Today we bring to you an inspiring story of a great entrepreneur,a business magnate and an investor and went from being a spare parts dealer to becoming the owner of Nigeria's first automobile company.
He is the CEO OF INNOSON MOTORS, an automobile company that was founded in 2007 in here in Nigeria. With 70 percent of innoson car component locally made that makes it indigenous.
So let's get to know more about him:
He is cheif (dr) innocent chukwuma, born exactly one year after Nigeria got her independence on October 1, 1961 to his parents mr and mrs chukwuma mojekwu of uru- umudim Nnewi, anambra state.He is the last child among the six children of his parents.
The multibillionaire is married to mrs ebele chukwuma and the marriage is blessed with children.
Here is what he had to say when we had an interview with him:
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATION LIFE ?
" I had my primary and secondary school education in my hometown uru-umudin in Nnewi, anambra state. After I completed my secondary school education in 1978 , I dreamt of becoming an engineer and so I applied to study engineering at the university but I couldn't get it that year because I did not make the cut- off mark, since I had a passion for trading I decided to get into the business world."
HOW DID YOU START IN THE BUSINESS WORLD?
"My brother took me to cheif romanus eze, who was at that time the biggest dealer of motorcycle spare parts to serve as an apprentice for one year.
After finishing the one year training, then I served my brother for sometime under his brand name, GABROS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED.
Then in 1981 , he gave me the sum of 3000 naira to start my own business where I started trading in Motorcycle spare parts under the name INNOSON NIGERIA LIMITED.
From there I moved to trading of motor spare parts."
HOW DID YOU REACH WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?
IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEM
"At that time motorcycles where very expensive it was around 150,000 naira.
PROBLEM SOLVING
So I decided to get motorcycle spare parts and assembled it. At that time when I started assembling motorcycles the price of motorcycle went down to 60,000 naira.
Seeing that motorcycle has many plastic components so I decided to establish a mega plastic manufactoring company, INNOSON TECH AND INDUSTRY CO.LTD in 2002 to support the motorcycle company.
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Considering that most Nigerians purchase second- hand vehicles that are being imported into the country at a high price.
PROBLEM SOLVING
The idea of producing new , affordable and high quality vehicles here in Nigeria came and I did it. I founded INNOSON MOTORS in 2007."
LESSON TO BE LEARNT HERE LOOK FOR PROBLEMS TO SOLVE AND SOLVE THEM
SIR, ARE MANY NIGERIAN OFFICIALS USING YOUR CARS ?
" both private and official persons are using my vehicles.Those who like to use it are using it.
But my main target is not Nigeria, I am hoping to branch to other african countries"
LESSON TO BE LEARNT HERE THINK BIG
SIR,WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SO MANY YOUTHS THAT HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY BUT HAVEN'T SECURE A JOB?
" anything you are doing do it well. Education is very important for everyone, so that even after graduating without getting a job, look at your potentials, what you know very well and build it".
SIR, WHAT IS YOUR NETWORTH NOW ?
Some people might want to know
" well I cant exactly tell you but I think it is around 1.5 BILLION DOLLARS AS OF 2019."
SIR, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR NIGERIANS?
" I am telling Nigerians that are in other part of the world that Nigeria is now good for everyone to come and work together to move the company forward".
THANKS.
AWARDS
(1)prestigious honors of national productivity order of merit( NPOM) in 2010 by his Excellency GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN GCFR
(2)Distinguished memeber, vision 2020 business support group by his Excellency FORMER PRESIDENT UMARU MUSA YAR ADUA GCFR
(3)Award of honorary fellow of the Nigerian society of engineers
(4)Chancellor of imo state university .
And others
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