A former presidential candidate and energy leader, Gbenga Olawepo Hashim received a surprise birthday gift from friends and associates in Europe in celebration of his birthday.

In a surprise lunch for Olawepo Hashim, hosted at the ancient Circulo delicio, the oldest private club in Spain, established in 1847, business partners of the celebrant, presented a personal letter of legendary South African leader, Nelson Mendela purchased at an auction in Europe to him as a birthday gift.

Olawepo Hashim, who considered Nelson Mendela as one of his heroes, was equally named Prisoner of Conscience in Africa, three  years after Nelson Mendela was named by Amnesty International in 1989.

Narrating the surprise gathering on his social media Facebook page, Olawepo Hashim said, “In Barcelona, I had lunch with Vincent  Geuneau (my French Business Partner), Mrs Helen Brume, a director at AfreximBank, Cairo, and Mrs Begonia Rubo Saiz, Ex Spanish Diplomat and Ex European Commission staffer.

Begonia has joined my team as Senior Advisor, Global Cooperation.”

According to him, a twist of history was added to the celebration as Vincent and Peter Hertog (My Deuch Business Partner) presented a personal letter of Nelson Mandela purchased at an auction in Europe to me.

“The duo know Mandela as one of my heroes, and that I had been named Prisoner of Conscience in Africa, three years after Mandela was so named by Amnesty International in 1989,” he said.

Gbenga Hashim Foundation, recently granted N20 million to SME’s in Kwara State, constructed drainages and graded roads. It also granted N10 million to SME’s in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital.