CEO of a
multi-billion naira importation business and production firm, MIGU Resources
and FUEGO industrial Company Limited, High Chief GODWIN EZE-EKUNIE EZEADISIONU,
EZE-EKUNIE 1 OF NANKA’s success story has more intrigues than a fiction story. He
co-owns some businesses with the Chinese and he says,‘ My Italian is better
than my English’, and the challenging and deeply inspiring natural born leader
who stands head and shoulders above his contemporaries literally and in all
ramifications, takes out time to pour out his heart for humanity, his community
Nanka in particular. Let us listen to this happily married business guru and
father of five who read Accountancy in Italy and Italian, as he educates us on
how to be successful as a Nigerian male. Notice his deep love for his community
and desire to contribute positively and outstandingly. Draw the lessons and
inspiration you should.
Excerpt from
the exclusive interview:
May we know your
name and a little bit about your background?
I am Chief
GODWIN EZEKUNIE EZEADISIONU, EZEKUNIE 1 OF NANKA. I’m from Ifite, Nanka, in
Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State. I am an importer and an
industrialist. I bring in all kinds of building materials. We franchise; we
build our own to make sure that the quality is superb. I partner with the
Chinese. Before, I was doing it on my own, but I have now partnered with the
Chinese. We have our own brand name in building materials. We also produce our
own toilet rolls. Our company names are Migu Resources Nigeria Limited and
FUEGO industrial Company Limited located in Lagos, No. 8, Alhaji Owokoni
Street, ORILE.
How long
have you been in this business?
I’ve been in
this importation business for about 25 years.
How old are
you now, sir?
I am 48
years old, going on 49.
How did it
all start?
I started
from my hometown. I was among the young men that pushed trucks. I did so many
things like ‘uda’, in order to make ends meet, menial jobs like mason work.
Because I came from a very humble family background, we didn’t have much money
at the beginning, but by God’s grace, we picked up from there. Even as at that
time I was doing truck business, I had up to 15 to 20 trucks which I gave to
young men to push for me and make returns. Then, I was also into livestock
rearing. I had a very big poultry farm. This was while I was in primary school.
In my secondary school, I also engaged in some businesses. I had an excellent
result in my final exams, making 4 Alphas and 4 credits. I made A1 in Physics,
Chemistry, Biology and Economics, but I could not continue due to financial
reasons. But after much years in business and because I had this big passion
for education, I went ahead to study for Diploma in Italy.
In business,
I started with Migu Water Pumps, Migu doors and Migu Capacitors before going
into Fuego doors, Fuego tiles, Fuego WCs and close couples, Fuego wardrobes and
Fuego cooking pots, every kind of building material.
What are the
names of your schools you attended for primary education to your university?
My primary
education was at Central school, Ifite, Nanka. My secondary school was Nanka
Boys Secondary School. I studied Accountancy (Ragionierea) at the Institute De Grimaldi in Calabria, Italy.
In what
language did you study your course in Italy?
I studied it
in Italian language. My Italian is better than my English. I first had
preliminary instructions in Italian Language at Institutions Technico De
Gremaldi, Calabria, South Italy. It was after my Diploma Program that I left
for Holland in 2004. Today, by His Grace, I’m a polyglot, able to communicate
fluently in French, Italian, Igbo, Hausa and English.
You seem to
be widely travelled. Can you tell us about how you started travelling and
picking languages?
We started
after I left secondary school. We did some menial things again and some small
time businesses. We went to Niger Republic and there, we had so many contacts
with international people. Then I met L.A Chinedu, my godfather and the former
second to the ambassador of Nigeria to Belgium, who prepared my first Visa to
Belgium and from there, other things became easy.
While you
were travelling, you were amassing a lot of wealth. What was your secret,
because there are many who travelled like you and yet do not have much to show
for it?
I must be
honest with you, maybe, because of my background. From when I was a little boy,
I started giving my mother any little I got to save for me. I had inculcated
that saving attitude from ab initio. Not
exhausting whatever I earn is my secret. I believe that wealth is not how
much you make but how much you save. How much you are able to make the money
make more money for you is what counts as wealth. That is the major thing about
wealth.
I understand
that your community has, in several ways, recognized your accomplishments. Can
you tell us about it?
Yes, because
right from the time I started getting small money, I started contributing to
the community. My age grade had not actually been assimilated into the adult
class of the society and I was already making donations and taking titles. My
age grade was inducted just three years ago and I have already started taking
up adulthood positions in my community.
Can you
share some of the ways the society has shown appreciation for your
contributions?
Honestly, I
must tell you they have appreciated it so highly.
So, has
there been any award?
Yes, I have
so many of them.
Can you
mention some of them?
The most
notable was the business men’s award by News Agency of Nigeria as the Best
Business Man of the year for 2008 and also 2012/13.
Can you tell
us about some of your outstanding contributions to your society and how your society
has shown appreciation?
To be honest
with you, some of these things are not meant to be told. Most of the things you
do for your community or your church are not meant to be recounted. I’m not the
one to recount them.
Apart from
my own town giving me the title ‘Eze-ekunie 1 of Nanka, my church also gave me the
title ‘Ide St James church (the pillar of St James’ church, Nanka). So, I’ve
gotten recognition from the church and from my people and everything is in
black and white out there. Just like recently, my kindred, Ifite, made me the
second chairman of that day and in the course of the event, I was among the
three who donated above 1 million naira and I was given the title – High Chief.
This is something so many people have been trying to buy with billions but I
don’t know why they counted our little contribution as worthy of such
recognition. I was also made the Chairman of the Peace-keeping committee in my
town, Nanka.
Do you have
any visions for your community? Are there any dreams you nurse for your
community?
My ambition
is so great for my community. From my tender years, I started dreaming I’ll one
day be in a position to change things for the better for my community. As I
grew and travelled, I developed the burden to build my community to European
standard. You know the way they built and run their place. Because anywhere I
go, I think about my community Nanka. I have the intentions of doing as much as
possible.
For
instance, I am the chairman of Victory Estate, Lagos. Victory estate used to
have some estates that disintegrated from them. But, when I started my
administration, I had to make peace for them and they have now joined together
now that I am the chairman. Under one year of my administration, we have put up
military personnel guarding the estate. We built the roads, security posts. We
put street lights and we have made drainage systems recently to rebuild the
roads in another greater way. We put up electricity for them. And this year, we
got them their Certificate of Ownership. So, at least we have achieved
something that was way beyond what have been done for the past 20 years put
together. Not I alone anyway; with my team. May I use this opportunity to
recognize some members of my leadership team who synergized with me to achieve
these feats; men whose efforts can never be taken for granted: Chief Linus
Onyebuchi, Chief Christopher Nwaobi Prince Ikenna, Ugo my PRO and our Financial
Secretary, to mention but a few.
So, what you
are saying here is that if you are given the same opportunity in any other capacity,
you will achieve the same feat?
No, I’m
praying not even if I’m given…, I’m praying always to have the opportunity of
developing my community. And God is helping me out. Because as long as God is
helping me with the money, I even build boys that will form pillars of the
community. That is Human Resource Management.
So, sir,
does that mean you are a philanthropist?
That’s part
of my life. That is why they know me. Like now, they have this Peace-Keeping
committee they set up in my village. Amidst all the old men who made up the
committee, I was made the chairman. At the end of our duty, they exclaimed they
never knew we had that kind of quality to deliver. It is not age; anyway, it is
a question of bestowment from God. That is what I believe.
Finally, sir,
what would you say is your message for young Nigerians struggling through the
maze of impoverishment seeking to attain your elevated place of achievement and
financial freedom?
Yes, the
major thing about success is
1.
Being focused: it will help
you a lot. Because when you are focused, you know where you are going to. Then
another one as important as focus is
2.
Using whatever you have; not
waiting for the ideal tool to come before you start. Use whatever tool you have
to start. Along the way, you will get a better tool. Because in our place,
people are used to relying on the government. It is not the government that
will do for you. Whatever you have, you start with it. In time and along the
way, you will meet people who will help you. They say manna no longer falls
from heaven but I tell you, it does. You might somehow get help from God or
from an individual. But if you don’t start something, you won’t get anything.
So, the major things to wealth are focus and starting with whatever you have.
That is it.
That is
beautiful, sir. So, you said something about human resource management and
development. Can you tell us more about how you are into it?
Like most of
the times, wherever I do business, I try as much as possible to pick people not
doing anything in the village and help them the much I can. Some of them will
fall out. Some of them will steal from you; wrong you in so many ways. But most
of the times, I must be honest with you, I have been fortunate. Some of the bad
ones do turn around to be good. And when they turn to be good, they start doing
good business. That means you are helping them build their future. So, some of
them that fall out do come back some day and start begging to be forgiven and
accepted back; if you can take them back, good, if you can’t, still good. But
we keep on trying all the time to rehabilitate them.
Can you give
an estimate of the number of young men you have changed for the better?
My brother,
I cannot. If you had been around during my just concluded late elder brother’s
funeral ceremony, you would have seen about 50 boys both from home and abroad,
some who sent their brothers, coming just to say thank you for the way I helped
them find their track economically. So, I cannot start counting. There are
things you don’t say. It was just because you were asking me. I don’t the
tendency to discuss such issues. It is not necessary to start saying I helped
somebody.
There are so
many like you who don’t think in the direction of philanthropy. Why do you?
My brother,
that is the only thing that makes me happy; seeing another person laugh.
Sometimes, I cry when I make people really laugh. I’ve seen where after
rendering help to somebody, he knelt down crying. That moved me. I watch people
when they come in a sad way, before they are going, they start praising God. It
gives me joy. That is it.
That’s
beautiful, sir. What is your final message to people of your status out there;
those who have not seen philanthropy as their responsibility from God.
I must tell
you the truth, most of the people who don’t do much might have been
disappointed in the past. But I have to tell them, if you can open your heart
again and keep trying; nothing will give you more joy or more happiness – unending
happiness than helping others. No matter how much disappointment you get from
people, keep doing good, keep doing good and keep doing good. That is the only
answer to being happy.
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