Hosa Okunbo: 13 Things You May Not Know About The Late Business Mogul

The death of Edo-born business magnate, Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo has been announced.

The multibillionaire investor and trained commercial pilot died last night (Saturday) 12 months after doctors said he had nine months to live. He was aged 63.

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During his lifetime, Idahosa Wells Okunbo was renowned for his philanthropy.

But who really was Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo?

Here are 13 things you may not have known about the late business mogul.

1. Idahosa (Hosa) Wells Okunbo was born on 7 January 1958.

2. Hosa Okunbo was born in Benin City to the family of Reverend Robert Amos Okunbo, a clergyman, teacher and community leader.

3. Okunbo had his primary education at Government Primary in Benin City, old Bendel State, now Edo State. He proceeded to Federal Government College, Warri, in 1971, where he sat for WAEC.

4. Okunbo pursued a course in aviation at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Centre, Zaria, Kaduna State. He became a professional commercial pilot at the age of 21.

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5. He also attended ACME School of Aeronautics, Fort Worth Texas in 1983, where he obtained an Airline Transport Pilot License.

6. In 1983, at age 25, Okunbo became a professional commercial pilot, and was made a captain.

6. He was a flight captain with Intercontinental Airlines for about two years, then was employed by Okada Airlines for three years.

8. In 1988, he retired from piloting at the age of 30, having logged over 7,000 hours of flight time, and ventured into private business.

9. He served as either chairman or director on numerous company boards in Nigeria, spanning multiple business sectors such as the agro-allied, petroleum, telecommunications, power, real estate and banking industries.

10. Okunbo was the founder and chairman of numerous Nigerian companies including Ocean Marine Solutions Limited, an offshore assets protection company.

11. Hosa Okunbo is the father-in-law of the new Olu of Warri, Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko who is married to his first daughter, Ivie.

12. Before his demise, he made peace with Godwin Obaseki, the current Governor of Edo State, whom he had a faceoff with prior to the 2020 Edo governorship election.

Idahosa and Obaseki before the political friction

13. According to unconfirmed reports,  one of the last wishes of the late Okunbo was that he should be buried anywhere outside Edo State.

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