BIOGRAPHY OF
CHIEF SHAWCROSS GODWIN MOORE OBIOHA
Shawcross Godwin Moore Obioha was born on 28th January 1957, to the family of Chief Clement Moore Obioha, and Mrs. Christiana Uzodinma Obioha(nee Okoro) of Arondizuogu, Ideato North LGA, Imo State, Nigeria. He was the fourth of sixteen siblings.
Shawcross was born in the city of Aba, in the then Eastern Region of Nigeria(presently Abia State). He attended primary school at Princess Day School (PDS), and Santa Maria Primary School in Aba. In 1970, after the civil war, he entered Iheme Memorial Grammar School in Arondizuogu for his secondary school education. In 1972, Shawcross transferred to Methodist College Uzuakoli where he completed his high school education in 1974 with flying colors.
In the early part of 1975, Shawcross travelled to the United States of America for his higher education. In 1978, he completed a B.A. degree in Business Administration at the Buffalo State College in Buffalo, New York; Shawcross accomplished that in a short period of three years with distinction. Two years later, he received his Master of Business Administration(MBA) in Finance from the State University of New York in Buffalo.
Following a brief work period in New York at Chase Manhattan Bank, he returned to Nigeria in 1981 and completed his National Youth Service with Shell Petroleum Development Corporation in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Shawcross was later appointed the Marketing Director in C. Moore Obioha Sons & Co. Ltd, a family owned business. He had responsibilities in developing the company’s then new Mercedes Benz franchise with Mercedes Benz ANAMMCO.
In 1985, Shawcross Moore, as he was popularly known by many of his friends, felt the emptiness of life without a life partner. God Almighty showed him mercies and blessed him with a lovely wife, Evelyn Obioha (nee Akpeneye). Evelyn made Shawcross a complete man, and their mutual love for each other helped Shawcross to discover his unique destiny several years later as a child of God.
Following their marriage in Port Harcourt in 1985, God blessed Shawcross and Evelyn with four wonderful children, two boys and two girls: Chimaobi Shawcross Obioha(JR), Okechukwu Alexander Obioha, Ogechukwu Christine Obioha and Unoaku Angelica Obioha.
In 1986, he founded the Shawcross Moore Organization, a business enterprise involved in automotive distributive trade, and importation of spare parts and other products. Shawcross Moore Organization became a major force in the sales of Honda cars in Lagos. The company’s ultra modern showroom in Victoria Island, Lagos was then widely known as the right place to shop for Honda cars.
Shawcross through his company acquired substantial shareholding in Honda Manufacturing Nigeria Ltd. He was a serving Board Member of Honda Manufacturing Nigeria Ltd., and the third largest shareholder in the company.
He was a successful businessman.
Shawcross Moore was a ‘Man of the People’. He had a colorful personality, and was a highly admired socialite; he honoured invitations for events, and was always there for his friends. Shawcross was a simple man with a great heart. He was soft spoken and a man of peace. He was a philanthropist and always identified with the plight of the needy. He identified with several development projects in several communities in Nigeria. These attributes earned him chieftaincy titles in Arondizuogu and at Choko-na-eze in Mbaise.
Eze Dike of Awa Izuogu gave him the title of “EZE NWA CHI NA EMERE”, a name which he was proud to acknowledge by adding that “OKE OKPA NA EYIRI YA AKWA”. Thus, Shawcross became popularly known as “EZE NWA CHI NA EMERE OKE OKPA NA EYIRI AKWA”. Those who did not know him always looked forward to meeting him as to inquire from Shawcross the mystery behind his unusual name that a “ROOSTER (OKE OKPA) LAYS EGGS FOR HIM”. His explanation was that God was the source of his blessings, and that the Almighty made impossible things to become possible for him.
Shawcross also received the title of “EBEKUO DIKE OF CHOKO-NA EZE”.
More importantly, Shawcross was a man of faith. He accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord of his life and personal savior in 1999. In describing his newly found faith in Christ, he often quoted from the book of Psalms in the Holy Bible. He was a member of the House on the Rock Church in Lagos where he regularly worshipped with his wife Evelyn and the children.
He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and all those who were acquainted with him both here in Nigeria, and internationally.
MAY THE SOUL OF SHAWCROSS GODWIN MOORE OBIOHA FIND REST IN THE BOSSOM OF HIS LORD AND SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. AMEN