I started transportation business at 21 with my father’s Peugeot 404 car –GU Okeke, Chairman, GUO Motors

Chief Dr. (Sir) Godwin Ubaka Okeke, popularly known as GUO, is the Chairman, Board of Directors, GU Okeke & Sons Ltd; Chairman, Board of Directors, GU Okeke Transport Services Company Ltd; Chairman, Board of Directors, Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company Limited (ANAMMCO); Chairman, Board of Directors, Varaman Industries Ltd; Member, Board of Directors, Bhojsons Ltd; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Godwin & Patricia Okeke Foundation, and Member, Anambra State Security Advisory Council.

He said that at the age of 21, immediately after the civil war, he started transportation business with his father’s car, 404 Peugeot, from Onitsha to Enugu, which helped him to save money to buy his first vehicle for the business that has placed him where he is today..

In this interview with Daily Sun, he spoke on the economy, business and sundry issues including, Nigerian politics, youth empowerment and leadership, among others.

Growing up

It was fine with a lot of challenges. I am the sixth male child of my parents. I am the sixth of eight children. It was tough growing up, but I found myself helping out in bringing up my younger ones. Apart from being the sixth, I have two others, one female and another male. I was just like taking care of them, helping out in the cooking and every other thing, although it helped me a lot, because even at this old age, I can still prepare food for myself in the absence of my wife and every other grown up in the house. It was a good experience.

Starting transportation business

You see, in my family we have never done transport business, and at the end of the war, I have told you that, the training I had with Man O’ War gave me the courage of moving into certain areas without being afraid of anything at the end of the war.

So, on the second day the war ended, we trekked with some of my brothers, from Adazi Ani to Nnewi on foot, which is about 10 to 12 kilometres away from my hometown. We trekked to Nnewi, saw one or two things, came back, saw some of the military checkpoints; nobody molested us.

They would just search you and if you were not having any arms, and you were not having anything with you, they let you go. So we went to Nnewi, no molestation, came back to Adazi, no molestation, and I now said, oh, it is true that the war has ended, having seen fierce looking northern troupes on the road without harming anybody, so that gave me encouragement.

So, the following day, I asked my parents to let me go to Onitsha and see if our building and property were safe, and they said okay, and gave me their Peugeot 404 vehicle and I drove down to Onitsha because during the war, I also got myself Biafran driving license, because we also helped the military in one way or the other.

Read full interview at: https://www.efogator.com/2019/08/chairman-guo-transport-services.html