speaking at the event, Mrs. Godfrey Ogbechie, wife of the Group Managing Director of Rain Oil, praised Akintayo’s impact in the real estate sector, describing him as focused, industrious and visionary.
“Dr. Stephen is a great man. I have watched and read about him from afar. When we later became close, I was grateful for that. He is a very focused and hardworking young man,” she said.
From the Bahamas, Lead Pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International, Dr. Dave Burrows, sent a goodwill message, commending Akintayo’s faith-driven leadership and entrepreneurial spirit.
The praise celebration attracted prominent personalities from the business, faith and entertainment sectors, including Pastor Godman Akinlabi, Global Lead Pastor of The Elevation Church; Pastor Seun Osigbesan; entrepreneur and TV host, Tope Mark-Odigie; and renowned Nigerian singer, Zaaki Azzay, among others.
Born in the Gonge area of Maiduguri, Borno State, Akintayo began his entrepreneurial journey with Gilead Balm Group, a company that provided database-driven marketing solutions to help Nigerians connect with potential customers through curated phone-number databases.
That modest beginning later evolved into Gtext Holdings, now a diversified business group with significant footprints across multiple sectors.
