Back in Goodluck Jonathan days, he was the cock of the walk, the ruler of the roost and the major domo in the pantheon of deep pockets. On account of his financial liquidity, he was a primus inter pares, one of the top guys in Jonathan’s privileged circuit.
Few men are indeed generously endowed like Capt. Hosa Okunbo. It is hard to remain anonymous when you are sitting on a fortune in the range of millions of dollars. If your lifestyle does not betray you, your loyalists would, even when gagged, in a moment of self-adulation.
A naturally self-effacing gentleman who would rather his work speaks for him. That is why men are talking about him excitedly while women drool excitably and gesticulate animatedly while describing him. That’s the magical effect Hosa has on people. The most impressive aspect of his ascendancy to the top is the manner in which he attains and perpetuates self-actualisation; like a champ.
Very few celebrities are that way. As they say in England, he is up for it; that means up for pretty much any fun you can think of.
According to TheLight, Capt. Hosa has initiated a $750 million farm project with an initial investment of $300 million targeted at creating 25,000 direct and 60,000 indirect jobs in Edo State.
Unveiling the project in a presentation to Governor Adams Oshiomhole in Benin City, the state capital, Capt. Okunbo, explained that it has been his dream vision to go into such mega agricultural project. Okunbo, who introduced his Technical and Financial partners from the San Carlos Group in Mexico, explained that the farm, located at Odighi and Odiguetue in Ovia North East Local Government Area, has already taken off with an $11 million on a 20-hectare Green House vegetables farm. The products are to be exported.
He said: “I want to present to you what I call my vision, my legacy, something that I have been nurturing in the last four to five years.
“Why this is very important to me is, as a pilot I conquered my profession at the age of 30 and I left. I went into shipping. With over 60 vessels, I have conquered the sea.
“Now, I want to conquer the land before the land takes me.”
According to the presentation, the farm is expected to produce cash and arable crops such as cocoa, pineapples, pawpaw and banana.
Other products are live stock, including cattle, poultry and piggery, just as it will also engaged in the production of tilapia – all targeted at export and meeting local protein and milk requirement.
The farm also has plan for Agro Industrial Park and Airstrip to evacuate products to Europe and elsewhere.
Responding, Oshiomhole commended Okunbo for the initiative and expressed his delight at the project, saying “one way to help our communities is how to create jobs”.
“The objective of Wells Farm complements the Federal Government’s policy on food security and jobs creation. I think you are on the right path and I am excited that you come from this state.
“Our government is committed to supporting you. Capt, you can take that for granted. I am also happy to note from your presentation that it is a diversified farm.”
Calling for encouragement of local investors, the governor explained that Edo State was planning to create a one-stop desk on issues relating to agriculture.
He told the Mexican partners that despite the country’s challenges, returns on investment in Nigeria were higher than elsewhere.
