Reminiscences

Ben Ofungwu Sr.

Description

Reminiscences chronicles life in colonial and early postcolonial Nigeria, delving into the trauma and vicissitudes of a young man. It is a story that emphasises the need for quality education and training, preparatory for adult life and the emergence of a mature mind, willing to take on family responsibilities bequeathed to him. There is the usual executive warfare that is quite common in most local and international organisations and the triumph thereof. The story of ISN Products Nigeria Ltd is one of hope and tenacity in building a new organisation. ISN is, today, a market leader in the medical diagnostic products marketing and distribution, and has now passed to the next generation. There is a lesson on the spiritual aspect of business. We must accept that we just cannot achieve success doing it alone all by ourselves. We always need help from above and should continuously ask for it.

Sujets

• Biography
• Autobiography
• Réminiscences

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse
• Date de parution: 01 mai 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798823006224
• Langue: English

Extrait

REMINISCENCES
 
LIFE AND TIMES OF BEN OFUNGWU SR. AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
 
 
 
 
 
BEN OFUNGWU SR.
 
 

 
AuthorHouse™
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
Phone: [phone]
 
 
 
 
© 2023 Ben Ofungwu Sr.. All rights reserved.
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
 
This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.
 
Published by AuthorHouse 04/27/2023
 
ISBN: 979-8-8230-0620-0 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-0621-7 (hc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-0622-4 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023907029
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
To my parents, Felix Aniekwilo Ofungwu and Virginia Uzoyibo Ofungwu, who did not live to see the fruits of their moral dedication.
FOREWORD
Who indeed is Ben Ofungwu Sr.? Who actually is this Igbo entrepreneur from Akama Oghe, Enugu State, Nigeria?
The answers to these questions are what you have on the pages of this book. My take is that his success was not circumstantial, as over 80 per cent of it was self-made.
This book is really two in one. The first is a fascinating memoir of the author’s life, from his infancy through his teens to early adulthood. Political squabbles in Nigeria started in the mid-sixties, and the author’s father was one of the very early casualties of the crisis. Ben became an orphan early in his life, having lost his mother at the age of six.
Reminiscences captures his father’s life, from his early education and conversion to Christianity and his seven-year stint as a Catholic missionary school teacher to his final occupation in the Nigerian Railways. He became quite cosmopolitan, having lived in various towns and cities in his job as a railwayman—Zaria, Minna, Makurdi, Umuahia, and Port Harcourt and, finally, Nguru, in today’s Yobe State, where he met his untimely death.
After his father’s death, Ben’s life centred around looking after his family, a task he took up with very passionate zeal. His decision to suspend his further studies at the University College Hospital Ibadan, to look after everyone in his immediate and extended families was very sacrificial. All this stems from his upbringing—from a father who got him ready for this eventuality.
The second part of the book deals with his career in business. Ben started off as a diagnostic sales representative for an American company, Ames Company Division of Miles Laboratories Pty, with headquarters in Elkhart, Indiana, USA. He rose through the ranks and became the company’s boss for Nigeria and Anglophone West Africa. The executive warfare and intrigues in companies were well documented. He later founded a company, ISN Products Nigeria Ltd and ran it for forty years, before handing over the reins to his son. His work ethics, sense of purpose, and impeccable honesty in all his dealings are well covered in this book.
I have known Ben Ofungwu Sr. for over sixty years, and I am glad that this book finally came out. It is a story of courage amid adversity and tribulations that could have daunted many men. It is a story of great entrepreneurial spirit. It is a story of great generosity.
The book is well illustrated with photographs. The chapters are short, and this makes for easy and pleasurable reading. I recommend this as a great family book that will inspire young men and women for years to come.
Peter Sunny Nedosa, PhD
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There was much vacillation in my decision to write this book. I was convinced there was nothing spectacular about my life to warrant an autobiography; but friends and some colleagues urged me on, saying that my life and times were worth a book for posterity. I owe some mention to all those who helped in bringing this book to fruition.
Dr Peter Sunny Nedosa, my high school classmate and my lifelong friend of over sixty years, was convinced I should write a book. He promoted and encouraged the idea of a book. He was surely the first of the protagonists for this cause. For your faith in me and for believing in this exercise, thank you, Petnedy.
When I mentioned some of my escapades during the Nigerian-Biafran civil war to my son, Felix Onochie Ofungwu, like risking my life going across the battle’s front lines on two occasions, he felt convinced I should document my life experiences in a book. Although he never insisted I should, he surely did help plant the idea into me. Thank you very much, Onochie.
My last son, Ben Chukwuma Ofungwu, studied philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) at the University of Nottingham, UK. He is the literary man in the family, and we exchanged writings and readings almost from his first year in the university. He was convinced that most of the things I discussed with him would make a good read. He contributed to my decision to write this book. B de J, thank you for all the encouragement.
When I met Paul Uduk, the CEO of Vision and Talent, I knew that this book would be out someday. Paul Uduk is an author of several books, and he runs a book writing clinic. As soon as our paths crossed, he made my writing a book his war cry. I had written a business article for his blog, and I also gave a health interview for his YouTube channel. After these, he was convinced I could do an autobiography. He goaded me on until I caved in. He became the agent for the book. Thank you, Paul, for helping make this book a reality.
Deciding to write a book is one thing; carving out the time and space to embark on it is another. The 2020 lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was quite a trying period for everyone. Being locked in at home, without being allowed to venture into the street was a new experience for all. The need for company was paramount, and my wife, Theodora Ifeoma Ofungwu, and I were the only ones in our Maryland, Lagos, home. It was not exactly the time to embark on a lonely pursuit like writing a book. But when I decided to do that, she not only tolerated it, she also very actively encouraged it. Thank you, dear Ify, for lending your support to every ego trip I ever ventured into.
Last but not least, all the stenographic work for this book was done by my super-able secretary, Mojisola Aliu. She did all the work, from the many corrections to the impromptu additions, with cheerfulness. It could be well said that, without her, this book may never have seen the light of day. Thank you, Moji, for all the hours you put into this project.
Thank you, all.
CONTENTS
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1:The Man Who Volunteered for School
Chapter 2:My Early Family Life
Chapter 3:The Abbot Years
Chapter 4:University College Hospital, Ibadan: Mastering Laboratory Sciences
Chapter 5:Taking over from My Father
Chapter 6:A Glimpse of Life in War-Time Biafra
Chapter 7:First Trip Home behind Enemy Lines
Chapter 8:The Biafra Organisation of Freedom Fighters
Chapter 9:First Trip to Ibadan and Lagos
Chapter 10:Ames Company Division of Miles Laboratories Pty
Chapter 11:Sales Success at Ames Company Division
Chapter 12:Climbing the Ladder at Ames Company
Chapter 13:Ames Country Manager, Lagos
Chapter 14:Ratcheting up Sales at Ames
Chapter 15:The Genesis of ISN Products Nigeria Ltd
Chapter 16:Exiting Ames Company Division of Miles Laboratories
Chapter 17:The Early Years of ISN and the Struggle to Survive
Chapter 18:ISN Company Policies and Ethics
Chapter 19:ISN Company Growth Trajectory
Chapter 20:The Spiritual and Succession Factors in Business
Chapter 21:My Family
Epilogue
CHAPTER 1 THE MAN WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR SCHOOL
A NIEKWILO (WHICH LITERALLY MEANS ‘THE land that would not let enemies in’) was the last of four sons of Ofungwu nwa Aniagba, my grandfather. Aniekwilo was quite precocious as a child and was his father’s favourite son. His immediate elder brother was Aniagolum. The story was that when our grandmother, Ude, was pregnant with Aniagolum, there was a vicious rumour of infidelity against her, to the extent that the unborn child was said to be from an unknown lover. The woman maintained her innocence despite all the threats from the husband’s kindred. As was the customary practise in those days, she was taken to a dreaded shrine to swear an oath that she never had an affair with any man. The consequence of such oaths was that, if the woman had an affair and swore falsely that she never had, she would die in childbirth, and the baby would definitely die too. She was quite aware of those consequences. And as the old saying goes, ‘A clear conscience fears no accusation’, she willingly submitted to the oath.
When she had a safe delivery of a bouncing baby boy, she was over the moon and at the naming ceremony; she insisted that the name must be Ani Agolum, meaning, ‘I have been vindicated.’ That created a very strong bond between the mother and baby. As a favourite child of the mother, Aniagolum became a spoiled brat from infancy and remained so w