...'cont'd

BUSINESS EMPIRE AT A GLANCE

best equipped hospital owned by any individual in Nigeria. The Igbinedion Montessori Nursery and Primary Schools are the first of such institutions to be granted international recognition in Nigeria.

Let us consider his contribution to the development of the tourist industry in Nigeria. It started in 1987 when he decided to develop his Okada village into a modern tourist attraction along the line of the "Disney World" of the United States of America. Also influential in his decision to improve the lot of Okada was his knowledge of the story of Birmingham and Coventry in England, two neighbouring towns built by two brothers transformed from a village setting to modern urban centres.

Okada, formerly a rural centre tucked away in a remote corner of the Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, some 56 kilometres from Benin City, is today a tourist centre with modern facilities. The new city of Okada houses the Igbinedion estate comprising 1,800 units of one bedroom and three bedroom self contained chalets. Okada enjoys constant electricity supply drawn from the National Grid NEPA high tension cable from Benin City at the expense

. of Osawaru Igbinedion who has also been responsible for the monthly bill of some N50,000.00 since its installation. The 87 neighbouring villages have been provided with electricity, thanks to the goodwill of Igbinedion.

The new Okada also houses a 1,500 hectare mechanised farm comprising 16 fish ponds and several vegetable gardens. Also located here are other facilities including a secondary school, a post office with an international telephone system, satelite television, a zoo, artificial lakes, an amusement park, hard courts for both local ctnd international lawn tennis tournaments and a multi million naira golf course. There is a "Garden of Fame and Heroes" with life size statues of great Nigerian leaders and prominent personalities such as Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Major General J.T.U Aguiyi-Ironsi, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Generals Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo, Murtala Mohammed, Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida, etc; and in BendellEdo-Delta States, Premier/Governors

including Prof. Ambrose Alii, Maj.Gen. J.T. Useni, General David Ejoor, Co!. Thnde Ogbeha, Co!. John Inienger, Dr. S.O. Ogbemudia, Sir Agbazika Innih, Chief Dennis Osadebey are all in the Garden. Also represented are some of the former Colonial masters including the Head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Sir ED. Lugard and Sir Robert McPherson. .

Today the population of the new city has increased from about 2,000 to more than 20,000 inhabitants. During 1989 over 87 per cent of the visitors who came to the holiday resort were foreigners. Since then every year has attracted more enthusiasts to the 'Wonderland'. In an interview, the founder and sole proprietor of the new Okada tourist centre, Chief Igbinedion disclosed that although he was inspired by the Disney World project, he nevertheless tried as much as possible to minimise foreign influence in order to maintain a traditional African atmosphere. The idea of the centre was nurtured by both himself and his wife, Lady Cherry.15 Today, with the Igbinedion Hospital and Medical Research Centre in Okada, the town has become the medical village of Africa.

It has to be emphasised that the hospital complex and research centre were not cited in Okada for the purpose of Okada and the tourist centre alone, but more as a service to humanity. It is meant to cater for the needs of those Nigerians and other nationals who have formed the routine habit of going abroad regularly for medical check up and attention usually at enormous expense. Apart from offering treatment to the sick, the Centre has relevant facilities for medical researchers and provide the right and conducive environment for medical experts.

The hospital houses some 600 beds amongst which are a 150 bed maternity ward; 80 V.I.P. suites and four bullet proof presidential wards. The personnel of the hospital comprise a strong contingent of foreign experts who by contract are to train Nigerians on the job with the expectation that such Nigerians will eventually take over the management of the complex within a period of ten years. The training, research and management programme is however under the guidance of Nigerian experts, Dr. M.O. Obiaya, the Medical Director and Mrs. Mary Omosotome, the Director of Nursing Services, both of whom are pioneer staff. On the staff of consultants are medical luminaries such as Professors Osad Osamwonyi, L. O. Ekpechi and v: E. Aimakhu, who are also members of the Board of Trustees of the Igbinedion Hospital and Medical Research Centre.

Other pioneer members of the Board are Professor T. A. Lambo (WH.a.) Professor A. O. Lucas (WH.O.), Professor B. D. Musa, Professor P. Omo-Dare, Professor T. O. Okeahialam, Professor O. E Giwa-Osagie, Lady C. L. Igbinedion, Dr. N. Lange (UK), Dr. A. B. Sulaiman, Dr. A. Igbinovia, Dr. S. N. Of ole, Dr. A. Morgan and Mr. Marcus Setchell (UK).

Igbinedion's approach to business endeavours may be classified into two categories. The first are the business enterprises established essentially for the purpose of promoting economic development and hence the main source of finance for the growth and expansion of the younger industries. Amongst the money generating industries are the Okada Airline, Intercontinental Merchant Bank, Jamaica, United African Shipping Lines, Okada Dry soft drink industry and the Mid-Motors while others like the Okada mechanised farms, Okada Tourist Centre, Igbinedion Hospital and Medical Research Centre and the Igbinedion Education Centre are more for philanthropic reasons.

An attempt has been made to give only a bird's eye view of the business empire of Osawaru Igbinedion. It is simply not feasible to go into the details of his multiple businesses. Yet, two businesses of the Okada Group would need a little more attention. They are the Okada Airline, the Igbinedion Education Centre; and the Igbinedion Hospital and Medical Research Centre, the one classified as a pure business concern and the other a welfare enterprise.

CONCLUSION

This website has attempted to unfold Chief Osawaru Igbinedion from the cradle to manhood and from a humble beginning to a position of enermous affluence...READ ON