DIM CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU-OJUKWU (1933-2011)
Friday, 02 March 2012
Today, we are observing a one minute silence not only as a sign of respect to a great Nigerian, Dim ChukwuemekaOdumegwu-Ojukwubut the immense contributions that his late father,Sir Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu had in setting up the foundations of what is today the 2nd largest Exchange in sub-sahara Africa.
The Ojukwu family is very much part of the Exchange.
Ikemba’s father, Sir Louis Odumegwu-OjukwuK.T.,O.B.E. (1909 – 1966)was a founding member and the first Nigerian president of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (1963 -1966). He was also on the board of directors of some of Nigeria’s most prestigious companies such as Shell Oil Nigeria Limited, Nigeria Coal Corporation, etc.
He contributed immensely to the Exchange in the following ways:
- He was an original subscriber to the memorandum and articles of association of The Nigerian Stock Exchange.
- His tenor as the president of The Nigerian Stock Exchange saw the listing of shares of several prestigious companies such as John Holt Nigeria Plc., Nigerian Cement Company Plc., Nigerian Tobacco Company Plc., Guinness Nigeria Plc. etc. as well as over twenty-six Federal government and corporate bonds
- Over forty dealing clerks qualified during his tenor
- His good image brought positive recognition to the newly found Exchange luring several companies to seek listing on The Exchange.
Dim ChukwuemekaOdumegwu-Ojukwu a man hard to describe in simple terms. He was accomplished both as an officer and an administrator who pursued the ideals of equity and justice. Nigeria’s history cannot be complete without him. Born into affluence, he elected to serve his country as an officer in the Nigerian Army.
Contribution to Nigeria:
- Anticolonial defender of the racially oppressed
- Hero of Aburi – got his colleagues to agree to the Aburi accord which was his seminal contribution to Nigeria’s survival, security and progress of the Nigerian population
- Founder and leader of The Biafra Republic
- Proponent of the new social order, he encouraged the Biafran intelligentsia to investigate and articulate their peoples aspirations for the post war society
As we mourn and celebrate Ojukwu, a man who lived ahead of his contemporaries in formulating the Nigerian nation,let it not be assumed that Ojukwu died when the country needed his services most.Ojukwu lived and served with all his might when Igbos and all of Nigeria needed him most. He stood up, fought for what he believed in.
Ikemba will forever be in the minds, history and future of all Nigerians.
Adieu Ojukwu – The Legend.
Wole Tokede
Senior Manager
Media Relations| Corporate Communications
The Nigerian Stock Exchange
