Personality in Focus
Idahosa Wells Okunbo: Highly Skilled Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
By Eric Elezuo
The mark of greatness lies in the ability to point at a direction, and say this is the number of lives I have touched, impacted and given a new lease of hope. However, it is only a handful of the men of means who qualify to be dressed in this garb, and the person of Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbor, popularly known as Hosa, is the first out of a few to be so classified.
Hosa’s philanthropy speaks loud and volumes, and has become a reference point in admonition and encouragement.
Born on January 7, 1958 in Benin City, Hosa, a business magnate, investor, philanthropist and trained commercial pilot of repute, is a proud product of the Reverend Robert Amos Okunbo family, who himself is a clergyman, teacher and community leader.
Okunbo started his path to a glorious career when he enrolled at the Government Primary School in Benin City, old Bendel State, now Edo State for his elementary education. He proceeded to Federal Government College, Warri, in 1971, where he sat for West African Senior School Certificate Examination, and came out in flying colours.
As a scholar who was not confused as regards the path he wishes to follow, made his choice early in life to become a pilot. As a result, he pursued his desire by studying at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Centre, Zaria, Kaduna State, and became a professional commercial pilot at the age of 21. He also attended ACME School of Aeronautics, Fort Worth Texas in 1983, where he obtained an Airline Transport Pilot License.
At the age of 25 in 1983, Okunbo was made a captain. He practiced his trade as a flight captain with Intercontinental Airlines for about two years, before moving over to Okada Airlines for where he served with honours for another three years.
In 1988 and at the age of 30, he retired from piloting having recorded over a whopping 7,000 hours of flight time, and ventured into private business, a calling that further launched him into the cycle of philanthropy.
With his hands in many pies, Okunbo established Hoslyn Ventures Nigeria Ltd., a company that was involved with procurement in the Nigerian petroleum sector. Hoslyn Ventures was an indigenous oilfield service company that was responsible for the Early Production Facility (EPF) project at Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) between 1998 and 2001.
More so, he had served in many capacities including chairmanship or directorial position on numerous company boards in Nigeria in various business sectors such as the agro-allied, petroleum, telecommunications, power, real estate and banking industries.
A man of diverse intelligence, who has investments in many businesses, Okunbo founded the following companies, which he also sits atop as chairman:
Wells San-Carlos Agro Farms Ltd., which, in March 2016, unveiled a $750 million, 9,000-hectare (22,000-acre) farm intended to “create 85,000 jobs in Edo State”.
Ocean Marine Security Ltd., an offshore asset-protection company, rendering services to major oil companies in Nigeria, including NNPC. Wikipedia reported that the company recently completed the building of the 46-kilometre (29 mi) Escravos–Warri Crude Pipeline, which was inaugurated by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu.
PPP Fluid Mechanics Ltd., a marine and logistics company
Westminster Security Solutions Nigeria Ltd, a franchise of Westminster Group Plc UK, of which he is major shareholder.
Wells Group of companies, which include Wells Dredging Ltd., Wells Property Development Company Ltd., and Wells Entertainments Ltd. – through which Okunbo financed the movie Black November.
OMS Tankers Ltd., which owns Nigeria’s first marine tankers.
Hoslyn Habitat Ltd., which is a design, construction and landscaping company.
Gyro Air Ltd., operators of charter flight operations.
Okunbo is a director in the following companies:
Joint Marine Environ Guard Ltd. (JMEG)
Secure Anchorage Area Ltd. (SAA)
Digisteel Integrated Services Ltd.
Phil Nugent Nigeria Ltd.
Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Ltd. (IEDM), which is a core investor in Ibadan and Yola Electricity Distribution Companies.
Okunbo is member of the Board of Directors of NatCom Development and Investment Ltd., which is the holding company Nigerian telecommunications giant NTEL.
In 2012, Okunbo received the Africa Titans Award from the Congress of the United States in collaboration with the African Society Summit, in recognition of “strides on behalf of Africa in the international arena.” He was honoured for being one of those “who seek to project a new and hopeful light on Africa.”
In November of the same year, the University of Benin conferred him with an honorary Doctor of Science degree.
He was granted the “Worthy Ambassador of Unity Award” as an old student of Federal Government College, Warri in March 2016.
On October 2, 2014, the Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa, gifted Okunbo “with the ‘Traditional Beads’ for being a worthy son of the ancient Kingdom.”
Hosa’s act of philanthropy is congenital as he is known to have expressed his benevolence to as many that has come his way. Testimonies have it that no one who comes in contact with him goes back without a smile on his face. He is known to be nice to a fault, and has seen quite a good number of his constituents through academics or profitable empowerment.
He is a very good man.
Okunbo is married and is blessed with numerous healthy and prolific children
Personality in Focus
June 12: Tinubu Confers National Honours on Kolade-Otitoju, Dasuki, Okei-Odumakin, Others
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred national honours on several prominent pro-democracy activists, journalists, civil society leaders, and retired military officers in recognition of their contributions to Nigeria’s democratic struggle and the historic June 12 movement.
The announcement was made during the President’s nationwide Democracy Day broadcast commemorating Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.
According to President Tinubu, the awards are intended to immortalize the sacrifices of individuals who endured persecution, imprisonment, solitary confinement, harassment, and exile during the fight against military dictatorship and the struggle to actualize the June 12, 1993 presidential election mandate.
Tinubu Honours Democracy Heroes
The President emphasized that the honourees played critical roles in defending democratic values and laying the foundation for the civilian rule Nigeria enjoys today.
Among those recognized are veteran journalists, media executives, civil rights advocates, and leaders of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), whose resistance to military rule helped shape the nation’s democratic journey.
Media and Civil Society Leaders Recognised
Notable recipients in the media and civil society category include:
* Gbemiga Ogunleye, former Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ)
* Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, Director of News at TVC News and veteran journalist
* Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, renowned human rights campaigner
* Chief Ayo Opadokun, NADECO chieftain
* Sam Omatseye
* Oladele Alake
* Olatunji Bello
* Louis Odion
* Tunde Fagbenle
* Richard Akinnola
* Debo Adeniran
The recognition highlights the pivotal role played by the media and civil society organizations in resisting authoritarian rule and advocating for democratic governance.
Retired Military Officers Honoured for Opposing Dictatorship
In what observers have described as a historic and groundbreaking move, President Tinubu also created a special category to honour military officers who worked from within the armed forces to challenge authoritarian rule and support democratic ideals.
The honoured retired officers include:
* Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd)
* Colonel Lawan Gwadabe (retd)
* Brigadier Yahaya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe
* Major General Ishola Williams (retd)
* Major General M.A. Garba
* Brigadier General Lawal Jaafaru Isa
The President noted that these officers risked their careers, personal freedom, and lives in pursuit of democratic governance during one of Nigeria’s most turbulent political periods.
Celebrating 27 Years of Democracy
The national honours ceremony forms part of activities marking Democracy Day, observed annually on June 12 in remembrance of the 1993 presidential election widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to preserving democratic institutions, protecting civil liberties, and ensuring that the sacrifices of June 12 heroes remain permanently etched in Nigeria’s national memory.
The honours have been widely viewed as a significant step toward acknowledging the contributions of individuals and groups whose courage and resilience helped restore democratic rule and strengthen Nigeria’s democratic foundations.
Personality in Focus
Prof Favour Ayodele (OFA): The Carpenter of a New Nigeria and the 2027 Political Reset Agenda
By Theresa Moses
As Nigeria gradually builds momentum toward the 2027 general elections, the political atmosphere is once again filled with familiar uncertainties; rising public frustration, economic strain, insecurity, and a growing demand for leaders who can move beyond promises into measurable national repair.
In the middle of this unfolding national conversation is Prof. Oluwamuyiwa Favour Ayodele (OFA), popularly known as “The Carpenter”, a presidential aspirant who has declared his intention to run for President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
His emergence is not framed as a routine political ambition. Instead, OFA positions himself as a system disruptor: someone who believes Nigeria is not merely in need of policy adjustment, but of structural reconstruction.
In his framing, Nigeria is a nation battling deep institutional fatigue: a struggling power sector, widening inequality, youth unemployment, insecurity, and a trust deficit between citizens and the state. His campaign narrative insists that these issues are not isolated problems, but interconnected failures requiring coordinated national rebuilding.
A POLITICAL IDENTITY BUILT AROUND RECONSTRUCTION
Prof. Oluwamuyiwa Favour Ayodele’s branding as “The Carpenter” is symbolic. It reflects his central argument that Nigeria’s governance system has suffered structural damage over time and must be rebuilt from the foundation rather than patched at the surface.
Rather than positioning himself within traditional political alignments, he presents himself as an alternative voice driven by urgency, reform, and what he describes as a moral responsibility to restore national dignity.
His declaration statement emphasizes accountability, anti-corruption, youth inclusion, and national renewal; framed around the belief that leadership must directly reflect the lived realities of citizens.
WHY SUPPORTERS BELIEVE OFA REPRESENTS A DIFFERENT PATH
Supporters of Prof. Oluwamuyiwa Favour Ayodele’s candidacy argue that his emergence is significant not because he fits into the political establishment, but because he challenges its assumptions. They point to several reasons they believe he offers a credible alternative direction for Nigeria:
1. A Direct Focus on Nigeria’s Core Failure: Power
At the center of his Governance, Electricity and Transformation (GET) agenda is electricity reform. OFA argues that Nigeria’s development stagnation is fundamentally tied to unreliable power supply. Without stable electricity, he insists, industrial growth, education reform, healthcare improvement, and job creation remain structurally constrained.
For supporters, this focus is important because it identifies one of Nigeria’s most persistent national bottlenecks as a central governance priority rather than a secondary concern.
2. Crisis-Responsive Leadership Framing
Prof. Oluwamuyiwa Favour Ayodele’s political messaging is rooted in Nigeria’s lived realities:poverty, insecurity, inflation, unemployment, and declining public trust.
His supporters argue that his appeal lies in consistently connecting governance to everyday survival challenges, rather than abstract political promises. In their view, he frames leadership as an urgent response mechanism to national distress.
3. Anti-Establishment Positioning
A defining feature of his political identity is his outsider stance. He positions himself outside entrenched political networks, arguing that Nigeria’s long-standing governance challenges are partly sustained by recycled leadership structures.
Supporters see this as an advantage in a system where political continuity has often been criticized for limiting innovation, accountability, and reform momentum.
4. Youth and Grassroots Mobilization Strategy
With Nigeria’s population dominated by young people, Prof. Oluwamuyiwa Favour Ayodele’s movement structure; through platforms such as the Carpenter Movement Worldwide and allied civic initiatives, emphasizes youth engagement, participation, and political consciousness.
Supporters argue that this approach is critical in a country where young citizens form the majority but often feel excluded from decision-making processes.
5. Moral and Accountability-Based Leadership Narrative
Prof. Oluwamuyiwa Favour Ayodele consistently frames governance as a moral responsibility. His messaging emphasizes transparency, equality before the law, and leadership accountability.
In a political environment where public trust in institutions has weakened, his supporters argue that moral clarity in leadership is itself a necessary political correction.
THE BROADER NATIONAL CONTEXT
Nigeria today stands at a crossroads defined by economic pressure, insecurity, infrastructure deficits, and rising public dissatisfaction. These realities are shaping a political climate where citizens are increasingly evaluating candidates not only by party affiliation, but by perceived authenticity, clarity of vision, and responsiveness to national realities.
In this environment, Prof. Oluwamuyiwa Favour Ayodele’s emergence reflects a broader shift in political expectations; where movement-driven narratives, rather than traditional party structures, are gaining attention.
A CANDIDACY DEFINED BY DISRUPTION
What distinguishes Prof. Oluwamuyiwa Favour Ayodele’s political identity is not just his promises, but his positioning: as a builder entering a broken system, not to preserve it, but to reconstruct it.
His rhetoric leans heavily on urgency, reform, and national rebirth. Whether this translates into broad electoral success remains uncertain, but his presence adds a new layer to Nigeria’s evolving political conversation.
As 2027 approaches, one reality is already clear: Prof. Favour Ayodele has positioned himself as a candidate determined to disrupt conventional politics and push a narrative of accountability, reform, and national rebirth.
And in a nation searching for direction, challengers often reshape the debate itself.
Personality in Focus
Prophet Isaiah Macwealth @45: A Tribute to a Visionary Leader, Kingdom Reformer, and Father to Nations
The Africa Division, Gospel Pillars Ministry on behalf of its leadership, partners, sons, daughters, and well-wishers across the African continent, has felicitated with its spiritual leader, Prophet Isaiah Macwealth, as he turns 45.
In a statement signed by management of the Africa Division, the group recognized Prophet Macwealth’s spiritual leadership and acts of humanity for over two decades.
The statement reads in full:
Africa Division joins countless sons, daughters, partners, and well-wishers around the world in celebrating the 45th birthday of our esteemed father, mentor, and spiritual leader, Prophet Isaiah Macwealth.
As he marks this significant milestone, we pause to reflect with profound gratitude on a life dedicated to the advancement of God’s Kingdom, the transformation of lives, and the raising of men and women who are impacting their generation with purpose and excellence.
For over two decades, Prophet Isaiah Macwealth has stood as a beacon of divine wisdom, prophetic accuracy, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to God’s assignment. Through his ministry, countless lives have been restored, destinies redirected, leaders raised, and communities transformed across continents.
His influence extends beyond the pulpit, reaching into the spheres of leadership development, nation-building, mentorship, education, and humanitarian impact. Through his teachings and personal example, he has inspired a generation to pursue God wholeheartedly while excelling in every area of life.
Africa Division expresses its deepest appreciation for his sacrifices, tireless labor, fatherly guidance, and steadfast commitment to nurturing spiritual growth and kingdom excellence across the African continent. We remain eternally grateful for the wisdom, grace, and covering that we continue to enjoy through his leadership.
As we celebrate this remarkable occasion, we honor not only a prophet but a statesman of the Kingdom, a trailblazer of faith, and a father whose life continues to illuminate pathways for many around the world.
We pray that the Almighty God grants him renewed strength, greater grace, increased influence, divine health, and many more years of fruitful service. May the coming years surpass all previous seasons in impact, relevance, and manifestation of God’s purpose for his life.
Happy 45th Birthday, Prophet Isaiah Macwealth.
Your life is a testament to God’s faithfulness, and your legacy continues to shape generations.
