07/12/2024
An insight into 10 economic heavyweights indigenous to Ebonyi State:
1. High Chief Ifeanyi Odii: he's dubbed as the richest man in Ebonyi by a litany of his admirers. He's into real estate, maritime, ICT, manufacturing and entertainment. In his garage are two pieces of private jet, pointing to the fact that he's financially balanced. He is the CEO of Orient Group Ltd focusing on real estate, production and distribution of POP cement and varieties of industrial chemicals. He's a sophisticated projects contractor. He's in his late 40s and comes from Isu, Onicha LGA.
2. Dr Sir Edward Okereke Nkwegu: he's one of the earliest economic heavyweights from Ebonyi State. He's the chairman of EDON Nig. Ltd focusing on real estate, hospitality, architecture, projects management, consultancy, corrugated aluminum iron sheets production, radio technology and agriculture. He owns one of the five best hotels in Abuja called Barcelona Hotels at the Blantyre Street, Abuja. He's from Izzi LGA.
3. High Chief Christian Asaga Nwali, PhD: he's the chairman of C-Sagas Projects Ltd majoring in hospitality, real estate, architecture, project management and consultancy. He's in his early 40s and owns the 5-star Exclusive Serene Hotels at Wuye, Abuja; Cirenes Hotels, Abakaliki; Exclusive Serene Hotels, Enugu, C-Sagas plaza, Abuja among others. He's from Ekpelu community of Ikwo LGA. A philanthropist of great repute, Dr Asaga is married with children, and Ugochi Asaga, a medical doctor is his wife.
4. Chief Chibuike Orogwu: The Odumba of Ezza nation, Baby Oku as he's fondly called, is the chairman of Chubby Zion Industries in Enugu and Ogun States majoring in production of packaged liquor brands. He's a socialite and billionaire businessman from Amudo community of Ezza South LGA. He's in his mid 40s.
5. Chief Monday Oke: An Ezza man from Ishielu is a billionaire businessman based in Onitsha, Anambra State. He's the chairman of the Monablis hotels in Abakaliki. He's into real estate, motor spare parts, hospitality, polythene production, oil & gas among others. He's the Emebeife Ego 1 of Ezzaland. He's in his late 40s.
6. Chief Gideon Osi: Real estate mogul and contractor, Chief Dr Osi is a billionaire businessman based in Abuja and from Ishiagu, Ivo LGA. He's a philanthropist of note. He's in his late 40s.
7. Chief Julius Orji: The Ochiri of Edda is a billionaire businessman and socialite based in Lagos and chairman of many businesses notable of which is his 5-star hotel in Lagos. He's from Edda LGA.
8. Chief Daniel Onwe: He's from Amagu community, Ikwo LGA. He's a billionaire businessman based in Onitsha with many business interests. He's into building iron production and general merchandise.
9. Chief Ndubuisi Nwokwu: He's in his early 40s and hails from Amagu community, Ezza South LGA. He's a billionaire realtor and oil mogul with filling stations in Onitsha. He's the chairman of Ndumore Oil & Gas Ltd.
10. Chief Chukwuemeka Ituma: He's from the Ngbo axis of Ohaukwu LGA and in his early 30s. He's the founder of Enviable Transport Ltd. His business outfits are majorly sited in Nigeria and London. He's a property and leisure mogul and a university graduate of Business Administration. He's a socialite.
One special feature about the above listed persons is their noiselessness. They have, but one, produced millionaires and billionaires. For example, EDON produced Billionaire Christian Asaga Nwali, while Christian himself has produced men doing well in their fields of Architecture and Engineering. Baby Oku produced a man popularly called Peaceman who's a millionaire businessman. Chief Odii has also nurtured talents from Ebonyi and empowered many including this writer, building modern houses for 134 families in different parts of Ebonyi State in 2020 and 2021, providing succour to many.
Of course, there are many other silent millionaires and billionaires from Ebonyi not captured here. These ten are a preface to the long list of economic heavyweights from Ebonyi State in different parts of the world. This is using this opportunity to appeal that they do more in the areas of business mentorship and empowerment so as to reduce the headcount of pitiful poor people in, and from Ebonyi. They should also invest a part of their wealth in Ebonyi and contribute to community development as that is part of the efforts at opening the rural areas for advanced economic prospects.
