Sir Iheaku, the Stockfish Mogul Bows Out

Sir Iheaku, the Stockfish Mogul Bows Out

- By Chief Ingram Osigwe

According to the Holy Bible, there is time for everything- time to be born, time to grow, time to procreate, time to die. The irrepressible Sir (Dr) Godson Nwosu Iheaku (Omenkeahurunnaya 1 of Osina) has completed the cycle and has gone home to be with his maker.

He had seen it all and has, therefore, bowed out, in a blaze of glory and at a glorious age of 85. Sir Iheaku hailed from Osina town, in Ideato North local government area of Imo state.

This quintessential business mogul who brought to the zenith, east of the Niger, the trade in stockfish, popular and revered in Igboland as "Okporoko" was one of Osina's first Eleven- earliest wealthy men, business moguls and captains of Industry who brought the town to the limelight.

Apart from Sir Iheaku, in this league of great men, Osina's first Eleven, include Sir Chief D.U Nsudum( Akwaja Ahuogu 1 of Osina), Chief G.O Offor ( Omeokachie), Sir Peter Umeh, Sir Augustine Umeh, Nze F.I Onwadike(Omereoha 1), Sir B.U Ohanugo(Onwa), Chief Benniah Ume (Agubata) and Chief R.O Nwabueze.

The common denominator here is that all these great men have all gone to be with their creator long before Sir Iheaku joined them in that ecclesiastical journey.

He was Born on the 10th of September, 1936 as the first son of the family of Nze Iheakubiara Agwunobi Nwaebube and Mrs Akuoma Iheaku (nee Umezurike), both of blessed memory. The family belongs to Umuokearukwa kindred in Akpaka-na-Ezeala Village, Idima Autonomous Community (formerly, Of-eke Osina), Ideato North Local Government Council of Imo State, Nigeria.

Growing up, the young Godson was imbued with uncanny intellect. He was a brilliant pupil who dazzled all with electrifying academic performances that stood him on a pedestal for higher educational pursuit.

Had the interplay of factors not collaborated to eventually steer his life trajectory towards trading, Sir Iheaku would have ended up an erudite scholar with loud academic accomplishments. In fact, during his lifetime, Sir Iheaku was often referred to as "the Academic Giant" Osina never had.

However, the laurels and glories that he would have garnered in the academic world, Sir Iheaku got in the arena of trading and merchandising.

Thus, from 1951 when he ventured into business as a merchandise trainee/ apprentice till he breathed his last, Sir Iheaku was on a steady upward swing of success, conquering and dominating the business environment with his trademark importation of Stockfish.

Indeed, the dutiful young Godson, who started life in 1951 as a simple apprentice trader, had, before he joined the saints,  metamorphosed into a world-class business giant. Notedly, in addition to stockfish merchandising, Iheaku also veered into Agriculture and allied ventures, birthing in the process, many business subsidiaries.

Before his demise, Sir Godson Iheaku was the Chairman and Chief Executive of a Mega Group of Limited Liability Companies, including:

*G. N. Iheaku and Co. Ltd 

*Gincolin Associates Ltd 

*United Fish Merchants Ltd

*ICCI International Ltd

*Integrated Fisheries Ltd.

A large-hearted man, Sir Iheaku trained and mentored several young men from different parts of Nigeria in trading. Many of them are today successful businessmen in their rights.

There is hardly a Stockfish trader in Nigeria that does not have a business relationship with him; directly or indirectly.

His impact on the Stockfish business has been so profound that his mentees and business beneficiaries go as far as almost unionising to keep alive his business legacy. His business footsteps will surely remain indelible in the sands of time.

Sir Iheaku was not a slave to wealth. He believed in good living to demonstrate the goodness of God in one's life. This explained why, during his lifetime, he was fashion-conscious. It was not unusual to see him dressed in well-made, trendy traditional wears- Ishiagu, Agbada, French suits,Senator etc.

A community leader who was passionate about the development of his community, Osina, Sir Iheaku meritoriously served his beloved home town in different capacities from 1972 till he breathed his last.

Worthy of mention too are his services to the Church. He was a Christian of the Anglican Communion and was equally one of the pillars of St. John's Osina and St. Andrew's Onitsha. His services at both the local church and diocesan levels were subsequently recognized by the then Bishop of Okigwe-Orlu Anglican Diocese, the Rt. Rev. S. C. N- Ebo who, on 5th November 1989, conferred on him the Knight Order of St Christopher.

A consummate family man and a doting husband, father and grandfather, Sir Iheaku got married in 1962 to his heartthrob, then Miss Esther Ugbondu Aghajiuba from Ikpa, Urualla.

The marriage is blessed with several children and grandchildren.

All the children, well educated, are accomplished and have excelled in their various callings.

No matter how smooth and flowery it appears to be, life could sometimes be full of valleys, roadblocks and obfuscations, such that task one's emotional stability, faith and trust in God.

The above was Sir Iheaku's lot 13 years ago, precisely December 17, 2009, when kidnappers abducted and murdered his lawyer first son, Chijioke then aged 40, even after the family had parted with a ransom of 7million Naira. 

It was an agonising sight watching the then 72-year-old Sir Iheaku mourn and weep uncontrollably over the brutal murder of the first product of his loins.

As a devout Christian that he was, Sir Iheaku was to accept the grim reality of the untimely demise of his first son with equanimity while hoping that justice would be done. 

In a funeral invitation signed by his son, Sir Chineme Iheaku( Okosisi), Omenkeahurunnaya will be  laid to rest on Friday 18th February 2022 at his Country home, Osina, Ideato North LGA Imo state after 10 am burial mass at St John's Anglican Church Osina.

Osina has indeed lost an icon, a trailblazer and a good man

In the words of Sir Tony Ezenna( Ijele Akokwa), Chairman, Orange  Group, "during his eventful life on earth, Sir Iheaku was driven by diligence, patience, and tenacity of purpose, honesty and hard work- rare virtues that greatly endeared him to all who encountered him, including his family,  business partners, associates, friends and indeed the people of Osina, his community, and the ancient kingdom of Ideato as a whole.

"Omenkeahurunnaya was an illustrious son of Osina who gave his all to the community- serving it in various capacities thus contributing immensely to making the modern town it is today"

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Chief Ingram Osigwe( Enyioha)  writes from Akokwa.

THE NEW NNPC BOARD AND STRATEGIC BALANCING

THE NEW NNPC BOARD AND STRATEGIC BALANCING

- By Frederick Harry

On August 16th 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the much awaited Petroleum Industry Bill into law. The signing of the Bill into law was hailed as a timely intervention as it is expected to “provide certainty to potential and existing investors on the applicable fiscal regime in the Petroleum Industry”. By the powers vested in the President under section 59 (2) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, on September 19, 2021 he approved and appointed the Board and Management of NNPC Ltd with Senator Godwin Ararume as the Chairman of the Board.

The appointment of the Chairman of the Board from Imo State in the South East was applauded as evidence that the relationship between the people of the region and the President was heading north.

The inauguration of the board has however been suspended twice as a result of scathing criticism against some members by some activists, civil society organisations, petitions from powerful interest groups and alleged resistance by the International Oil Companies (IOCs).

Mr. Deji Adeyanju, the Convener of Concerned Citizens of Nigeria had described the appointment of Senator Ararume as a travesty and criticized the Buhari government’s “penchant for outlandish and unconventional methods of appointing cronies and men of questionable character” to important public offices. He insisted that there are many qualified technocrats and experienced oil and gas industry players from Imo State that can lead the charge at NNPC and manage the country’s main source of revenue and that Senator Ararume does not fit in that mould.

This type of blistering and witheringly scornful criticism coupled with fight back by the IOCs and counteraction by the political elites across board allegedly led to the indefinite suspension of the inauguration of the board as announced by the Secretary to the Federal Government on November 23, 2021. It is now being speculated in the Energy Halls of Power and Corridors of Political Influence that the federal government is considering nominating another person as Chairman of the Board.

It is very imperative therefore that the Buhari administration should take certain salient factors including but not limited to political environment, economic challenges, management skills and social issues into consideration before making such a nomination.

On the political environment, the ruling party, APC has been striving to make in-roads in the South East and the South South regions of Nigeria. Senator Hope Uzodinma, the Imo State Governor has been leading from the front in ensuring that  citizens from the two regions embrace the party wholeheartedly. This can be seen from his tenacity and doggedness in persuading his brother Governors from Ebonyi and Cross River States to join the party. He has essentially converted all the big and influential political players in the South East to APC. It is the prevailing public opinion that if the nominated Chairman of the Board would be changed, the President should consult the Governor to liaise with other relevant stake holders from the South East to present an acceptable candidate with cognate industry and management experience to lead the board and that person should come from Imo State.

What many people may not know is that oil, the bedrock of the Nigerian economy was first discovered in Iho Dimeze community in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State in 1937 by Shell Petroleum then known as Shell D’Arcy. The company established a base in Owerri before it left for Oloibiri in Rivers State when it discovered oil in commercial quantities there in 1956.

With the recovery of 43 Oil Wells from Rivers State by the Uzodinma administration which is the greatest economic feat by any Imo Governor since 1999, Imo State is now an assertive 4th oil producing state in the country. Imo State is home to over 200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas deposit and upside of potential 600 trillion cubic feet. Natural gas has today become a catalyst for socio-economic renaissance all over the world as the urgent need for clean and renewable energy need not be emphasized. With the emerging importance of Imo State to the nation’s economy, it would be unthinkable to deny the state the chance to lead the Board of NNPC Ltd.

It must however be reiterated that the new NNPC Board needs to be led by a certified change agent who is conversant with processes and management strategies of formulation, implementation, evaluation, modification and monitoring. It must be someone ready to implement a paradigm shift agenda with his eyes on the ball of common good not the next election. He must be an innovative thinker with excellent track record and culture of excellence in service crafting tactics to achieve objectives. He must demonstrate outstanding problem solving skills and exemplary team leadership ability with knowledge of climate challenges.

Nigeria is considered 58th most vulnerable and 22nd least ready nation to adapt to the threats of climate change. With 25% of the population living in exposed coastal region, a vast majority of the citizens plagued by devastating poverty and insecurity fueled partly by climate change, NNPC led by the Board should be ready for transitioning into “Green Economy”. The Board must be ready to create platforms for engagement to achieve climate readiness with clean energy and improved decision making.  The country cannot afford a misstep now.

The ball remains in the court of Mr. President to consult widely and give the Board a Chair that would lead the way for the nation’s economic progress. 

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Frederick Harry, a Nigerian from the Grand Bonny Kingdom, is a contributing editor to CNBC and Africa Business News.