Idahosa Okunbo: Edo communities pay tribute to late Nigeria’s billionaire businessman

The people of Edo State have converged in their numbers to pay tribute to Late Idahosa Wells Okunbo, Nigeria’s billionaire businessman, who at his lifetime had diverse interests in different sectors of the economy including maritime and agriculture.

At the Night of Tribute held in honour of Late Idahosa Wells Okunbo at his residence in Benin City on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, many people extolled the benevolence of Okunbo and for making a tremendous impact in the lives of Nigerians.

Those that worked closely with him recounted stories of his endearing personality, warm enthusiasm, and many other experiences that made for his achievements.

To them, the late billionaire businessman’s legacy will live on especially in the hearts of many Edo people.

“From the food on our tables to the agricultural opportunities that abound in the country, the presence of Late Idahosa Okunbo will forever be felt, the people of Edo State say.

According to the family, the 4-day event to celebrate the Late Idahosa Okunbo’s final flight started in Edo State on Tuesday and will continue throughout the week until he is laid to rest in his hometown, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, on October 9th, 2021.

Speaking highly of Okunbo’s outstanding humanitarian work especially in Edo State, Franklin Owegie, managing director of Wells Hosa Farms, said that the farm was one of the business outfits through which the Late Nigerian business icon provided a platform for numerous families to earn a living.

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According to him, the staff of the Wells Hosa Greenhouse Farm was among the first set of beneficiaries of the special love with which the Late Okunbo related with people.

“He penetrated the world with selfless kindness and establishing endearing friendships without regard to social status, religion, and political affiliations,” he said.

The guests, most of whom were employees from a multitude of companies he owned, all attested to how much of an icon the Late Okunbo was.

With teary eyes, his ‘work family’ lauded Idahosa Okunbo as a disciplined yet considerate leadership style.

They also expressed how it inspired most of them to live their dreams and excel in their diverse careers.
“He inspired enthusiasm for development across sectors, nationally and internationally,” they say.

In 2016, the Late Okunbo in his entrepreneurial milestone unveiled a 22,000-acre state-of-the-art facility worth $750 million (N150 billion). The facility, which eventually became a greenhouse farm, was established in the heart of Edo State, Nigeria.

Then, his dream for agriculture and to penetrate every nook and cranny of Nigeria’s ecosystem led him to create a world-class farm in the state known as ‘the Heartbeat of Nigeria’ – a move that highlights the importance of the state towards socio-economic development.

Beyond the physical positioning, the nature and capacity of the farm are noteworthy, underlying the Late Idahosa’s ingenious abilities.

The farm has created a whopping 85,000 direct jobs, and indirectly employed thousands more youth and women. This is highly commendable for a country groaning under the weight of a high unemployment rate and several job losses.

Meanwhile, the Okunbo family enjoys the general public streaming the event virtually via the YouTube channel ‘Captain Hosa Tribute’ or visit www.captainhosa.com to access the Zoom link daily.