C Don Adinuba, Commissioner for Information and public Enlightenment
Anambra has expressed regrets at the news of “the painful exit yesterday in London of Chief Victor Ikwuemesi, a foremost chartered accountant and entrepreneur who came into national limelight in 2000 when he set up the Sosoliso Airlines Ltd to run scheduled domestic passenger services,”according to Mr C. Don Adinuba, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment.
Chief Ikwuemesi, an indigene of Nkwelle Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, died in a London hospital yesterday with the coronavirus.
Adinuba said, Chief Ikwuemesi was not just a great son of Anambra State but also a worthy Nigerian in the truest son of the expression. “His sole purpose for establishing the carrier was to change the sociopolitical landscape of a key component of the Nigerian federation which was unfortunately being schemed out of national affairs.”
“The two airports in the Southeast by 1999 when democratic rule was restored were no longer in use. People travelling from the Southeast to any other part of the country had to go by road, with all the incalculable costs and risks. Rather than thrown up his hands in the air in despair and lament about marginalization, as many of his people are wont to do, Chief Ikwuemesi decided to take the bull by the horn by establishing an airline to reopen the Enugu and Owerri airports. It is instructive enough that Enugu became the headquarters. It is to his credit and foresight that the two airports have remained open ever since.
” Chief Ikwuemesiโs place in the history of our people is assured. He devoted the last 20 years to his own spiritual growth and to the development of his Ogidi community which honoured him with the chieftaincy titles of Ezelue and Ebube Ogidi, making him a High Chief and a member of the Royal Cabinet.
” There are five major things for which Chief Ikwuemesi will be remembered for long: humility even in spite of huge entrepreneurial success; a high savings rate which accelerates business growth; integrity, loyalty and trust in business; commitment to the common good; and the practice of the Aku Lue Uno, or Think Home, philosophy, which this administration has been espousing with evangelical fevour.
” The people and government of Anambra State commiserate with the Ikwuemesi family and the Royal Cabinet of Ogidi over the death of this noble, selfless and quiet Nigerian. They are in our prayers and thoughts. May God receive Chief Ikwuemeโs soul,” he concluded.
