Late Billionaire, Idahosa Wells Okunbo was a highly celebrated Nigerian business magnate, investor, philanthropist and trained commercial pilot.
Born on 7 January, 1958, the Edo-born businessman hailed as Hosa by admirers took his exit in London, UK on Sunday, August 8, 2021 after a protracted battle with Pancreatic Cancer, The New Diplomat had broken the news earlier.
A look through his profile reveals much about the glorious business and professional career that Okunbo has had, with loads of achievements in succession to show for his life and time before passing on.
Okunbo served as either chairman or director on numerous company boards in Nigeria, spanning multiple business sectors such as the agro-allied, petroleum, telecommunications, power, real estate and banking industries.
Background and education
Hosa Okunbo is a native of Edo State in the southern part of Nigeria. He was born in Benin City to the family of Reverend Robert Amos Okunbo, a clergyman, teacher and community leader. Okunbo had his primary education at Government Primary School in Benin City, old Bendel State, now Edo State. He proceeded to Federal Government College, Warri, in 1971, where he sat for West African Senior School Certificate Examination. Okunbo is a native speaker of the Edo language, and a fluent speaker of English.
Okunbo pursued a desire to become a pilot by studying at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Centre, Zaria, Kaduna State, and became a professional commercial pilot at the age of 21. He also attended ACME School of Aeronautics, Fort Worth Texas in 1983, where he obtained an Airline Transport Pilot License.
Career
Upon graduation, Okunbo became a professional commercial pilot, and was made a captain in 1983 at the age of 25. He was a flight captain with Intercontinental Airlines for about two years, then was employed by Okada Airlines for three years. In 1988, he retired from piloting at the age of 30, having logged over 7,000 hours of flight time, and ventured into private business.
Okunbo established Hoslyn Ventures Nigeria Ltd., a company that was involved with procurement in the Nigerian petroleum sector.
Okunbo was the Founder and Chairman of the following Nigerian companies:
CMES-OMS Petroleum Development Company (CPDC), which, in September 2019, signed “$875.75m alternative financing deal for the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) operated OML 65”.
The Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments, Abuja, Wells San-Carlos Agro Farms Ltd., which, in March 2016, unveiled a $750 million, 9,000-hectare (22,000-acre) farm intended to “create 85,000 jobs in Edo State”.
Ocean Marine Security Ltd., an offshore asset-protection company, rendering services to major oil companies in Nigeria, including NNPC. The company has completed the building of the 46-kilometre (29 mi) Escravos–Warri Crude Pipeline, which was inaugurated by Nigeria’s former Minister of State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu.
Westminster Security Solutions Nigeria Ltd, a franchise of Westminster Group Plc UK, of which he was major shareholder.
Wells Group of companies
Wells includes Wells Dredging Ltd., Wells Property Development Company Ltd., and Wells Entertainments Ltd. – through which Okunbo financed the movie Black November. Ocean Marine Solutions Tankers Ltd. owns Nigeria’s first marine tankers.
Hoslyn Habitat Ltd., which is a design, construction and landscaping company.
Gyro Air Ltd., operators of charter flight operations.
Okunbo was a Director in the following companies:
Joint Marine Environ Guard Ltd. (JMEG) Secure Anchorage Area Ltd. (SAA).
Digisteel Integrated Services Ltd.
Phil Nugent Nigeria Ltd.
Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Ltd. (IEDM), which is a core investor in Ibadan and Yola Electricity Distribution Companies.
Okunbo was member of the Board of Directors of NatCom Development and Investment Ltd., which is the holding company Nigerian telecommunications giant NTEL.
Honours and recognitions:
On Saturday, September 21, 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland, Okunbo was bestowed with the Global Peace Award from the chairman of the Order of Lafayette Awards, “in recognition of his efforts in global peace and business innovations.”
In March 2017, he received Businessman of the Year award at the ‘2016 Vanguard Personality of Year Awards’.
Okunbo received the Africa Titans Award in 2012, from the Congress of the United States in collaboration with the African Society Summit, in recognition of “strides on behalf of Africa in the international arena.”
In November 2012, the University of Benin conferred Okunbo with an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
Okunbo was granted the “Worthy Ambassador of Unity Award” as an old student of Federal Government College, Warri in March 2016.
On October 2, 2014, the Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa, gifted Okunbo “with the ‘Traditional Beads’ for being a worthy son of the ancient Kingdom.”
Billionaire Idahosa Wells Okunbo was married with 11 children.
He died on August 8 2021 in London after a prolong battle with cancer.
