BIOGRAPHY

Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah, Phf (Obu Enyi Eje Ubi of Abiriba) was born on 12th October, 1943 at Ndi Onwukah Compound, Udanta, Amaogudu, Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. He was born to the Christian family of Chief Ukegbu Onwukah and Mrs. Ikonnaya Ukegbu Onwukah.

EDUCATION

Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah attended Church of Scotland Mission School Abiriba from January 1951 to December 1959 and obtained First School Leaving Certificate with Distinction. He also attended a Commercial School in Port-Harcourt from 1960 to 1962.

BUSINESS

When Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah left School in 1959, he opted for trading as was then the tradition of young men from Old Bende Division of Easter Nigeria. He was first handed over by his father Chief Ukegbu Onwukah to his brother - Chief (Elder) Wilcox Ndem Lekwauwa who was trading in Port-Harcourt, to help send Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah to a commercial school to learn Short-Hand and Typing. During that period, Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah was detailed by Chief (Elder) Wilcox Ndem Lekwauwa whom he was living with to hawk and sell Public Works Department (PWD) peak cap, as well as, locally made Bar Soap in cases; and he was going around trekking to all the creeks in Port-Harcourt metropolis to sell during the day time, while he went to commercial school in the evening (School Night). After few months, Chief (Elder) Wilcox Ndem Lekwauwa transferred Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah to Gboko (now in Benue State) to hawk second-hand clothing. He was going round the whole of Benue State to sell second-hand clothing. In 1961, Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah complained bitterly to his father that Chief (Elder) Wilcox Ndem Lekwauwa wasn’t treating him well, and that he was not going to live with him again. Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah was withdrawn by his father and handed over to Chief Onuma Nkpa Anyaogu, whom Chief Obewu U. Onwukah served very well without any problem till the middle of 1963 when Chief Obewu U. Onwukah started his own import business.

Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah established and registered his first business, ONWUKAH BROTHERS COMPANY, in 1963. In September 1963, Chief Obewu U. Onwukah placed his first order of 50 bales assorted used (second-hand) clothing from a Company called O & L Trading Corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. He remitted to them the sum of £50 (Fifty Pounds Sterling), which the USA Company received by telegraphic transfer after about a week. The company made the shipment of the 50 bales used clothing; the goods arrived at Port-Harcourt Wharf at the end of October 1963, and were cleared from the Wharf after payment of Customs and Excise Duty. He sold the goods; made good profit and from there he continued his import business.

In 1964, Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah diversified into the importation of Printed Cotton Fabrics and other textile materials. His friend, Late Chief Elezuo Otisi, in 1964 gave him the address of a company in Japan (Mikasa Trading Company Limited) that was engaged in the export of textile materials to West Africa. Chief Obewu U. Onwukah wrote to the company requesting for a pro-forma invoice for 10,000 Ibs Printed Cotton Fabrics. This was received and Chief Obewu U. Onwukah took the pro-forma Invoice to his bankers - Bank of British West Africa Limited (BBWA), Asa Road, Aba, and opened an Irrevocable Confirmed Letter of Credit in favour of Mikasa Trading Co. Ltd. The Company made the shipment upon the receipt of the Letter of Credit. When the goods (Printed Cotton Fabrics) arrived at Port-Harcourt Wharf, Chief Obewu U. Onwukah paid the Customs and Excise Import Duty and cleared the goods, which he also sold at a profit. Also in 1964, Chief Obewu U. Onwukah further diversified into the importation of electronic goods. His first electronic goods import was Transistor Radios by the Brand Name “RAMIROON”, which Chief Obewu U. Onwukah imported from Japan. When the Transistor Radios arrived at Port-Harcourt Wharf and were cleared from the Customs, he sold the Transistor Radios to his good friend Chief Mike Nkwoji.

Chief Obewu U. Onwukah made lots of money from Used Clothing, Textile Materials and Electronics import business that in 1965, he bought his first property in life at No.109 Azikiwe Road by Mosque Street, Aba. He was a successful businessman before the out break of the Nigerian Civil War and has since then remained successful in business. During the Nigerian Civil War, Chief Obewu U. Onwukah travelled to Lisbon in Portugal, London, Ivory Coast, Togo, Republic of Benin and Gabon with the permission of the then Biafran Government to import various goods.

His achievements in import business continued after the Nigerian Civil War. In 1971, Chief Obewu U. Onwukah brought in and landed the first Container loaded with goods at Apapa Port, Lagos, Nigeria. That was the first Container ever landed in a Nigerian Port. The Container was loaded in Rotterdan, Holland and was discharged at Apapa Port, Lagos, Nigeria.

Apart from import business, Chief Obewu U. Onwukah has also established many successful Commercial and Industrial Enterprises among which are:

 1.       Interland Resources Nigeria Limited with Head Office at No. 185 Jubilee Road, Aba. Interland Resources Nigeria Limited is the Manufacturer of Deluxe Brand of Tissue Paper. The Company is also engaged in the import and export of General Merchandise, as well as, in Contracting, Supplies and Engineering Services, etc.

 2.       Interland Industries Limited with Head Office at No.185 Jubilee Road, Aba and Factory at Km.4 Aba - Ikot Ekpene Road, Ogbor-Hill, Aba. Interland Industries Limited is the Manufacturers/Bottlers of “INTER SOFT” range of soft drinks with the following flavours: - Cola, Orange, Bitter Lemon, Soda, Lemon and Pineapple. The Company also produces bottled/packaged table-water with the brand name “FONTAINE”.

 The Tissue Paper Factory rolled-out the First Toilet Roll in 1978 while the Soft Drink Factory rolled-out the First Crates of Soft Drinks in December, 1980. Both Factories employed well over 300 Nigerian and some Expatriate Staff at the peak of the business. 

 SERVICE TO COMMUNITIES                

 1.       Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah in 1987 single-handedly built and donated to Amaogudu Community Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area N6 Million (Six Million Naira) Ultra Modern Storey Building Public Toilet with Water System that accommodates 40 persons at a time (20 people down stairs and 20 people upstairs) with accompanying underground and overhead Water Tanks of 10,000 gallons storage capacity. The said Amaogudu Community Public Toilet was commissioned by the then Military Administrator of Abia State Navy Captain Temi Ejoor, FSS, PCS, FEW, on the 31st day of December, 1994.

2.       Chief Obewu U. Onwukah in conjunction with Chief John I. Okam, Chief Ifegwu Chukwu, Chief Jerry O. Kalu and others built and donated to the Nigerian Police through Abiriba Communal Improvement Union in 1994 an Ultra Modern Police Station at Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area.

3.       Chief Obewu U. Onwukah contributed a Huge Sum of Money towards the building of Amaogudu Civic Centre, Ultra Modern High Court and Magistrate Court Abiriba embarked upon by his Age Grade the Ojighirindu Age Grade of Abiriba.

4.       He made several monetary donations to Nkwere Community in Nkwere Local Government Area of Imo State, Abayi Autonomous Community in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State, and Delta State Family Support Programme.

5.       Chief Obewu U. Onwukah in 1978 made the First donation towards the creation of Abia State out of old Imo State at the First Maiden Meeting of the Movement for the Creation of Abia State held at Chief Dr. M. I. Okpara’s Residence at Nkwegwu, Ohuhu in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State. He is also among the personalities that signed the Memorandum requesting General Ibrahim Babangida to create Abia State out of old Imo State in 1991.

6.       He drilled and donated a Water Borehole to St. Peter’s Presbyterian Church, Umungasi, Aba.

POSITION HELD                

Among the several positions held by Chief Obewu U. Onwukah include the following:

1.       Chairman of Ogwe Poultry Complex (a company owned by the Abia State Government from 1992 to 1993; and a Director of many other public and Private Companies in Nigeria.

2.       President of Recreation Club, Aba, Abia State from 1978 to 1986.

3.       Life Patron of Club 25 of Nigeria.

4.       First President General of his Age Grade, the Ojighirindu Age Grade of Abiriba. He also was the General President that led his Age Grade to the Naming Ceremony and Igwamang Ceremony on the 30th December, 1980 and 21st December, 1992 respectively.

5.       Current Chairman of the Senate of Aba Sports Club, Aba.

AWARDS / HONOURS

Among the several awards/honours received by Chief Obewu U. Onwukah include the following:  

1.       Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Sales Management.

2.       Business Productivity Merit Award by Institute of Corporate Chairman of Nigeria.

3.       Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International and many other National and International awards/honours.

CHIEFTAINCY TITLES

Among several chieftaincy titles received by Chief Obewu U. Onwukah include the following:

1.       The distinguished Chieftaincy award “OBU ENYI EJE UBI OF ABIRIBA” by His Majesty Late Eze U.U. Ukiwo, The Enachoken of Abiriba in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State.

2.       “ENYIOMA OF NKWERE” by His Royal Majesty Late Eze J. O. Ugochukwu of Nkwere in Nkwere Local Government Area of Imo State.

3.       And host of other Chieftaincy Titles.  

OTHER INFORMATION

Chief Obewu U. Onwukah (OBU ENYI EJE UBI OF ABIRIBA) has held various leadership positions in many Organizations at the Community, Local Government Area and State levels.

He caters for many families, workers and their families through direct employment in various companies owned by him.

He is a Philanthropist and has contributed enormously to the well-being of the needy in many communities throughout Nigeria.

Chief Obewu Ukegbu Onwukah is married and blessed with many children.

HOBBIES

Sports, Reading, Travelling and Driving.