DOGGED

Having the ability to dream big and encouraging others in achieving their big dreams is humanity at its best. Many have dreams but only a few have the courage to take that first step to turn such into reality.

Ben Murray-Bruce is one of the few individuals who dare to dream big and also have the courage to pursue such dreams. With a paltry sum of N20,000 loan from his father who wasn’t very much in support of his chosen path, Ben went into business in a small office space rented from the same money. His only work tool then was his dream to become number one in what he wanted to do.

Today, 30 years after, he has grown the business into an empire worth several billions of Naira. This is the story of Benedict Murray-Bruce, the starry eyed youth with the lofty dream of becoming the number one entertainment company owner in the world.

As a concert promoter, the proudly Nigerian Murray-Bruce brought international musicians such as Shalamar, Kool and the Gang and Lakeside, to name a few, to perform in Nigeria. He was the main driving force behind 20 larger-than-life music festivals that took place during the early 80s around Lagos, Benin, Port Harcourt and Ife, Nigeria.

This was just the start for the self-proclaimed dreamer’s entertainment industry take-over in Nigeria. With visions of expansion, in 1983, the business-minded Murray-Bruce promoted a beauty pageant called Miss Universe Nigeria. Three years later the Silverbird Group took over this pageant, re-named it the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN), a much-loved event where winners compete in Miss World and Miss Universe pageants.

The Silverbird Group, a wholly Nigerian owned company which aimed to “provide family entertainment” has since ventured into broadcasting in Nigeria. Thus, since 1997 when Murray-Bruce’s FM radio station, Rhythm 93.7FM, started, the Silverbird Group has since added Silverbird Television, both radio and TV striding across the airwaves throughout Nigeria.

Founded by Ben Murray in 1980, the Silverbird Group is today one of the largest entertainment conglomerates in Nigeria and Africa. Consisting of Silverbird Entertainment, Silverbird Cinema, Rhythm FM and MBGN, it is thought to be third largest media entertainment company in Western Africa

The group is credited for bringing back Cinema to Lagos, Nigeria in 2004 and establishing the Ghana's first-ever Cineplex of five theaters fully equipped to international standard and with Dolby digital surround sound and contiguous with a media store.

Many would have been happy and contented to settle for half of the success made by him but not this Akassa, Bayelsa born Business Administration graduate of University of Southern California who will not rest until he fulfills his greatest dream of creating wealth in the entertainment industry and to see artistes, producers and directors dominate the economy of Nigeria.

This was evident in his response to the question of whether he has been able to actualise his dream. According to him, “No, not yet, for me, my greatest dream would be wealth creation in the entertainment industry. It would be for me to see artistes, producers, directors dominate the economy of Nigeria; that is my dream. If I did that in my life time, then my work will not be in vain. I am a dreamer. I have blind faith in myself and my ability. I’ll grow, and I’ll take my people with me.”

 Before he founded the Silverbird Group in 1980, Ben served in different capacities including as an Executive Director, Black Music Association of America with Quincy Jones,  Dick Griffey, Stevie wonder as well as Director –Coalition for a free Africa with the late President Samora Machel of Mozambique and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. In Nigeria, he has served as a member of the National Arts Theatre Management Board, The Federal Film Censores Board, the Board of the Nigerian Film Corporation, National Distribution Company, Nigerian Anti-Piracy Action Committee and for four years was the Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Africa’s largest network. Currently, he is the Group Chairman of the Silverbird Group which consists of three FM stations in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, one television station in Lagos and Nigeria’s first and only Cinema multi-plex with five screens.