Everything you should know about Captain Idahosa Okunbo

Captain Idahosa Okunbo was a Nigerian entrepreneur, businessman, Philanthropist and skilled commercial pilot who died on August 8, 2021, as a result of cancer.

He served as either chairman or director on numerous company boards in Nigeria, spanning multiple business sectors such as the agro-allied, petroleum, telecommunications, power, real estate, and banking industries.

BIOGRAPHY

Captain (Dr.) Idahosa Wells Okunbo (JP) was born on January 7th, 1958 in Benin City, Oredo local government area of Edo State, Nigeria to the family of clergy, Rev. Robert Amos Okunbo. Popularly known as Hosa Okunba.

EDUCATION

Okunbo attended basic school at Government Primary in Benin City, Edo State. In 1971, he enrolled at the Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State where he earned his Senior School Certificate.

He studied at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Centre in Zaria, Kaduna State to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. At 21 he became a commercial pilot.

In 1983, he obtained an Airline Transport Pilot License from the ACME School of Aeronautics in Fort Worth Texas, USA.

CARRER

Captain Idahosa Okunbo sat on various firm brands in Nigeria including those in the agro-allied, petroleum, telecommunications, electricity, real estate and banking industries as either chairman or directors.

Okunbo became a professional commercial pilot and was made a captain in 1983 at the age of 25.

He was a flight captain with Intercontinental Airlines for about two years, then was employed by Okada Airlines for three years. In 1988, he retired from piloting at the age of 30, having logged over 7,000 hours of flight time, and ventured into private business.

Okunbo was the founder and chairman of the following Nigerian companies:

• CMES-OMS Petroleum Development Company (CPDC), which, in September 2019, signed “$875.75m alternative financing deal for the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) operated OML 65”.
• The Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments, Abuja
• Wells San-Carlos Agro Farms Ltd., which, in March 2016, unveiled a $750 million, 9,000-hectare (22,000-acre) farm intended to “create 85,000 jobs in Edo State”.
• Ocean Marine Security Ltd., an offshore asset-protection company, rendering services to major oil companies in Nigeria, including NNPC. The company recently completed the building of the 46-kilometre (29 mi)
• Escravos–Warri Crude Pipeline, which was inaugurated by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu.
• Westminster Security Solutions Nigeria Ltd, a franchise of Westminster Group Plc UK, of which he was a major shareholder.
• Wells Group of companies, which include Wells Dredging Ltd., Wells Property Development Company Ltd., and Wells Entertainments Ltd. – through which Okunbo financed the movie Black November.
• Ocean Marine Solutions Tankers Ltd., which owns Nigeria’s first marine tankers.
• Hoslyn Habitat Ltd., which is a design, construction and landscaping company.
• Gyro Air Ltd., operators of charter flight operations.

Okunbo was a director in the following companies:

• Joint Marine Environ Guard Ltd. (JMEG)
• Secure Anchorage Area Ltd. (SAA)
• Digisteel Integrated Services Ltd.
• Phil Nugent Nigeria Ltd.
• Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Ltd. (IEDM), which is a core investor in Ibadan and Yola Electricity Distribution Companies

AWARDS 

• In 2012, The American Congress honoured Captain Hosa with The African Titan Award for being a voice of the Niger Delta People through his movie ‘Black November’.
• The University of Benin also honoured him with a Doctorate degree in November 2012, in recognition of his community service and achievement as an outstanding entrepreneur.
• In March 2016, Okumba was granted the “Worthy Ambassador of Unity Award” as an old student of Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State
• On October 2nd, 2014, the traditional ruler of the Edo people in Edo State, Oba Erediauwa, honoured him with the Traditional Beads for being a worthy son of his hometown.