Ifeanyichukwu Patrick Ubah: An Amazing Story Of Pure Determination And Grit

~ From Nwa Boi to a Law Graduate of Baze University, Abuja.

~ Grace Broke all Protocols and Prepared the Young and Energetic Idea-Bearer for a Life of Service to His People.

“We can actually create a regional economic integration without the help of Government; all we need to do is think out of the box”
– Senator Dr. Patrick Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.

As the Nigerian civil war came to an end on January 15, 1970 then Nigeria’s President, General Yakubu Gowon made the following statement: “The tragic chapter of violence is just ended. We are at the dawn of national reconciliation. Once again, we have an opportunity to build a new nation. My dear compatriots, we must pay homage to the fallen, to the heroes who have made the supreme sacrifice that we may be able to build a nation, great in justice, fair trade, and industry.”

It is common knowledge, especially with the aid of hindsight, that the above assertions were a mere lip service, as the average Igbo families were left to restart from the scratch, the process of rebuilding their lives – and with a mere pittance.

It was during that era, precisely on September 3, 1971 that Nnewi town (the same birthplace of Biafran Leader, Dim Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu) ushered into the world a child who at his baptism in the Catholic church got named Ifeanyichukwu Patrick. Little did his poor parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alphonsus Ubah (both teachers) know that a messiah of sorts and indeed a special breed just joined the family.

The young and energetic Ifeanyi, with “dada” (the common parlance for dreadlocks in Igbo land) from childhood, immediately started exhibiting signs of being a real maverick through sundry actions while growing up in the commercial town of Nnewi.

Young Ifeanyi, in exhibition of his trademark ‘outside the box’ mindset even as a youngster, sensationally informed his father of his decision to drop out of school in search of economic emancipation for the family. Given the poor and lowly status of the family, his father had little choice than to accede to his young son’s request. Little did both father and son know that it was destiny that was beckoning on the child prodigy !

Ifeanyi then joined the now famous Igbo apprenticeship system (lgba boi), a model that Ndi lgbo successfully used to break the setback and chain of poverty occasioned especially by the Nigerian Civil War to retake their pride of place as the commercial warriors of the nation.

This decision gave rise to a chain of events that saw young Ifeanyi transverse several countries from his base at Enuowa Market in Lagos State where he sold tyres. These included Ghana, Congo and South Africa, to name a few. It was not long before fortune smiled on young Ifeanyi, as he easily found favour with God and man and became super-rich even beyond his wildest dreams. Thus at a fairly young age of 36 years, Ifeanyi had already bought his first private jet through dint of hard work.

The decision to return to the classroom as a billionaire stunned many of his admirers. For many, there was nothing else to prove. But not for Ifeanyi. His relentless thirst for knowledge was all the push that he needed to fulfill this dream. It was a defining moment that epitomizes this special trait in the young trader who soon became a FORBES rated billionaire and global business mogul but refused to rest on his oars.

Ladies and gentlemen, as the prestigious Baze University held its convocation today, I present to you Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyichukwu Ubah (Nwa Onye Nkuzi), a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a global business mogul, a successful entrepreneur, a law graduate of this leading citadel of learning, a graduate of several business certificate courses, a participant at sundry local and international conferences, a graduate of the President Management Program at Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA, to name a few!

The distinguished Senator who recently clocked 50 has since rededicated his life to the service of humanity by embarking on many legacy projects and human capital development interventions.

“Nothing stops ideas anchored on human capital development.”