Boss Of The Week
Valentine Ozigbo: Classy Achiever in Constant Pursuit of Excellence
By Eric Elezuo
Simplicity is his watchword, just as achievement is his trademark. The man, who describes himself as ‘multiple village boy’ considering his triangular movement from Umuamaku to Apko and to Umesi, all in Aguata for his early education, is much more than commonsense can fathom in painstakingness, determination, commitment and eagle eyed focus. His name is Valentine Chineto Ozigbo, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (TRANSCORP). He is better known and addressed as Val by friends and contemporaries.
The July 20, 1970 born Anambra billionaire is many things in one. He is a product of countless encounters, all of each he triumphed in, coming out with his head held high, and like Ulysses, in Lord Alfred Tennyson’s poem, seeking more worlds to conquer.
In his words:
“My personality is simple. I am a man in pursuit of excellence. I am out to impact lives. I believe there is enormity of grace of God in me. And freely, I received the grace, and freely I must pass on that grace.. This is one philosophy that guides me. I am looking for better ways, newer ways and more creative ways to do things; check through from my primary school days till today. I want to shine in everything I do and whatever I touch. I want to show a difference so that when I’m gone, people will talk about that.
‘I am a person who prefers to hear what people say behind me to what they say in my presence. That’s actually what is important to me. I am a man who is built on the philosophy of continuous improvement, meaning that I must challenge the status quo. I am sold to looking for better and newer ways of doing things. Anything whatsoever! It can be anything as trivial as washing plates at home to something big as changing the economy. So in anything I do, I want to make a great difference.
“I am also a man who has been blessed with multiple exposure in life. I have been moved from being a young student of Accounting to a Chartered Accountant to being a banker, entertainer, entertainment promoter down to hospitality expert, power expert, soccer enthusiast and promoter to youth builder, philanthropist and hopefully, soon a governor of a state.”
A first class business executive, Ozigbo was born in Umuamaku in Orumba, from where he moved to Akpo, also in Orumba before moving to his own village, Amesi, a small town in present-day Anambra State. This is where he was enrolled in the town’s secondary school, Christ the Redeemer College, which according to him, was like going abroad. He came out tops in his O’levels. It was not a surprise as he had exhibited distinct intelligence, representing his school in various academic competitions. Ozigbo did not leave this village until the age of 19 in 1989. He said that mere driving through the expressway on his way to Lagos later in life was a different kind of experience. He had not seen such sights before. Passing through that lane gave him the faith of an already made man. And that is what he turned out to become.
While awaiting university admission, Ozigbo was admitted to teach Physics and Mathematics at his alma mater. It was a reward for hardwork, trust and integrity. He was later given admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, to study Accounting. As expected, he excelled, graduating in 1994 as the best student in both Accounting and Business Administration.
Like a teacher he had grown to be, Ozigbo couldn’t identify where his influence stopped, so he applied, studied and obtained his Masters Degree in Banking and Finance, also from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2000 and followed it up with an M.Sc in Finance from the Lancaster University, United Kingdom, with distinction, in 2004.
Growing to become the President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, a diversified conglomerate with strategic investments and core interests in the hospitality, agribusiness and energy sectors, in 2019, was not a fluke. The agile Igbo man, who is looking forward to becoming the governor of Anambra State in 2021, went through the ladder of struggle, dedication and utmost success, taking life one at a time.
Before hitting the pinnacle of his business career, Ozigbo had amassed 17 years accumulated experience in the banking industry, with stints at NAL Merchant Bank, Diamond Bank, Continental Trust Bank, FSB International Bank, Standard Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa and Bank PHB. He also worked as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TRANSCORP Hotels Plc, the hospitality subsidiary of Nigerian conglomerate TRANSCORP Group, where his abilities extended average, creating a leverage for himself to head the conglomerate in the later days.
While at the hospitality destination, he ensured the hotel’s spread to other cities across Nigeria and a consolidation of its status as the leading hotel in the country. Nairametrics reported that under him, the company announced an N8 billion initial public offering (IPO) in 2014, which was oversubscribed. He is a go-getter.
Between 1995 and 2000, he was Head of Commercial Banking at Diamond Bank Plc before proceeding to United Bank for Africa where he worked functioned as the Business Manager.
His stay in the capacity lasted only one year as moved to FSB International Bank in 2001 where he was the Acting Regional Director. He made a dramatic return to United Bank for Africa in 2004, and served for four fruitful years as Head of International Banking. His last banking industry was with Keystone Bank where he served as the General Manager of the bank’s Global Transaction operation.
A British Chevening Scholar of 2003/04, Ozigbo’s achievement’s between 2011 and 2018 when he oversaw the activities of the TRANSCORP Hotels cannot be overemphasized. He, among other things, was also responsible for developing five new projects worth over $500 million including two hotels in Lagos and Port Harcourt, a 5000-capacity conference facility, luxury apartments and the upgrade of existing hotels with additional retail facilities.
The impeccable entrepreneur is not new to awards, honours and accolades. He has over 12 local and international awards. He was inducted into the prestigious Seven Stars Pantheon hall of fame during the Pantheon of the Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyles Awards which took place in the luxury Greek island of Crete. Ozigbo is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, which he obtained in 1998, Taxation as well as The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, received in 2000. He also belong to the Institute of Credit Administration which he bagged in 2015.
In September 2018, he was conferred with the award of a Distinguished Alumni of the Lancaster University at a special convocation ceremony of the university held at its Ghana Campus.
Ozigbo also participated in many international conferences including: the World Economic Forum at Davos (WEF) and the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEFA) in Nigeria; the African Development Bank annual meetings in China; the World Bank/ International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meetings in Washington DC; Euromoney and Economist Conferences in London; Euromoney debates on Capital Flows to Africa in London; and SIBOS 2009. The experiences he gained are unquantifiable.
The man call Val is not just a boardroom guru, he is also endowed with milk of human kindness, lifting the youths of his Aguata locality up to the national level. As part of his efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, he donated a whooping N20 million, and has been involved in various developmental projects in his Anambra constituency. This has given him leverage as the next Anambra governorship election fast approaches.
In his bid to reach out to a great number of people, his Chineto Ozigbo Foundation is running several programmes focused on youth and women entrepreneurial development. This has empowered thousands of people in Anambra State as well as reduced poverty. It is no surprise that he is known as “King of the Youth” in the state. A typical ‘osinanwata buru ogaranya’
The foundation is also giving out loan guarantee support of N100 million for small businesses in Anambra State as the COVID-19 pandemic bites harder. This, according to him, is a tip of the iceberg, considering the goodies that await Anambra people when he eventually becomes governor.
His confidence is centred on the people who he believes have felt the impact of his philanthropy and believes he could do more given the privilege to preside over the affairs of Anambra State.
Set to hit the golden jubilee age in less than two months, Ozigbo is married, and blessed with children.
Congratulations sir, you are our Boss of the Week!
By Eric Elezuo
It was a gathering of distinguished egg heads, prolific intellectuals and ardent academics at the Adeline Hall of the Lead City University, Ibadan, when notable and celebrated Chairman of Council and Pro-Chancellor of the Institution, Professor Jide Owoeye, marked his entry into the septugenarian circle.
The event, a multiple-in-1 classic, featured tribute session, a panel session, books presentation and reading as a well as a defined colloquium. Among topnotch individuals that graced the event were delectable heads of higher institutions of learning including the Vice Chancellor, Edo State University, Uzairue, Sheldrake O. Akindele; the Vice Chancellor, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Oyedunni S. Arulogun; Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ibrahim Gbajabiamila, and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Muyiwa Popoola, who were members of the panel session that discussed critical mechanisms that enhance and safeguard the future of education in the country.
The panelists leveraged on the theme, Nigeria Higher Education and Private Sector Involvement: Navigating the Path, Confronting the Challenges, Exploring Opportunities for the Future. The lead discussant was the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Katherine, Gombe State, Umaru Pate.
Speaker after speaker, the academic giants celebrated the unequaled legacies of Prof Owoeye’s 70 years of impressive existence, especially his scholarly contributions to the standardization of not only learning, but also academic environment in Nigeria with the establishment of Lead City University in 2005.
The ceremony was punctuated with various genres of entertainment including cultural dances, touch of saxophone, talking drum display, drama presentation by students of the institution, and a host of others.
Among the books presented at the ceremony were Asia in World Politics and Knowledge in the Emerging Global Order.
The highpoint of the gathering was the cutting of the birthday cake with various presentations of full size portraits and other gifts items from colleagues, students and staff.
Othe dignitaries who graced the occasion were Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, General Secretary, Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), Wale Okediran, Oyo State Commissioner of Lagos among others.
Speaking on his achievements, a long time friend from the University of Ife days, Chief Momodu, noted that Prof Owoeye has always been a man of letters, who has carved a niche for himself, adding that Nigeria and Africa are proud of him.
Distinguished in every ramifications, and an authority in International politics and relations, with bias to Asia, Owoeye has transverse all areas and degrees of the academic environment, terminating at the professorial level, and capping it all with the establishment of topnotch private university as the icing on the cake of his academic pursuit and inclination. He boasts of bachelor’s, masters and doctorate degrees in different fields of international studies.
For Owoeye, reaching the peak of his profession was when he became a professor of International Relations at OAU in the year 2000.
Born on March 1, 1956, Prof. Jide Owoeye is a teacher, and a very proud one at that, who would not miss any opportunity to introduce learning and exchange of knowledge. That practically explains why his 70th birthday celebration was tailored towards a colloquium and book presentation status.
Owoeye began his schooling at the OLMC Demonstration School, Ibadan, where he spent the period between 1962 and 1967 acquiring elementary or foundational knowledge of education.
Afterwards in 1968, he attended Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, for his school certificate, and left in 1972 before attending Government College Ibadan, for his Higher School Certificate, from 1973 to 1974.
He was admitted into the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, for his first degree.
On graduation, he was employed as Insurance Officer at Akin George & Company, Lagos, as he decided to try his hands in circular career. His stint at the firm lasted between 1979 and 1980.
Thereafter, he made a daring turn into the word of teaching, becoming Lecturer II at the Department of Government, OSCAS, Ile-Ife, from 1980 to 1982. He briefly worked as Administrative Officer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, afterwards in 1983 before landing the position of Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Then, there was no turning back from the academic world. He was made a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, from 1992 to 1993, and then, Associate Lecturer, Foreign Policy Academy, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Centre for Asian Studies.
In a 2019 interview he granted The Punch, Owoeye noted as follows as to what propelled his desire to establish his own university: “I have been in the university system for almost 37 years and 24 of those years were spent in the public university system. I was a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, and I noticed then that if one has passion for education, one should have seen some of the lapses (in the system), and some of those lapses one discovered can only be corrected if one is the head of the institution. I believe if you aspire to have a better university system, it is either you head the institution or you look for avenues to help create one where you can impact upon. That was what brought about the passion to work towards establishing a private university where the quest for excellence can actually be attained.”
Owoeye’s rich trajectory in the world of education is common knowledge, leading to his hold several high-profile positions in Obafemi Awolowo University.
Owoeye is married to his lovely wife, Emuleomo, whom he wedded in 1982, and they are blessed with three children; a son and two daughters.
Meanwhile, a special birthday soiree has been scheduled for March 1, his day of turning 70 proper, at Adeline Hall of the university. It promises to be the mother of all celebrations.
Having spent a lot of energy paying attention to education, Owoeye would love to be remembered as somebody who contributed to quality education (at the tertiary and non-tertiary levels) in this country.
Happy 70th birthday sir!
Photos: Tunde Bolarinwa
Schooled in varioius areas of human endeavour and administration, Mr Kojo Bonsu is an asset, not only to the Republic of Ghana, but the world in general. He has by every standard paid his dues to the development of his country, serving as the current Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China, and having served in many other diverse areas including sports administration and entrepreneurship.
Presently, the face of the Republic in China has taken it upon himself to recreate the investment platform of Ghana in China, mandating the media to begin as a matter of urgency, to make Ghana the subject of focus in their reporting.
In other words, the Ambassador has appealed to the Chinese media to use their medium to promote Ghana. A call that resonate the general mantra of the government of President John Dramani Mahama
According to Bonsu, Ghana boasts of several business opportunities, therefore if the Chinese media take keen interest in Ghanaian issues, it would help attract investors from China to Ghana.
He insisted that the door of the Ghana Embassy in China is wide open to Chinese journalists, especially those who want to positively project Ghana.
Bonsu made the remarks while hosting a press soiree in Beijing, on behalf of the Ghana Embassy, which was graced by a number of prominent media institutions in China.
The programme was mainly used to promote Ghana’s upcoming 69th independence anniversary celebrations and also highlight investent opportunities in the country.
Kojo Bonsu, who is a former Kumasi Mayor, said Ghana is the safest, friendly and best country for any investor to do business, urging Chinese businessmen to heed his advice.
“The Chinese media institutions should henceforth partner with the Ghana Embassy in promoting trade and investment opportunities in both of our sister countries for growth.
According to him, Ghana is a democratic nation, which has conducive atmosphere for businesses to flourish, stressing his desire to work and improve Ghana-China relations.
“Ghana is committed to strengthening ties with China. My country is a stable democracy, has business-friendly environment and rich cultural heritage,” Kojo Bonsu stated.
A native of Offinso, a town in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Michael Kojo (Mensa) Bonsu, thoroughbred professional, both in politics and administration, was born to a respected Offinso Queen Mother and a military officer, among eight other siblings.
He had his Ordinary Level education at the Tamale Secondary School, between 1974 and 1979, where he developed the knack, desire and dream of becoming a football administrator.
Thereafter, he was admitted into the Drayton School in London, but could not immediately assume studies because of the several businesses he was handling at the time. However, between 1985 and 1990, when Bonsu joined giant sports kit manufacturers, Adidas, he enrolled into their football Business Unit at Herzogenaurach, Germany, and in the process obtained a Diploma in Sports Business and Marketing. Presently, he holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations.
After completing his training in sports Business and marketing, Bonsu worked with Adidas and became their first representative in West Africa and served as an Assistant Marketing Officer. He rose to become the kit maker’s manager in Ghana and the whole of West Africa. Within which period he brokered deals between the company and the Ghana football Association specifically the Ghana football national team.
Bonsu’s dexterity in all the things he has laid his hands, including the oil sector, on earned him a citation of honour in 2015 by Managing Director of GOIL, Mr Patrick A.K. Akorli as follows; “You were the key advocate on the board when the monumental decision to rebrand GOIL was taken – the results of which have seen GOIL being propelled to the number one position (retail) among oil marketing companies in Ghana”.
He served as the Managing Director of GOIL from July 2011 to February 2012.
In addition to his legacy of achievements, Bonsu is a director of Tamale-based club Real Tamale United. He was also an executive member of Asante Kotoko.
In 2003, he launched a bid to be the Ghana Football Association’s President. He went against former president of the GFA Kwesi Nyantakyi, politician and executive member of Accra Hearts of Oak, Vincent Odotei Sowah, a former FA vice-chairman, Joseph Ade Coker and former executive council chairman, Y.A Ibrahim. He subsequently lost to Kwesi Nyantakyi in the elections in December 2005.
An ardent supporter of Asante Kotoko and Premier side Tottenham Hotspur, in 2001, he founded and published Agoo Magazine, an African lifestyle magazine.
In January 2010, Bonsu was appointed board chairman of the National Sports Authority then a council under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. He is known and respected for spearheading the re-branding of the sports council until it subsequently became a sports authority.
In 2013, President Mahama nominated him for the position of Metropolitan Chief Executive for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. He resigned in July 2016, following an issue with the Kumasi Traditional Council.
Among many other landmarks, Bonsu would be remembered building the first ever recreational facility, the Kumasi Rattray Park, and organizing the second largest event as part of the celebration of Ghana at 50, dubbed “Ghana As One Gala Night” at Ghana’s Black Star Square with International artists including The Whispers, Shalamar, Pat Thomas, AB Cresntil, Gyedu Blay Amboley, Paapa Yankson and Ola Williams.
It is also on record that in 2014, he secured a loan facility from the Deutsche Bank UAE through parliamentary approval to build the largest modern market in West Africa, the Kejetia Market, called the “Kejetia Dubai,” completed in 2017. He also built the Asawase market, Tafo market, and Atonsu-Agogo market. He renovated the Kumasi Prempeh Assembly Hall. Bonsu’s strides speak volumes.
Bonsu tried his hands at the presidency of Ghana in 2024, but could not win the ticket of his party as Mahama was the preferred choice.
Bonsu continues to exhibit great strides as a distinguished administrator, businessman and political juggernaut.
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