BIRTH AND EARLY CHILDHOOD

Chukwuemeka Chukwujekwu Nwasike was born on the 28th day of June, 1966 at the Mission Hospital, Iyi-Enu, Ogidi to the family of Mr. Geoffrey Chigbo and Mrs. Dorothy Uzoamaka Nwasike, of the Timothy Mozie Nwasike’s lineage in the Mbajiogu subfamily of the Dike family in Ikenga, Ogidi. He was the second child, the only brother to his elder sister, Dr Uzoma Ebele Otaraku (nee Nwasike) and an only son of the family. He was a lovely, outgoing child and always studious, even as a child. He was bold and inquisitive, always asking questions. As a child, he always looked out for others.

Emeka commenced his quest for formal knowledge by attending Central School, Oji River for his primary education. He was a pupil of this elementary school from 1971 to 1976. He proceeded to Nnamdi Azikiwe Secondary School, Abagana for his secondary education in 1976.

However, after class one, he was transferred to Modebelu Secondary School, Onitsha from where he finished, at the age of 15, in 1981. He graduated with division one!

In the same year, 1981, he proceeded to Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Enugu for his Advanced Level education, a prerequisite, in those days, for a smooth University education. He matriculated into the Department of Political Science, University of Benin from where he graduated in 1987. It was during his National Service at Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan that he met the Head, Political Science Department of the University of Ibadan (UI), who encouraged him to apply for the MSc programme. He was quite impressed with his thought process and logical reasoning capacity. He enrolled immediately after the Service for the graduate programme at UI and rounded off in 1990.

Being an only son and the only one at home, (since the immediate elder sister, Uzoma, travelled out for higher education at a tender age and the eldest sister, Ngozi, was working in another town) during his early and adolescent life, Emeka and his mother formed a special bond; which deepened after the death of his father, when Emeka was 20. Their bonds became so strong because he had to be there for her emotionally and otherwise. He had been a pillar of support to her and a son, a brother and a father the entire family was proud of.

He met his heart-throb Princess Vivian Akannekauso Chukwukaifeninedinaka Nwasike (nee Nwoko) and they tied the nuptial knot on January 11, 1997 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. They are blessed with 4 children: Ifunanya Chelsea, Chekwube Jodi, Ugochukwu Allen and Kosisochukwu Jessica (3 daughters and a son).

 1 | Page

 Emeka was a selfless man. He didn’t care much about himself as long as his family was okay. He doted on his children. He was their mentor, motivator, adviser, cheerleader. He took their education so seriously that he would literally work with them, proofreading, and correcting when necessary. He never spared any expense for them to achieve their set goals or personal comfort. He was a very attentive father that cared even about the most miniscule things that went on in his children's lives. Always ready to just ask about their day and allow them to share every bit of their lives with him. He was a great listener. More than that, he was a Family Man!

Emeka was a unique husband! Like all marriages, his had its challenges but he was a wonderful husband. To rattle Emeka, all you needed to do was just to tell him that Vivian was ill. He couldn’t take that! From the moment he met Vivian, he fell head-over-heels in love!

Emeka was born into a Christian family of Timothy Mozie Nwasike, his grandfather and an early devout Christian. Emeka was an ardent believer of the Christian faith. He held onto the faith till the very end! His faith in God moulded his personality into a God-fearing, upright, purpose-driven, honest, hard-working and selfless personality.

Emeka was a reserved and deeply spiritual man. Though he was not like the usual Nigerian believer, he was always in conversation with the Almighty, from Whom he received revelations, insights and inspirations. He shared a lot with family and friends.

He was a man of The Word! His compassion for the needy must have arisen from this!

He was a consummate reader of the word and shared it with those around and with him. He was a man of righteous works.

The quest to know God better and please Him drove Emeka to have a deeper relationship with God in the last year of his life! God gave Emeka that rare privilege!

Losing his father, at an early age of 20 on May 24, 1986, gave him the resolve to become somebody great and pursued his destiny with all the strength and vigour he had. This informed his decision to choose the path of entrepreneurship.

Emeka started his career, after successfully completing his MSc degree in 1988, by selling odds and ends in Lagos, travelling to Moscow and London to procure these goods until his uncle Engr. Ifeanyi Egbosimba advised him to look at more settled business models. Following this advice, in 1993, an opportunity opened for Emeka through his cousin Chief Obi Nwasike (Ugwuchukwdebelu of Ogidi) at Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), Port Harcourt. He incorporated Doramek Nigeria Limited and together with two other friends, incorporated Allied Thrust and Systems Nigeria Limited, got them registered with SPDC and was doing some civil works until he met Mrs Soyinka, the Head of Catering

 2 | Page

 Services, SPDC East. She introduced him into Catering Services and this was the turning point in his career!

He started by opening up The Eden Restaurant, along Geodetic Road, off Old Aba Road, Port Harcourt. This was from where Emeka launched out into Hospitality and Catering Business that spanned from Guest Houses Services to Edobi Suites to the Grant suites Chain, which culminated in winning a Federal Government Concession to renovate, build and operate the Grant Suites 1000-seater Event Centre. Funplex (amusement park) and 102-bed hotel on the sprawling 8-hectare grounds of the Centre for Management Development (CMD), Shangisha, Lagos. Due to challenges, not occasioned by the Consortium on the CMD Concession, the 102-bed hotel could not be started before he passed-on.

Amazingly, with no tutelage and experience, he started from zero and carved a niche for himself in the Hotel Management, Hospitality and Catering world! He became a self-made man!

In our fast and continually changing Nigerian business environment, Emeka had the capacity to always stay a step ahead! He generated well-thought-out ideas, planned them through and implemented them with a high degree of success. His type of businesses was always providing employment opportunities to people and hence contributing to the national economy.

Emeka’s approach to business was unique and outstanding. He was always successful even where others failed. Emeka was a man of ideas! He was good at developing good business concepts and start-ups. Sometimes he could discuss an idea in an argumentative manner and bring out the best and implementable model. He was indeed an astute businessman and a professional par excellence in his dealings with people! Even at crucial and critical moments of his life, he could churn out smart business ideas that turned out to generate good profits. As a die-hard optimist and with his strong faith in Almighty God, he kept soldiering on through challenges and obstacles till the very end!

As a businessman, he was a genius. He ran his businesses like a chess Grandmaster! His business acumen was his core that none could compare. He was philosophical in thinking and this made him to always be a step ahead of others. Someone actually described him as ‘the only businessman who transacted great businesses under a tree, without a laptop, with just his brain and phone calls’!

His great accomplishments, in our harsh business environment, were exemplary and mind-blowing can be adduced to his dedication and diligence.

Emeka’s watchword was philanthropy. He loved to give, give of himself, resources and his time! He gave sacrificially, most times, denying himself and making others happy and comfortable!

He was compassionate to the extent that it hurt him. A lot of people took advantage of his kindness but it didn’t matter to him. He was selfless! His compassion cut across gender, religion and tribe. He was the people’s man!

His longest-serving staff and friend, Bernard Lekwa was diagnosed with cancer, he flew him abroad, paid all his bills and prayed for his healing, promising God to float an NGO to cater

 3 | Page

 for the needy. Unfortunately, he died and Emeka went on to name the 100-seater Event Centre ‘Bernard Hall’. Till his demise, he catered for Bernard’s family.

Being a highly conservative person in his philanthropy, he quietly awarded several scholarships to deserving staff and indigent persons wherever and whenever he came across them. In his belief in educating the brilliant but indigent children, he founded an NGO, Geo-Dora Nwasike Foundation to cater to their educational needs. Many have benefited from the NGO.

What many people didn’t know was that many of the welfare and philanthropic deeds in his Lagos church, the Cornerstone Church, carried out as a church, was financed by Emeka. This ranged from scholarships to accommodations for the less privileged! Emeka was the go-to-person for funds whenever the Church ran into trouble.

Emeka was so generous that he could borrow institutional loans for friends and surety for others. Most of his struggling family members were not only on Emeka’s payroll but the children were catered for by him! What an amazing, exemplary and endearing man, the man Emeka!

Emeka was not only a selfless giver but also a man of peaceful disposition. This is why most people gravitated towards him. His humility was unparalleled. In Nigeria where people hang unto and lay excessive emphasis on titles, he was emphatic about addressing him as simply Emeka. He was always accessible and gave a listening ear to all!

Here is a potpourri of opinions about Emeka:

‘Emeka was the one people will always go to for advice in any area or field. He was a unique human being. He fights with you in the morning and is having a brandy with you in the evening as if nothing happened. He forgave easily. Emeka was an only son, but he made his friends his brothers. Wherever he moved, people followed. There can never be anyone who can step in his shoes. He was a force to reckon with. Full of life and energy!’

‘Emeka was a rare gem, a people’s person who would go out of his way to help somebody in need. He was everybody ’s brother and friend who saw only the good in people, sometimes to his own predicament, but he believed that everyone deserves a chance in life no matter the circumstance. The words No, Cannot, Impossible, Hate and Enemy did not exist in his vocabulary, a gentleman of integrity that always kept to his word and promise.’

‘Emeka enjoyed company and craved it. He enjoyed sitting with friends and relatives. He sought out old friends to travel for their events and made it his business to care for them when they lacked or needed comforting or to celebrate with them in good times.’

 4 | Page

 ‘Emeka was the go-to-person when in need.’

‘Emeka had a charming personality that attracted many to him... He was easy going, articulate, intelligent, and simple, he had a huge sense of humour. He made friends easily and never discriminated. His charming personality sometimes worked against him as a few became envious of his simplicity. He was a man of peace and would always intervene in disputes amongst friends by bringing them together to forge an amicable resolution. He was indeed charitable, and would put himself in a difficult situation to help those whom he felt were in distress. One of his outstanding qualities was his ability to rally Friends whom he compelled to contribute towards solving a need of a friend in distress. I always told him that he would make a good politician. He had no permanent enemies.’

‘Emeka was a true brother and friend! We hit it off the day we met and continued with unfading love and unflinching support in our interactions and endeavours! What a peaceful and loving soul! This vacuum, who can fill?’

‘He was a calm individual and always took things in their stride, not exhibiting raw emotions but keeping a good temperament which made him very approachable.’

‘He was also very creative and innovative so he was able to develop fresh and improved products to be able to survive in the competitive world of business. This trait he possessed also encouraged him to constantly learn, question and think outside the box in order to be in line with the ever-changing technology.’

‘He was a calculated risk taker that brought much reward.’

‘Even when faced with unbreakable walls which would break the spirit and temperament of any average person, he had the tenacity to work through the stumbling blocks un-wavered by the obstacles that he had to face as he climbed any summit set before him.’

‘He was an entrepreneur that was skilled and knowledgeable and this brought about a natural self-confidence for him. This generated confidence also gave him the ability to listen to the opinions of other people without feeling intimidated.’

What a man! What an accomplished young life! His life and times are invaluable lessons to us all!

Adieu Emeka! Adieu Ezechikwuelu na Ogidi! Adieu Nki ino!