Okunbo: The Hand That Fed Many

Funmi George honours the memory of the late Captain Idahosa Okunbo, the businessman and philanthropist, who touched many lives positively

It was a night of extolment at the inaugural ceremony held in honour of Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo at his residence in GRA, Benin, on Tuesday, October 5th, 2021. Here, friends, family, well-wishers, colleagues and Royal dignitaries converged to reminisce on the immense contributions of the great businessman and philanthropist who made tremendous impact in the lives of Nigerians.

Through the Wells Hosa Greenhouse Farms Limited – the largest greenhouse farm in Nigeria and West Africa – he has built a legacy that will forever commemorate his name.

Captain Idahosa or “Cappi” (as fondly called by family and friends) was born in Edo State to a distinguished clergyman and community leader, where he imbibed the values of community service and benevolence. He rose from these humble beginnings to become a great Iroko tree that sheltered the lives of many.

The guests, most of whom were employees from a multitude of companies he owned, all attested to how much of an icon Captain Hosa was. With teary eyes, his “work family” called the general public’s attention to Cappi’s disciplined yet considerate leadership style, and expressed how it inspired most of them to live their dreams and excel in their diverse careers. He inspired enthusiasm for development across sectors, nationally and internationally.

In 2016, Cappi achieved another impressive entrepreneurial milestone, when he unveiled a 22 000 Acre state-of-the-art facility worth $750 million (150 billion Naira). The facility, which eventually became a greenhouse farm, was established in the heart of Edo State, Nigeria.

Cappi’s dream for agriculture to penetrate every nook and cranny of Nigeria’s ecosystem led to him creating a world-class farm in the state known as “the Heartbeat of Nigeria ” – a move that highlights the importance of the state towards socio-economic development. Beyond the physical positioning, the nature and capacity of the farm are noteworthy, underlying Captain Idahosa’s ingenious abilities.

At the celebration of the first harvest from the farm, Captain Hosa noted, “for me… people are seeing tomatoes but I’m seeing more than tomatoes, I’m seeing jobs for the youth, I’m seeing empowerment for our people, I’m seeing food security, I’m seeing exports and foreign exchange to support our GDP. So, it’s more than tomatoes. First harvest but it’s something that we can replicate around this country”.
This farm is impressive because it came at the right time when the current President Muhammad Buhari-led administration is harping on the importance of agriculture to diversify the country’s revenue base.

What’s more, the initiative also has appealing features to lure our youth back to the farm, but this time with modern agricultural practices. The farm created a whopping 85,000 direct jobs in a measure of impact while indirectly employing thousands of youth and women. This is highly commendable for a country groaning under the weight of a high unemployment rate and several job losses.
At the tribute held in his honour, those that worked closely with him recounted these stories and many other experiences that made for Cappi’s achievements.

The Managing Director of Wells Hosa Farms, Engr. Franklin Owegie, who spoke highly of Captain Hosa’s outstanding efforts and humanitarian impact, said: “Being one of the business outfits through which the great Edo business icon provided a platform for numerous families to earn a living; the staff of the Wells Hosa Greenhouse Farm are very much beneficiaries of the special growing love with which Captain Hosa (as he was fondly called) related with everybody. Penetrating the world with selfless kindness and establishing endearing friendships without regard to social status, religion, and political affiliations.”

Truly, a man’s life is not characterized by the paraphernalia of physical qualities that surround him but by the virtues he exuded for the benefit of all. The more lives he touches, the longer his legacy stays. From the food on our tables to the agricultural opportunities that abound in the country, the presence of Captain Hosa is forever felt.

The four-day event celebrating Cappi’s final flight kicked off yesterday in Edo State. The program of events continues throughout the week until he is laid to rest in a ceremony in his hometown, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, on October 9th, 2021. The general public, media and well-wishers from home and abroad are invited to stream the event virtually; via the YouTube channel “Captain Hosa Tribute” or visit www.captainhosa.com to access the Zoom link daily.
We wish him a safe landing in the great beyond.