Sir Gabriel Igbinedion built businesses and supported communities
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In Nigeria, Sir Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, born in 1934, built a successful life based on lessons from his mother, who taught him the value of hard work and choosing a moral path.
Igbinedion credited his mother with shaping his character and business practices, advising him to avoid coveting others’ wealth and to be discerning in who he employed. He also prioritised serving both God and people, donating significantly to churches and mosques without seeking personal gain or political office.
Igbinedion extended his influence to family life, raising children with three wives while emphasizing good education, manners, and discipline. He became a pioneering businessman in Nigeria, founding Okada Airlines in 1983, the country’s first private airline. The airline’s name became widely known, eventually entering the Oxford English Dictionary to describe motorcycle taxis common in Nigeria and West Africa.
Beyond business, Igbinedion transformed his hometown of Okada into a city over thirty years, establishing the Igbinedion University and a medical centre to provide education and healthcare. He also provided infrastructure like power and water to support these institutions and the surrounding community, becoming a major employer of professionals despite ending his formal education in secondary school. A new book, Chief GABRIEL OSAWARU IGBINEDION: THE CHRONICLES OF A LEGEND, details his life and achievements.
