He is popularly known within his community and business place as Ukwa but some others chose to call him by one of his numerous titles; ‘Ukwachinaka Ona Agba 1 of Ihetenansa.’
He is a popular socialite who has impacted positively into the lives of many and he is not resting on his oars in doing so.
In this chat with the publisher of SOLIDNEWSNG.COM ONLINE, AZUH LILIAN, Monday Nnamezie Cyracus Akunna who is the executive chairman of Greenfield Estate, CDA, Lagos, speaks about his achievements, many titles among others.
How does it feel being the chairman of Greenfield Estate?
I feel happy. Every day is not a bad day. There are days you wake up and be surprised that people called on phone to praise you, that you are doing well, God bless you and so on. This set of people that appreciate your work, always gives us hope, strength that someone notices and appreciates that I am doing my best for him or her as the chairman of Greenfield Estate. It also makes one popular, especially Greenfield Estate, that is very popular and a big CDA. It opens doors to have a handshake with the governor, commissioners, and local government chairmen will be your friends. If you are an intelligent person, you will have more connections. And being a CDA chairman, will connect you more.
With all your achievements as the chairman of Greenfield Estate, is any street named after you?
Yes, the local government chairman of Isolo 2022, Otunba Bayo Olasoju, was amazed with the tremendous achievement that I have made under the Greenfield Estate, because it is under his own territory, he was happy. There is a road that was too bad, with lots of water; three chairmen have come and gone without doing anything about it. Other chairmen have tried to open up that road but they couldn’t, because the road is like River-Niger. A lot of money has been spent on that road.
During my campaign as the chairman of Greenfield Estate, I was using that as my campaign strategy, that I will open the road in three months’ time, once I emerge as the chairman and exactly three months that I took over as the chairman, I spent more than N70million to open up that road. And why I have the strength to do that is because so many people were happy that I was elected.
Lots of friends donated in the joy of “Ukwa” as the chairman and they believe “Ukwa” don’t take nonsense and “Ukwa” does not tamper with public funds and also that he is a transparent person. So, people donated so much that I now invested most of the money there and finally opened up the road. After six months, the local government chairman came and named that street after me. Presently, in Greenfield Estate, there is a Monday Akunna Street.
Please, tell us what your title, Ukwachinaka means?
My titled names are many, but the most popular amongst them is ‘Ukwachinaka’ because I have taken a title from my town as ‘Ukwachinaka Ona Agba’ of Ihetenansa.
I’m also the Ogbuefi of Greenfield Estate and I have lots of titles.
The title ‘Ukwachinaka’ started in 1998. I served my boss for six years, before I started mine in 1998, with the sum of N120, 000. In December of 1999, a company approached me and we started a business, I was supplying and helping them to do things. There was a generator company in Oshodi of which I was assisting the white men to repair and bring in generators. To cut the story short, I made a lot of money from the business and after my stock taking in 1999, my business was worth N5million. I was super excited, my head was swollen, bursting and I was all smiles, I called my friends and told them that I had arrived. My friends were like what? I said to them that I have arrived again.
I bought a small Volvo car, a second hand Nigerian use at N120,000 and repaired it. I brought my new car to the place where I and my friends were drinking at Ojuelegba. I said to my friends that henceforth they should start addressing me as ‘Ukwachinaka 1’ of Ihitenansa. That was how the name came about.
The meaning of ‘Ukwa’ in English is ‘Breadfruit.’
I have been living with that name anywhere I go. People call me ‘Ukwa.’ And people will say no wonder he’s acting like Ukwa. I noticed that the name suits me, and that’s it.
We have heard so much about you in terms of being a philanthropist, how did that come about?
All my life, I love to give and giving is part of growth. If you are getting, you will be giving and if you don’t give, doors will not open very well. There are some rich people that do not like to give, I guess that was how they were created. In this my level and age in life, I noticed that God has reasons why he created everyone according to their beliefs and doings. I can’t really tell you that at my age, it is only giving that is making me grow. My businesses are doing great, courtesy of God.
