MAMAH, H.R.H Igwe James Ogbonna

Date of Birth: Friday (Afo) 14'"April, 1944 State of Origin: Enugu Local Government Area: Igbo-eze North Village/Town: Umuozzi Enugu Ezike Contact Address: Umuozzi House, Ugbaike EnuguEzike Igbo-eze North, Enugu State. ^f« HRH Igwe James Ogbonna Mamah, JP, MFR was born on Friday (Alb) 14"' April 1944. Although heistoday a Royal Father andawealthy industrialist, he has a humble beginning and has consequently decided nolto allow anyonesuffer deprivation when thereare people like him around whocould help. He hails from Umuozzi Autonomous Community inAmaeze, Ugbaike, Enugu-Ezike North Local Government Area of Enugu State. Education St Anthony's Primary School Ugbaike Enugu Ezike, FirstSchool Leaving Certificate (FSLC)Credit 1959 Gained admission to St,Augustine's College Onitsha 1959 but could not take it updueto lack of*sponsors. Determined to take private tuition to improve his education Elder Brother Mr. Patrick Mamah kept the young James and trained him Did some private study on Motor Fleet Administration under J.J. Wilthelm and Dr. Servais in Brazil, 1982 Hon PhD University ofNigeria Nsukka 2006 Work Experience This is a story of hardshipand struggle that was eventually crownedwithsuccess. • Served briefly asa houseboy toMr Gabriel Broderick and later lied to Sapele in 1961 asa result ofthe outbreak of small pox in Onitsha. • Gotemployed in manual labour in Sapeleas Olu lgedu Igbo or Water Boy Went back to Onitsha in 1962 and took up the jobof truck pushing, with his own truck bought with his money saved from the manual job he did in Sapele. • Bought more trucks and engaged in renting out some ofthe trucks. In 1962. he became a Conductor, motor boy andan apprentice driver with MrBenedict Abba ol" Ugbaike In 1963, heobtained a full Driver's License. He was assigned a vehicle asa driver in Michael Okoli's Company. He bought his first mini-bus at One Hundred and Two Pounds in 1965 and it was the first carrier ofthe Trade Name IFESINA CHIADINMA on May 3rd, 1965. He thought ol'the risks and hazards involved in transport business and came out with one sharp conclusion, that things take the course ofdestiny.- 1FESI NA CHI ' hence the company was named Ifesinachi. • From 1965 1967, Jamesincompany of Martin Odo, a motor spare parts dealer, bought fleet ol" five vehicles intheirjoint business but the Nigeria/Biafra War of 1967 1970 took lhcbetterlollofthe lorries andtheassets and liabilities ol'the company were shared in 1970 at the end ol'the war. In 1970, James refurbished his vandalized Mini bus and bought a Mercedes Benz 911 Lorry at£900 and decided toextend his motor transport business beyond Ose and Ochanja routes in Onitsha to Lagos route with the new "Awara Awara' the Igbo name I'or Mercedes Benz Lorry 911 at the time. In 1974, Mr James bought another Mercedes Benz 911 from Leventis Motors Ltd at £ 1.500. • From 1974 1977,the fleet ofMercedesBenz 911 lorry rose to ten. During the period, Leventis Motors had registeredJamesOgbonnaMamah of Ife Sina Chi Transport Nigeria Ltd as one ofits major customers. • He surprised the business community ofOnitsha when a new brand ofnew Mercedes Benz 0362 Luxury Bus was acquired by his company. Within a space often years, Mr, James Ogbonna Mamah has purchased a good number ofvehicles thereby establishing many branches throughout the major cities in Nigeria. BusinessExpansion and Diversification • Diversified into Oil Business including The Ifesinachi Petroleum ( IFE PET) Limited. This was started in 1982 at Obollo Afor in Enugu State and by March 1984, Ife Pet Ltd lifted its first Petroleum Product from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC) Depot at Emene Enugu • He established the Jamesongigye Vegetable Oil Nigeria Ltd on March 19, 1993 • IFEX Limited an express delivery Courier Service established in 1988. It is a sister company to Ife Si Na Chi Industries Ltd. The Ifex Ltd has within a short time grown into an International Express Delivery, Courier Service Outfit and maintains an impressive and efficient collection points throughout Nigeria and Overseas. • TheWholeNineYardsCyber Cafe Limitedand IfeSina Chi MassTransitCompanies are among the viable investments ofIgweMamah. Community Development • Asa core philanthropist, IgweJ. O. Mamah, has distinguished himself inthe Community development and welfare ofthe downtrodden. • Heisthe founder and chieffinancier of Community HighSchool, formerlyTechnical School, Ugbaike • Given moraland financial support to Igbo-eze TeacherTraining College • Moraland Financial Support to University Secondary School, UniversityofNigeria Nsukka • Inrecentpast,hadgiven financialsupportto Faculties ofEngineering, UniversitiesofNigeriaNsukkaandEnuguStateUniversityofScience and Technology and Institute ofManagement and Technology Enugu • He made these donations to demonstrate his interest in Engineering, Fabrications and Constructions. • Constructed a multi-million Naira Resort Centre for the UniversityofNigeriaAlumni Association ( UNAA) • Hehas as well financed the Faculty of Agriculture ,University ofNigeria Nsukka • Hesetup Rural Water Supply forthepeople of Ugbaike and Enugu Ezike which wascommissioned in 1987 byAirCommodore Emeka Omeruah (Rtd) the then Military Governor ofAnambra State. • He haddonea loton the RoadConstruction Projectand Maintenance Serviceswhich he carries out yearly in Ugbaikeand EnuguEzike Communities. • He ploughed inalotofmoney fortherural electrification tothetune of 14. 8million Naira to seethecompletion andcommissioning ofthe project • Heisasportsloverandhasdonated trophies andmoney toschools andclubs. • Heisthehighest donor toAnambra Stadium Appeal Fund andtotheBetter Life for Women Programme inEnugu State. IgweJ.O. Mamah asaTraditional Royal Father The Community called J.O. Mamah to ascend to the throne of the historic town of Umuozzi Community and he humbly answered the call as an invitation to greater service to his people and to the Nation. He is today HRH Igwe James Ogbonna Mamah. In this position, he has continued his extensivework ofcommunity development unabated. HasimprovedSocio-culturalsituations Formedthe Oche Ozzi VigilanteGroup (OVG) Formedand restructured the Umuozzi Community Union (U.C.U.) Establishment of Umuozzi Community Bank (UCB) Ltd Development of theNew Eke-OzziMarket HewastheFirstDeputy Chairman of StateCouncil ofTraditional Rulers Chairman of Nsukka Zonal Council ofTraditional Rulers Chairman /Member, EnuguStateCouncilofTraditionalRulers Honours and Accolades Has received several awards and honours. Prominent among them are: MemberoftheOrderofthe FederalRepublic bythe Presidentofhiscountry ChieftaincyTitleof EkwuemeIof Ugbaike 1985 Ohabuenyi Iof Umuozzi which qualified him as the Traditional Rulerof Umuozzi Autonomous Community 1988 Recognized by the Government of Old Anambra State ofNigeria lo the Igweship Position 1989 Nigeria Road Safety Commission Award Winners for Safety Transporters ofthe Year 1990 University ofNigeriaAlumni Association UNAA 1990 Award Winner Nigeria Television Authority NTA 1990 Award for Excellence in Business and Management Nigerian Conservation Foundation NCF 1990 Award Winner Nigerian Union ofJournalists LifePatron and 1991 Award Winner Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Award and Best Transporterofthe Year 1991 Nigerian Union ofJournalist andBestTransporters ofthe Year 1992 FirstPatron, CentreforAmericanStudies(CAST)University ofNigeria Nsukka,Nigeria 1999 • University ofNigeria Distinguished Alumni Development Award. 2001 Ilonoured again by the President ofthe Federal Republic ofNigeria with Member ol* Federal Republic MFR 1Ion Doctor ofBusiness Administration PhD by the University ofNigeria Nsukka 2006 with Citation that was described by the University Orator as most excellentFrom Truck Pusher to a Millionaire! • Conferred with an honorary Doctorate Degree (HonorisCausa) in Business Administration by University ofNigeria. 2006. His Royal Highness IgweJames Ogbonna Mamah isan ICON who hasshown thata man of integrity,hard work, honesty, intelligence, resilience can rise from thedust bin to the royal table. This is the typical IgboValues of old. he hasthe ancient character traits ol'the ancestors that made them work hard and shunned shut cuts . dishonesty, begging, etc. Ilis life is still a glaring example and model ofhope to all who really want to live like the Igbo Igwe James Ogbonna Mamah is a very good family man. happily married to Grace (Agbedo) 1970 and Patricia (1984) and both marriages are blessed with 12 children, six boys and six girls.