From Apprenticeship to Conglomerate: 'My Wilderness Journey' recounts Author's life struggles

The story of Anthony Obiora Chukwuka, is one that teaches some real life lessons to entrepreneurs on how to build from almost nothing to something.

From being an apprentice in Lagos to owning a conglomerate, the story of Anthony Obiora Chukwuka continues to motivate many and teach lessons.

Chukwuka who is the current chairman of GreenLife Pharmaceuticals Limited, a towering pharmaceutical consortium and giant employer of labour with national and global outreach, rose from his humble family pedigree from Nnokwa, Idemili South Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria and acquired the best functional education, enlightenment, culture and distinctive ethos in the corpus of knowledge.

In his new book and autobiography numbering 376 pages, ‘My Wilderness Journey’ tells a real life story that is easily relatable. it is a tale of how the writer, an only male child, overcame a series of odds stacked against him to reach the apogee of his chosen career.

It is a story of grit, courage, doggedness, tenacity, in the fa e of unending challenges.

Born into a close knot family in 1953, a few years before his Eastern Homeland exploded into a theatre of violence, hunger and disease, the result of a savage and internecine war. By divine providence, the author survived the war that eventually claimed the lives of over two million of his fellow compatriots.

It is a must read for all who believe in the famous maxim, ‘that there is no short cut to success.’ The book is a practical guideline that assured route.

Speaking during the unveil of his autobiography ‘My Wilderness Journey’ and his 60th birthday celebration at the Civic Centre Victoria Island, Lagos, Anthony Obiora Chukwuka said he wrote the book to teach the young ones that they must start life with a vision on how to succeed.

“Vision is being futuristic. Once you have a vision, you will not deviate. That is why people should know that someone like me with no fantastic background, could still become very successful because of the vision I had.

“I brought up my children to appreciate hard work. I want them to understand that the world is like a wilderness. You walk through the wilderness and by God’s grace, you come out successful, having the right vision,” Chukwuka said.

Speaking on the book, My Wilderness Journey, he said he looked at his life’s journey.

According to him, when he finished secondary school, his parents could not afford to send him to the university.

“I went to the university at the age of 40. After five years, I graduated from the University of Lagos (UNILAG). I also did my Masters afterwards. This is why I call my book, My Wilderness Journey because no one could train me. I thank God for giving me the courage to do what I do and I’m proud of that,” he said.

Chukwuka stressed that going into Pharmaceutical business was a vision he had.

“I got this vision during the Nigeria Civil war. I was just five years then (1968). I had Hepatitis, which was very serious at the time. There were really no drugs then but through the help of the Red Cross then, they managed to treat me. After they treated me and I got well, I made up my mind that when I grow, I would have drugs to treat others.

“When I went to secondary school, I was a member of the Red Cross and I was treating people the little way I could. Today, I’m a big shot in the pharmaceutical space because of the vision I had,” he said.

Ngozi Osarenren, the reviewer of the book and professor at Department of Educational Foundations, University of Lagos, said ‘The Wilderness Journey of Chukwuka is a must read for everyone that honestly cherishes truth and goodness because hard work does not kill and success has many relations but failure has always remained an orphan.

According to her, the author, through his resilience, determination and perseverance, has proved and confirmed that: if life gives you lemons you should make lemonade out of those lemons;
choices we make matter, decisions have consequences and sacrifices and self-denials will eventually lead to self-fulfilment.

“Reading through the 376 pages of ‘My Wilderness Journey,’ there are some infelicities which are mainly editorial but these do not in any way detract from the robustness and beauty of the knowledge to be gained. I therefore, do highly recommend this book as a treasured material without any reservations,” she added.