Ibime:

Wole Soyinka






Beko Ransome-Kuti






Gani






Henry Okah





Ken Saro-Wiwa





Chimamanda

nice list

illusion2:

[size=18pt]Role Model : James Onanefe Ibori

Why?: A perfect example ,of how. . .given the enabling environment,a truck driver can become a state governor and an international oil  bunkerer+ political power broker.[/size]

This one is quite funny because It shows how someone vilified by the media can be a hero to @illusion    Unless @illusion was being cynical but I googled the name and:

Double-edged nomination for me.
Gani Fawehinmi, for making the most contributions to the pursuit of human rights and justice in Nigeria.

Then, in terms of professional endeavour, I would go for two: One resident in Nigeria (Fola Adeola, for building the monument to banking excellence known as GT Bank) and the other, a diasporean (did I get that right? ) Kunle Olukotun.
Find out more about him on http://www-hydra.stanford.edu/~kunle/

AjanleKoko:

Double-edged nomination for me.
Gani Fawehinmi, for making the most contributions to the pursuit of human rights and justice in Nigeria.

Then, in terms of professional endeavour, I would go for two: One resident in Nigeria (Fola Adeola, for building the monument to banking excellence known as GT Bank) and the other, a diasporean (did I get that right? ) Kunle Olukotun.
Find out more about him on http://www-hydra.stanford.edu/~kunle/

This is a good one, as a Computer scientist I can honestly tell you that I have never heard of Professor Kunle Olukotun! - I was impressed.  How can Nigerians like this go unnoticed?

                                         

To me, a role model is someone you can follow every step they took in their life time and not go wrong. Hard to find any role model cause even all the people mentioned had taking steps that make me question their roles as a model.

As for me, my grandpa is my role model. He is the one that taught me how to have dual mind, and question my own action instead of indulge in it. My Grandma (on my mum's side)  also is someone any woman can look up to. She sent 7 kids to world class universities all by her self, and doesn't depend on anyone at 80. She's special taught me to believe in change as the only thing constant and to always be ready for change no matter how perfect I think I am.

The youngest of my role models is Bros Onome. A social role model I'll say. He taught me to drive and always put it in my head to always respect women no matter what or who they are.

Don't people have family members or senior friends that said or did things that changed their lives? Why must it be popular people?

Goodnite.

D'Banj

My Father.

He had the opportunities to enrich himself in unlawful ways, but he refused.
Although, i wish he wasnt that rigid jare, cos good people seems to finish last oh, maybe i wld have been a son of a multi

i do not trust any man completely as i believe the complete story is unknown from outside but these three are worthy of some emulation.


Gamaliel Onosode
Atedo Peterside
Cobhams Asuquo

Has to be
Nuhu Ribadau
Nuhu Kwajafa
Cohbams Asoquo
Sanusi lamido
Mrs. Fatima shagari- Saad

My mentors changes with time as I just admire successful people even those younger than me.
I draw inspiration from diverse source and also quite specific -  from dressing, to business, career,
politics, to disposition, even brilliance etc.  I admire Tope Lawani of Helios Investment Partners
and Bamanga Tukur. I will state these 2 for now.

9jaganja:

To me, a role model is someone you can follow every step they took in their life time and not go wrong. Hard to find any role model cause even all the people mentioned had taking steps that make me question their roles as a model.

As for me, my grandpa is my role model. He is the one that taught me how to have dual mind, and question my own action instead of indulge in it. My Grandma (on my mum's side)  also is someone any woman can look up to. She sent 7 kids to world class universities all by her self, and doesn't depend on anyone at 80. She's special taught me to believe in change as the only thing constant and to always be ready for change no matter how perfect I think I am.

The youngest of my role models is Bros Onome. A social role model I'll say. He taught me to drive and always put it in my head to always respect women no matter what or who they are.

Don't people have family members or senior friends that said or did things that changed their lives? Why must it be popular people?

Goodnite.

Of course our relatives are the first point of call but in this case we are referring to Nigerians that have made a national as well as international contribution; not just a contribution to their family.

mbulela:

i do not trust any man completely as i believe the complete story is unknown from outside but these three are worthy of some emulation.


Gamaliel Onosode
Atedo Peterside
Combhams Asuquo

The trust issue is a good point, but nobody is perfect     Having said that this is an unusual list I will check these people out  but in the mean time can you provide some pictures and information on what they have contributed towards Nigeria please

NobiGod:

My mentors changes with time as I just admire successful people even those younger than me.
I draw inspiration from diverse source and also quite specific -  from dressing, to business, career,
politics, to disposition, even brilliance etc.  I admire Tope Lawani of Helios Investment Partners
and Bamanga Tukur. I will state these 2 for now.

It would be nice if the so-called leaders could admire the young Nigerians as well maybe if they did Nigeria would be in better shape today.  Can we have some pictures [/b]and the reason[b]why you admire these individuals, I have never heard of them!

aisha2:

Has to be

Nuhu Kwajafa
Cohbams Asoquo
Mrs. Fatima shagari- Saad

This again is an unusual list can we know Nuhu Ribadau but the others are not so well known. Can we have some pictures, info and the reasonwhy you admire these individuals please

Ibori, Odili,Bode George, Anenih, Ogbulafor, IBJ, Alams, Abacha, and so on.

Aah I forgot Iwu and that famous returning officer in Ekiti

Back to NL Politics sections, after being busy with sallah activities in the village over the last few days. A lot of interesting things had actually gone on while I was away, especially the thread on critical reasoning, which I just saw now, and can't help reading the incisive analyses by a chance team of Nairaland's most informed political analysts, as opposed to news-copying-and-pasting posters.

On the topic at hand, I have said elsewhere on Nairaland in similar topics, that my Nigerian role models are three:

1, FOLA ADEOLA: Founding CEO of GTB and founder of FATE foundation. I chose this man as my role model when I was in my first year in the university. I read about him and chose to tread his path. His corporate governance credentials endeared him to me. He is a core professional with high regard for ethics. He is the man behind the brand GTB boasts of today. With a humble background and an HND from a Polytechnic, Fola broke barriers to become one of Nigeria's most respected CEOs of the time. After leaving the corporate scene(at operational, day-to-day management level), he set up FATE foundation.

2. WALE TINUBU: The CEO of Oando Group. It was sometime around late 2001, the newspapers were awash with a giant stride in Nigeria's home-grown entrepreneurship history. A company called Ocean and Oil, owned by a trio of young Nigerian businessmen which had been operating silently since 1994, dared to acquire Unipetrol, a government-owned oil marketing company put up for sale. The guys did not stop at that, they took over the Nigerian downstream arm of Agip. Enter Oando Plc and welcome the brain behind this daring foray, Wale Tinubu. And the guy was just 34. Wanting to be brief here, I will not debunk beforehand, the claim that he is fronting for some people. The claim is nothing but arrant gibberish. Yes, Wale was a silverspoon, but you need to know him and follow him closely like me to know that he is arguably Nigeria's brightest entrepreneur of his generation. His is a man of vision, a man that is demystifying the conception that multi-nationals cannot have a third-world origin. He hardly makes noise like our Harvard-trained lau-lau entrepreneur that employs people on papers. Let me just stop here because if I go on, I will do a thousand-liner on my man.

3. LAMIDO SANUSI: Former CEO of FBN and now Governor of CBN. Did I hear somebody say Jarus has stirred the hornet's nest again? Yes, it's me and Sanusi again. I have had Sanusi as one of my role models before he became this popular, before most of you knew him, before he became CBN governor. Refer to this thread that was done in March this year, far before Sanusi's name came up as candidate for CBN governorship: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-248924.0.html .
Why did he I choose Sanusi? 1, He is one the folks that demystified my long held perception that Hausa/Fulani folks are dumbheads. First northerner to become GMD of FBN in its over 100 years of existence. Lesson: Irrespective of the backwardness of your people, intellectually, you can stand out and compete with people from the other end. 2, And chiefly, I admire his having time and being knowledgeable enough outside his primary field, to contribute to national socio-political discourse despite his being a top banker that is ordinarily having meant to overtly neutral, politically. He is wide read and has a good grasp of history, philosophy and politics apart from his primary field of economics and banking.


Am I following their footsteps?
Trying to. Professionally, still meandering between going Fola Adeola way(work your way to top CEO of a company you are not necessarily the owner and become a personality brand, an institution) or Wale Tinubu way(with little resources probably from family or savings, start something local, dare, take a bold step, and go global). To the extent of ignoring one's corporate personalities, at times, and openly contributing to national discourse(in newspapers), I'm already on Sanusi path, which is only coincidental anyway, as I had been doing that even before I knew him. I only found encouragement in him. But I doubt if I can be wide-read in philosophy, politics and history as him, much as I would love to. Maybe, when I temporarily hang this morning-to-midnight corporate job and go back to school.

Nice write-up Jarus I like the way you gave the reason for these people being role models. It was refreshing to hear how you intend to 'attempt' to replicate their success in your own way, with your God given talent. I could feel the energy and admiration beaming out of every pixel on my screen.

Jarus:

Back to NL Politics sections, after being busy with sallah activities in the village over the last few days. A lot of interesting things had actually gone on while I was away, especially the thread on critical reasoning, which I just saw now, and can't help reading the incisive analyses by a chance team of Nairaland's most informed political analysts, as opposed to news-copying-and-pasting posters.

On the topic at hand, I have said elsewhere on Nairaland in similar topics, that my Nigerian role models are three:

1, FOLA ADEOLA: Founding CEO of GTB and founder of FATE foundation. I chose this man as my role model when I was in my first year in the university. I read about him and chose to tread his path. His corporate governance credentials endeared him to me. He is core professional with high regard for ethics. He is the man behind the brand GTB boasts of today. With a humble background and an HND from a Polytechnic, Fola broke barriers to become one of Nigeria's most respected CEOs of the time. After leaving the corporate scene(at operational, day-to-day management level), he set up FATE foundation.

2. WALE TINUBU: The CEO of Oando Group. It was sometime around late 2001, the newspapers were awash with a giant stride in Nigeria's home-grown entrepreneurship history. A company called Ocean and Oil, owned by a trio of young Nigerian businessmen which had been operating silently since 1994, dared to acquire Unipetrol, a government-owned oil marketing company put up for sale. The guys did not stop at that, they took over the Nigerian downstream arm of Agip. Enter Oando Plc and welcome the brain this daring foray, Wale Tinubu. And the guy was just 34. Wanting to be brief here, I will not debunk beforehand, the claim that he is fronting for some people. The claim is nothing but arrant gibberish. Yes, Wale was a silverspoon, but you need to know him and follow him closely like me to know that he is arguably Nigeria's brightest entrepreneur of his generation. His is a man of vision, a man that is demystifying the conception that multi-nationals cannot have a third-world origin. He hardly makes noise like our Harvard-trained lau-lau entrepreneur that employs people on papers. Let me just stop here because if I go on, I will do a thousand-liner on my man.

3. LAMIDO SANUSI: Former CEO of FBN and now Governor of CBN. Did I ask somebody say Jarus has stirred the hornet's nest again? Yes, it's me and Sanusi again. I have had Sanusi as one of my role models before he became this popular, before most of you knew him, before he became CBN governor. Refer to this thread that was done in March this year, far before Sanusi's name came up as candidate for CBN governorship: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-248924.0.html .
Why did he I choose Sanusi? 1, He is one the folks that demystified my long held perception that Hausa/Fulani folks are dumbheads. First northerner to become GMD of FBN in its over 100 years of existence. Lesson: Irrespective of the backwardness of your people, intellectually, you can stand out and compete with people from the other end. 2, And chiefly, I admire his having time and being knowledgeable enough outside his primary field, to contribute to national socio-political discourse despite his being a top banker that is ordinarily having meant to overtly neutral, politically. He is wide read and has a good grasp of history, philosophy and politics apart from his primary field of economics and banking.


Am I following their footsteps?
Trying to. Professionally, still meandering between going Fola Adeola way(work your way to top CEO of a company you are not necessarily the owner and become a personality brand, an institution) or Wale Tinubu way(with little resources probably from family or savings, start something local, dare, take a bold step, and go global). To the extent of ignoring one's corporate personalities, at times, and openly contributing to national discourse(in newspapers), I'm already on Sanusi path, which is only coincidental anyway, as I had been doing that even before I knew him. I only found encouragement in him. But I doubt if I can be wide-read in philosophy, politics and history as him, much as I would love to. Maybe, when I temporarily hang this morning-to-midnight corporate job and go back to school.

Hey Jarus, i love your write up. . . and how you are trying to emulate the successes of your role models into your own life. It has given me some food for thought too about how i can do the same in my life, when thinking about my own role models.

You have given me a fresh breath of determination.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Wole Soyinka

Felaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

transformR:

It would be nice if the so-called leaders could admire the young Nigerians as well maybe if they did Nigeria would be in better shape today.  Can we have some pictures [/b]and the reason[b]why you admire these individuals, I have never heard of them!


This again is an unusual list can we know Nuhu Ribadau but the others are not so well known. Can we have some pictures, info and the reasonwhy you admire these individuals please

Ok.
Nuhu Kwajafa, is my partner and runs an NGO. Together in the last 3 years we have raised over N30,000,000 and saved the lives of over 30 children from poor homes. Most recently, Benjamin the boy with cancer of the face . He has also given 17 orphanages Libraries and currently has 425 children on scholarship. Every month his food collection feeds 10,000 in 17 orphanages
Fatima Shagari Saad. My Mnetor, got me involved in developmental work. Today, Kano State ie Almajiri free because of her work in harmonizing Western and Islamic Education. She also implemented and sourced Funding for a project to provide mobile ambulances for pregnant women in Jigawa State, before now, Jigawa had the highest rate of Maternal Mortality in Nigeria. She also hosted and engineered the current Kick out malria Campaign.
Just a few of their work.

I have two role models.

(1) My parents, they are my super role models. They did their best to get some education as they could within the time they were born.  They married when my mother was just 18 and my father 21, despite my father coming from reasonably financially secured family and my mother from a very relatively obscure/poor background, they took no hand out from anyone.
My father later became the youngest member of the Eastern house of assembly in the 60s and one of the first indigenous auto parts dealers in Africa (Nigeria-Gabon-Congo)
When the war broke out, my father despite his comfort and his background went to fight to defend our dignity and encourage us to do so if we wanted and we did. When the war ended, my parents lost three houses in Port Harcourt and later recovered two in 1981 with the help of Sam Mbakwe and Melford Okilo (his former schoolmate).

Despite having more than half a million Nigerian/Biafra pounds in the Bank, Awolowo and those he was representing, confiscated all his money and gave them 20 pounds to start again with five children and legions of dependants.  They did, as within six years after outfield war ended, they had become property owners to the same very people that seize their hard-earned wealth.  By the year 1981, their Auto business had earned the sole CITREON franchise for Nigeria and Cameroon until the evil Babangida came to power and destroy it once again.

They are hardworking, honest people that earn everything they got through their sweat and use of their brains and not thieving from the public purse or maximizing public office for personal gain. As my heroes, I have seen them both in plenty and in want and witnessed how they handled it, I have witness their shortcomings and imperfections at first hand. And they thought me the value of hardwork and not cutting corners and finally they thought me that wherever I am or whatever anyone say I am an Igboman first before anything else. And I have continue to see that wisdom.

(2) My second hero is His Excellency Emeka Ojukwu, the first leader of Biafra people. Just like my father left his grand privilege behind to fight and defend his people and lost billions in the process. He was not an armchair war leader, he will send you where he will first send himself and I can testify to that when he fought with me and my battalion in Ogoja/Obudu, as it became a day I will never forget in my life, until the day I will go.

In the world were people always think about their stomach, Ikemba has shown that there are men who can be different. He has foresight, though his detractors will shamelessly never agree.  He has principles and stand by them whether it is good or bad. That is how a true role model is measured

tanimz:

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Wole Soyinka

Felaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Can you kindly tell us why these people inspire you please. Although these 3 individuals are legends it would be nice to hear what they mean to you personally

I'm very sorry to ask o, Mr Eziachi, pls can you give us an idéa about your age?

Eziachi:

I have two role models.

(1) My parents, they are my super role models. They did their best to get some education as they could within the time they were born. They married when my mother was just 18 and my father 21, despite my father coming from reasonably financially secured family and my mother from a very relatively obscure/poor background, they took no hand out from anyone.
My father later became the youngest member of the Eastern house of assembly 60s and one of the first indigenous auto parts dealers in Africa (Nigeria-Gabon-Congo)
When the war broke out, my father despite his comfort and his background went to fight to defend our dignity and encourage us to do so if we wanted and we did. When the war ended, my parents lost three houses in Port Harcourt and later recovered two in 1981 with the help of Sam Mbakwe and Melford Okilo (his former schoolmate).

Despite having more than half a million Nigerian/Biafra pounds in the Bank, Awolowo and those he was representing, confiscated all his money and gave them 20 pounds to start again with five children and legions of dependants. They did, as within six years after outfield war ended, they had become property owners to the same very people that seize their hard-earned wealth. By the year 1981, their Auto business had earned the sole CITREON franchise for Nigeria and Cameroon until the evil Babangida came to power and destroy it once again.

They are hardworking, honest people that earn everything they got through their sweat and use of their brains and not thieving from the public purse or maximizing public office for personal gain. As my heroes, I have seen them both in plenty and in want and witnessed how they handled it, I have witness their shortcomings and imperfections at first hand. And they thought me the value of hardwork and not cutting corners and finally they thought me that wherever I am or whatever anyone say I am an Igboman first before anything else. And I have continue to see that wisdom.

(2) My second hero is His Excellency Emeka Ojukwu, the first leader of Biafra people. Just like my father left his grand privilege behind to fight and defend his people and lost billions in the process. He was not an armchair war leader, he will send you where he will first send himself and I can testify to that when he fought with me and my battalion in Ogoja/Obudu, as it became a day I will never forget in my life, until the day I will go.

In the world were people always think about their stomach, Ikemba has shown that there are men who can be different. He has foresight, though his detractors will shamelessly never agree. He has principles and stand by them whether it is good or bad. That is how a true role model is measured

I love this write-up, its unbelievable that people who participated in Biafra are on this forum - phew! I know you wrote that from the heart, I'm speechless at this present moment.

aisha2:

Ok.
Nuhu Kwajafa, is my partner and runs an NGO. Together in the last 3 years we have raised over N30,000,000 and saved the lives of over 30 children from poor homes. Most recently, Benjamin the boy with cancer of the face . He has also given 17 orphanages Libraries and currently has 425 children on scholarship. Every month his food collection feeds 10,000 in 17 orphanages
Fatima Shagari Saad. My Mnetor, got me involved in developmental work. Today, Kano State ie Almajiri free because of her work in harmonizing Western and Islamic Education. She also implemented and sourced Funding for a project to provide mobile ambulances for pregnant women in Jigawa State, before now, Jigawa had the highest rate of Maternal Mortality in Nigeria. She also hosted and engineered the current Kick out malria Campaign.
Just a few of their work.

Interesting, I envy you because I would love to do what you are doing one day, its incredibly rewarding to help the needy. You're role models are an unsung hero and heroin. Just out of interest is Fatima Shagari Saad related to Alhaji Sheu Shagari the former Nigerian president?

Jarus:

I'm very sorry to ask o, Mr Eziachi, pls can you give us an idéa about your age?

You can easily work it out. I was 18 when the war broke out. After the war, I was one of the fortunate few Biafran kids the red cross/Carita ferried to America and Britain to preserve what was remain. Seven years later I was a qualified othorpaedic surgeon in the U.K till today, married with a son who is also now a surgeon and an adopted daughter from Ethiopia, working as a news producer with Al Jazeera. I worked with the BBC for years and currently back into medicine as a consultant at the King's College Hospital London. .

Jarus, as much as i like your infectious enthusiasm, you come across as a tabloid journalist atimes.
the way you just rule out the criticisms of Wale Tinubu's success is arrant and impatient.
statements like the bolded phrase below are extremely misleading.
i know you are not ignorant.you know better than this.

Wale Tinubu way(with little resources probably from family or savings, start something local, dare, take a bold step, and go global)

Eziachi:

You can easily work it out. I was 18 when the war broke out. After the war, I was one of the fortunate few Biafran kids the red cross/Carita ferried to America and Britain to preserve what was remain. Seven years later I was a qualified othorpaedic surgeon in the U.K till today, married with a son who is also now a surgeon and an adopted daughter from Ethiopia, working as a news producer with Al Jazeera. I worked with the BBC for years and currently back into medicine as a consultant at the King's College Hospital London. .

WOW!! If there is any God/god at all, he/she/it must really have been sooooo very good to you, am very happy for you. It shall be permanent. Well, you just inspired me someway!!!

Eziachi:

You can easily work it out. I was 18 when the war broke out. After the war, I was one of the fortunate few Biafran kids the red cross/Carita ferried to America and Britain to preserve what was remain. Seven years later I was a qualified othorpaedic surgeon in the U.K till today, married with a son who is also now a surgeon and an adopted daughter from Ethiopia, working as a news producer with Al Jazeera. I worked with the BBC for years and currently back into medicine as a consultant at the King's College Hospital London. .

Good to know this. Thanks.

mbulela:

Jarus, as much as i like your infectious enthusiasm, you come across as a tabloid journalist atimes.
the way you just rule out the criticisms of Wale Tinubu's success is arrant and impatient.
statements like the bolded phrase below are extremely misleading.
i know you are not ignorant.you know better than this.

Wale Tinubu way(with little resources probably from family or savings, start something local, dare, take a bold step, and go global)

I knew defending Wale Tinubu's success would stir controversy and that was why I quickly pointed it out. Impatient? Maybe I was.
Got no time to write long story on his success story, but a brief summary of how he started could be useful.
Here was a fresh law graduate that was working in his father's law firm, specifically in oil and gas law section, within a couple of years or even less, saw untapped business opportunity in oil and gas, used his initiative to exploit the opportunity, sold his, I think, car, to finance the small business(or used it as collateral to borrow, can't remember), cleared a section of his father's garage and used as office, invited two other friends, all under 25. And today, less than 20 years after, the business that started from a car-garage has turned into a multi-billionaire dollar business empire. Yes, Wale Tinubu was a silver-spoon. But it took his ingenuity to build such an empire. His father was just a lawyer, not a businessman. He started the business from scratch, not inherited. And even if you think inheriting wealth or business automatically translates to sustaining, you need to ask the Kola Abiolas. And by the way, Wale never inherited his business, he built it.

I don't know how my statement 'Wale Tinubu way(with little resources probably from family or savings, start something local, dare, take a bold step, and go global)' is misleading. Building criticism on the fact that he is from an OK family, as most of his critics say, to me, doesn't hold water. I don't even bother debating with people that say he's fronting for some people. Some people have even said Oando means Obasanjo and Others. Nigerians are quick to dismiss every successful businessman, nay people, as dirty and corner-cutters, not bordering to know the story behind their success. It took access to priviledged reading, specifically 'A review of Africa's Top 50 Entrepreneurs', and an interview in The Financial Times, to have informed information on Wale's success history. Count me out of ass-licking, as Nairalanders used to say.

And FYI, I'm not a journalist, not to talk of a tabloid one.

It used to be Sanusi, now it's Wale Tinubu, I'm done.

aisha2:

Ok.
Nuhu Kwajafa, is my partner and runs an NGO.

Aishatu,you and Nuhu sha

Jarus,
How come all your role models are muslims (at least nominally) 
Are there no christians from Nigeria worthy of emulation? 

illusion2:

Aishatu,you and Nuhu sha

Jarus,
How come all your role models are muslims (at least nominally) 

Never even knew Fola Adeola was a Muslim until recently.
Just a co-incidence!!!!

Are there no christians from Nigeria worthy of emulation?

There definitely are. Plenty. I'm sure Wale Tinubu is not successful because of his religion, neither are SLS and FA. So please leave religion out of it.
I'm a long time defender and admirer of Mike Adenuga, a Christian.

Eziachi:

I have two role models.

(1) My parents, they are my super role models. They did their best to get some education as they could within the time they were born. They married when my mother was just 18 and my father 21, despite my father coming from reasonably financially secured family and my mother from a very relatively obscure/poor background, they took no hand out from anyone.
My father later became the youngest member of the Eastern house of assembly in the 60s and one of the first indigenous auto parts dealers in Africa (Nigeria-Gabon-Congo)
When the war broke out, my father despite his comfort and his background went to fight to defend our dignity and encourage us to do so if we wanted and we did. When the war ended, my parents lost three houses in Port Harcourt and later recovered two in 1981 with the help of Sam Mbakwe and Melford Okilo (his former schoolmate).

Despite having more than half a million Nigerian/Biafra pounds in the Bank, Awolowo and those he was representing, confiscated all his money and gave them 20 pounds to start again with five children and legions of dependants. They did, as within six years after outfield war ended, they had become property owners to the same very people that seize their hard-earned wealth. By the year 1981, their Auto business had earned the sole CITREON franchise for Nigeria and Cameroon until the evil Babangida came to power and destroy it once again.

They are hardworking, honest people that earn everything they got through their sweat and use of their brains and not thieving from the public purse or maximizing public office for personal gain. As my heroes, I have seen them both in plenty and in want and witnessed how they handled it, I have witness their shortcomings and imperfections at first hand. And they thought me the value of hardwork and not cutting corners and finally they thought me that wherever I am or whatever anyone say I am an Igboman first before anything else. And I have continue to see that wisdom.

(2) My second hero is His Excellency Emeka Ojukwu, the first leader of Biafra people. Just like my father left his grand privilege behind to fight and defend his people and lost billions in the process. He was not an armchair war leader, he will send you where he will first send himself and I can testify to that when he fought with me and my battalion in Ogoja/Obudu, as it became a day I will never forget in my life, until the day I will go.

In the world were people always think about their stomach, Ikemba has shown that there are men who can be different. He has foresight, though his detractors will shamelessly never agree. He has principles and stand by them whether it is good or bad. That is how a true role model is measured

I love this. The never say die spirit of the Ndigbos.

Eziachi:

You can easily work it out. I was 18 when the war broke out. After the war, I was one of the fortunate few Biafran kids the red cross/Carita ferried to America and Britain to preserve what was remain. Seven years later I was a qualified othorpaedic surgeon in the U.K till today, married with a son who is also now a surgeon and an adopted daughter from Ethiopia, working as a news producer with Al Jazeera. I worked with the BBC for years and currently back into medicine as a consultant at the King's College Hospital London. .

And the success story continues====================*^{goes down on her knee}, _{prays the success story continues 4ever*}

illusion2:

Aishatu,you and Nuhu sha

Jarus,
How come all your role models are muslims (at least nominally) 
Are there no christians from Nigeria worthy of emulation? 

Am not a moslem and neither are they all. Nuhu is a Christain. Its not about religion these are people that directly affect my profession

transformR:

Interesting, I envy you because I would love to do what you are doing one day, its incredibly rewarding to help the needy. You're role models are an unsung hero and heroin. Just out of interest is Fatima Shagari Saad related to Alhaji Sheu Shagari the former Nigerian president?

She was his daugther in law, she lost her husband Alh. Abdularaman Shagari in that Belview air crash, she just had a baby and her husband was going to see his new baby when he entered the ill fated belview plane