Benedict Murray-Bruce (born 18 February 1956) is a
Nigerian
Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
business magnate
A business magnate, also known as a tycoon, is a person who has achieved immense wealth through the ownership of multiple lines of enterprise. The term characteristically refers to a powerful entrepreneur or investor who controls, through perso ...
and
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
. He is the founder of
Silverbird Group
The Silverbird Group is a diversified multi-media company with holdings in Radio, Television, Real Estate, and Cinemas headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. The company was established in 1980 by Ben Murray-Bruce and counts Silverbird Cinemas and the M ...
. A member of the
People's Democratic Party People's Democratic Party or ''variant thereof'', could refer to:
* People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
*People's Democratic Party (Belize)
*People's Democratic Party (Bhutan)
*People's Democratic Party (Chile)
* People's Democratic Party (Dom ...
, he was elected to the
Senate of Nigeria
The Senate is the upper chamber of Nigeria's bicameral legislature, the National Assembly of Nigeria. The National Assembly (popularly referred to as NASS) is the nation's highest legislature, whose power is to make laws, is summarized in chapt ...
in March 2015 where he represented the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, in
Bayelsa State
Bayelsa is one of the states in the South-South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta region. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. Yenag ...
, Nigeria.
Early life and education
Ben Murray-Bruce was born in Lagos, to
mixed race
Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-ethn ...
Ijaw Ijaw may refer to:
*Ijaw people
*Ijaw languages
The Izon languages (), otherwise known as the Ịjọ languages, are the languages spoken by the Izon people in southern Nigeria.
Classification
The Ijo languages were traditionally considered a ...
parents Mullighan and Margaret Murray-Bruce who both hail from
Akassa
Akassa is a settlement at the southernmost tip of Nigeria in Bayelsa State where the Nun River estuary meets the Atlantic Ocean. It has a lighthouse that has stood since 1910.
The Distance, proximity of Akassa to the Atlantic has made it a tr ...
,
Bayelsa State
Bayelsa is one of the states in the South-South region of Nigeria, located in the core of the Niger Delta region. Bayelsa State was created in 1996 and was carved out from Rivers State, making it one of the newest states in the federation. Yenag ...
, Nigeria.
His surname is of
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
origin.
He attended Our Lady of Apostles,
Yaba, Lagos, where he completed his primary education and St Gregory College, Obalende where he obtained the West African School Certificate before he proceeded to the
University of South Carolina in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, where he received a bachelor's degree in
Marketing
Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...
in 1979.
Personal life
Ben Murray-Bruce was married to Evelyn Murray-Bruce for 41 years. On March 20, 2021, he announced her passing after her battles with cancer.
Career
Early beginnings
Ben has served in various public positions. He served as Director-General of
Nigerian Television Authority
The Nigerian Television Authority or NTA is a Nigerian government-owned and partly commercial broadcast station. Originally known as Nigerian Television (NTV), it was inaugurated in 1977 with a monopoly on national television broadcasting, after ...
from 1999 to 2003. Prior to starting Silverbird Group, he promoted the
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Stre ...
Nigeria Pageant in 1983
Miss Intercontinental Pageant 1986-1994 and to date, he promotes the annual
Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant which he began in 1986. He is currently a Member of the Board of
National Arts Theatre
The National Theatre, Nigeria is the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria. The monument is located in Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos. Its construction was completed in 1976 in preparation for the Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in ...
, Nigerian Film Corporation, Federal Films Censors Board, National Film Distribution Company and Nigerian Anti- Piracy Action Committee.
Show business
In an interview with ''Connect Nigeria'', Ben said he got into show business "by accident". His passion for show business made him and his wife to establish the now defunct ''Silverbird Magazine'' in 1980 with a loan from his father. Ben later went into promoting concerts.
Politics
In 2011, Ben Murray-Bruce ran for the governorship of Bayelsa State which was unsuccessful after he was screened out of the gubernatorial race under the umbrella of the
People's Democratic Party People's Democratic Party or ''variant thereof'', could refer to:
* People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
*People's Democratic Party (Belize)
*People's Democratic Party (Bhutan)
*People's Democratic Party (Chile)
* People's Democratic Party (Dom ...
. On 27 October 2014, Ben later declared his intention to represent Bayelsa East Senatorial District at the National Assembly under the umbrella of the People's Democratic Party which he went on to win.
Public speaking
Bruce has spoken at a number of national and international events, in January 2018 he shared the stage alongside politicians and
thought leaders
In their most common sense, the terms thought and thinking refer to conscious cognitive processes that can happen independently of sensory stimulation. Their most paradigmatic forms are judging, reasoning, concept formation, problem solving, a ...
at the inaugural ''Nigerian American Business Forum'' in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
, figures such as; senator
Mohammed Shaaba Lafiagi
Sha'aba Lafiagi was elected governor of Kwara State in January 1992 on the Social Democratic Party (SDP) platform, and was removed from office by the administration of General Sani Abacha in November 1993.
As governor he initiated construction ...
, Media pioneer
Biodun Shobanjo
Biodun Shobanjo is the Chairman
The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or ...
,
NSE chairman
Abimbola Ogunbanjo
Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo was the Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, (NGX Group), the non-operating holding company the emerged from the demutualisation of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) from 2021 to 2022. Prior to this, he was th ...
, motivational speaker
Fela Durotoye
Adetokunbo Olufela Durotoye (born in Ibadan, Oyo State on 12 May 1971) is a business consultant, leadership expert, and motivational speaker. Fela is the president of the GEMSTONE Nation Builders Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organiz ...
, former governor
Peter Obi
Peter Gregory Obi (born 19 July 1961) is a Nigerian businessman and politician who served as governor of Anambra from March to November 2006, February to May 2007, and from June 2007 to March 2014. In May 2022, he became the Labour Party can ...
and Award-winning technologist
Ade Olufeko
Ade Abayomi Olufeko . (born 1980), is an American-born designer, technologist, and entrepreneur primarily active in Lagos. His international work in humanities has been leveraged by Consortiums, NGOs, and high-impact leaders. He is the founder ...
.
Awards and recognition
*"Showbiz Icon of the Year Award" (2005)
*""Top Ten" Significant Nigerian Businessmen Award" (2006)
*"Life Achiever Award" (2006)
*"Champion for Nation Building Award" (2007)
*"Excellent Personality Award" (2009)
*"Officer of
the Order of the Niger" (2014)
References
External links
Ben Murray-Bruce's official website*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray-Bruce, Ben
Living people
1956 births
Nigerian television journalists
University of South Carolina alumni
Nigerian television company founders
Businesspeople from Lagos
20th-century Nigerian businesspeople
21st-century Nigerian businesspeople
Ijaw people
St Gregory's College, Lagos alumni
Peoples Democratic Party members of the Senate (Nigeria)
21st-century Nigerian politicians
*
Beauty pageant owners
Nigerian government officials
Officers of the Order of the Niger
Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria) politicians