Ben Murray-Bruce shares how a ₦20,000 loan launched Silverbird and how the 1983 coup crippled his concert business
Founder of the Silverbird Group, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, has revealed that he launched the media and entertainment company with a ₦20,000 loan borrowed from his siblings in 1980.
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Murray-Bruce made the disclosure on Wednesday while speaking at Infrastructure Dialogue 2026, a two-day entrepreneurship programme organised by Deutsche Partners Holding in Abuja.
The former senator also recounted how the 1983 military coup that removed former President Shehu Shagari and brought Muhammadu Buhari to power devastated his flourishing concert promotion business.
Reflecting on his early years in entertainment, Murray-Bruce said his fascination with show business began after attending a James Brown concert at the age of 13.
“James Brown’s concert was the first I ever saw in my life. I was 13 years old at that time,” he said.
“I never had a job in my life. When I graduated, I came straight back to Nigeria. I didn’t want to work in any company. Silverbird cost me ₦20,000, which I borrowed from my siblings to set up in 1980.”
The media entrepreneur explained that his ambition to become a concert promoter initially caused tension with his father, who opposed the career choice.
“All my life, I wanted to be a concert promoter. But my dad refused and said that wasn’t what I sent you to school to do. It was a big quarrel,” he recalled.
According to Murray-Bruce, he successfully organised about 20 concerts between 1980 and 1983 before political instability disrupted the entertainment industry.
“Once Shagari was overthrown, all hell broke loose,” he said.
“In those days, when a coup d’état occurred, the first thing they did was to cut off your phone. At that time, Buhari was the Head of State. All my shows were also cancelled. That was how they ruined my concert business.”
He lamented that worsening economic conditions and foreign exchange challenges compounded the crisis facing entertainment operators during the period.
The businessman noted that the naira’s sharp depreciation significantly affected ticket sales and audience turnout.
“My ticket rates when I started were ₦5 to ₦10. In 1983, my last show was ₦15 to ₦20, and I lost 25 per cent of my audience. That was how my concert promotion died,” he stated.
Murray-Bruce also described the harsh realities of building an entertainment business in Nigeria during the early 1980s, when there were limited media platforms and almost no structured concert infrastructure.
“There was nobody I could learn showbiz from at that time. There was no venue for concerts. We had only the National Theatre in Surulere,” he said.
He added that promoting concerts was extremely difficult because Nigeria had only one television station, one radio station and a handful of newspapers at the time.
Despite the obstacles, Murray-Bruce disclosed that he lost money on only one out of the 20 concerts he organised, describing resilience as a crucial ingredient for entrepreneurial success.
The former lawmaker also reflected on his tenure as Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to him, he introduced 24-hour television broadcasting despite strong resistance from staff members who feared the equipment would break down.
“I didn’t take ‘No’ for an answer,” he said while recounting how NTA eventually commenced round-the-clock broadcasting within seven days of his directive.
Encouraging young entrepreneurs, Murray-Bruce urged them to remain determined despite economic and structural challenges.
“The key to success is your ability to dream. Never imagine that you can’t be successful,” he advised.
Reacting during the event, former aide to the late Dora Akunyili and Managing Partner of Deutsche Partners Holding, Dr Onuoha Nnachi, praised Murray-Bruce’s resilience and described him as a mentor who had opened major opportunities for him.
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Former Adamawa State Governor Boni Haruna also commended the organisers of the dialogue and encouraged young entrepreneurs not to abandon their ambitions despite the country’s difficult business climate.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
