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The exceptional low-to-high flight path of Dr. Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma in business and manufacturing has always been lauded in various terms by different people. But, on Thursday, October 6, at the Nigerian Defence Academy {NDA}, Afaka, Kaduna, an interesting addition was made to the verbal accolades as he stepped out to be honoured with a Doctor of Science honorary degree.
Not only did the hall erupt in applause when the Academy Provost , Prof. A. S. Nwankwo, made an off-the-cuff remark that the ingenious accomplishment of the Innoson Group Chairman should be a topic for research and doctoral thesis, many high profile heads also nodded in agreement. Even as the acclamation resounded, one of the guests did not fail to recall that at a similar occasion in the past, the popular investor from Nnewi was humorously described as “a genius with the brain of three professors.”
Such was the atmosphere at the academy’s 37th convocation ceremony for the cadets of the 63 Regular Course and post-graduate students, and indeed Chief Chukwuma’s day of glory as he and two other distinguished Nigerians – Prof. Grace Alele-Williams and Maj-Gen Paul Tarfa {rtd}, received honorary doctorate degrees.
While Alele-Williams was recognised for making history as the first woman in Africa to head a university {as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin), Tafa had a remarkable career in the military: He held a number of prominent command and staff appointments, including NDA Commandant {1984-88}, and upon retirement in 1988, managed the Nigerian Railway Corporation for about one year.
The high premium placed on the honorary degrees were underscored when the Commandant, Maj-Gen. M.T. Ibrahim, announced that the three recipients’ names were entering a list of only 21 distinguished beneficiaries of the doctoral honour {including two foreign heads of state} who had been similarly bestowed in the past eight years.
A few months ago, Chukwuma, an Officer of the Federal Republic {OFR}, elongated the string of his achievements in the industrial sector when his Innoson Group and the Nigerian Armed Forces signed an unprecedented memorandum of understanding {MoU} by which one of its subsidiaries now produces replacement parts for Alpha jets in the fleet of the Air Force.
It, therefore, did not come as a surprise when Maj-Gen. M.T. Ibrahim informed the guests that filled the Prof Mahmood Yakubu Multi-purpose Hall that in deciding to bestow the doctoral honour on Chukwuma, the NDA council had taken special note of Innoson’s satisfactory performance regarding the production of the replacement parts for Air Force jets.
Guests were informed that the academy conferred the degree on Chukwuma also in recognition of his venture into establishing the first indigenous auto plant in Nigeria, Innoson Vehicle manufacturing Company Limited {IVM}, in Nnewi, at a time the first generation auto plants were either dead or dying. Together with other members of the Innoson Group, like the plastics plant in Emene, Enugu, IVM provides employment for no less than 7, 000 Nigerians.
Chukwuma earned local and global recognition with the production of passenger cars and commercial vehicles {midi, mini and mass transit buses, light trucks and refuse collectors} in Nnewi. But the foretaste of today’s feats were given very early when from an apprentice trader in 1981, he grew his spare parts business to the level where it was viable to advance to the importation of new motorcycles in an unprecedented manner – by dismantling them and packing the components in long containers and reassembling them at his Nnewi base, thereby reducing costs considerably.
This way, he started some kind of modern-day industrial revolution in local motorcycle production by crashing the prices of new motorcycles, and consequently driving imported second-hand {Tokunbo} competition out of the market. The ultimate result was a viable Innoson Nigeria Limited motorcycle plant which rubbed shoulders with pioneers like Leventis and Boulos Enterprises. It was the success recorded by the motorcycle business that paved the way for the auto manufacturing plant.
The citation read just before the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, decorated Chukwuma, with assistance from the NDA Commandant, his deputy, Air Vice Marshal C. E. Okoye, and Prof. Nwankwo, summarised the honoree’s success story.
It also read in part: “Presently, Innoson has made inroad into some African countries, such as Ghana, Sierra-Leone, Chad, Niger, and Togo where the presence of hi Group of Companies is felt. Dr. Chukwuma is also into the hospitality industry with ownership of Beverly Hills Hotel and Resort, located in Abuja.”
Though the ceremony hit a climax with the conferment, honour and recognition started pouring on Chukwuma the previous afternoon when the Commandant, and AVM Okoye, received him in the former’s office – eulogising him for his unique entrepreneurial spirit. He was the special guest at the Prize-Giving/Beating of the Retreat Ceremony that followed thereafter.
Maj-Gen. Ibrahim who affirmed that he was meeting the Innoson Chairman for the very first time, disclosed that in order to preserve the integrity of the honorary doctorate degree, NDA went in search of Nigerians who had excelled in their endeavours, and when Chukwuma’s name came up, he became the obvious choice.
Chukwuma, who himself was visiting Kaduna for the first time in many years, thanked the academy for the recognition. He pledged to continue devoting efforts to the development of the country. On his entourage were a senior advocate of Nigeria, James Ikeyi; a media consultant, Alfred Nwosu; Ogilisi Rommy Ezeonwuka; Dr U. C. Ngenegbo of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; the Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Kiara Academy, Enyi Ezengwa; and a business associate, Sylvester Unigwe. Also at the event with Chukwuma were Innoson General Manager {Sales}, Kosy Maduanusi; and Head of Media, Cornel Osigwe.
Founded after independence in 1964 to provide the defence needs of the country, particularly to train cadets for commission as officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces, NDA attained a university status in 1985 with mandate to award its own degrees. The curricula of studies were later reviewed to take care of modern military imperatives such as modern warfare and challenges of leadership/management in a contemporary world.
The rich suite of academic programmes covering Bachelors {in Arts, Social Science and Engineering}, post-graduate diploma, masters and doctoral levels, are regulated by the National Universities Commission and other relevant professional bodies.
Nearly 400 graduands, including 133 cadets of the 63 Regular Course, as well as postgraduate students, participated in the convocation which was preceded by Prize-Giving and Beating of the Retreat Ceremony the previous day, with Chukwuma as one of the special guests.
