By Chinenye Anuforo
The staff of Young Shall Grow (YSG) Motors Limited, founded by Chief Vincent Amaechi Obianodo, threw him a surprise birthday party to celebrate his 74th birthday on August 10, 2021.
The billionaire, widely acknowledged as one of the biggest road transporters in the country, was overwhelmed by the kind gesture from his employees and business associates.
At the event, which held at his Lagos office in Satellite Town, the septuagenarian said he felt great clocking 74, adding that he fgave all the glory to God almighty who made it possible.
At the event, representatives of his different companies commended him for his exemplary leadership and prayed for more years to be added to him.
“We pray that God will preserve you for us, sir, because you are not only our boss but also a father to us. You have impacted our lives positively in one way or the other and we appreciate you for that,” one of the staff said.
Other staff also showered encomiums on him.
Some of his business associates present at the event commended him for impacting positively on them. One of them pointed out that Chief Obianodo’s life was a living testimony of the goodness of God, and prayed for a long, healthy life for him and also praised him for being one of the biggest employers of labour in Nigeria.
The elated YSG chairman thanked his staff and associates for celebrating him.
He also advised them to be diligent in their work, noting that hard work pays. He urged his staff not to compromise in their duties for the betterment of the company.
Obianodo is an indigene of Umueze village, Neni, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Talking briefly about himself, he said, after the completion of his first school leaving certificate in 1963, he underwent apprenticeship as a tyre dealer’s, from 1964 to 1966, in Kano with his elder brother, Chief Mike Obianodo (Ichie Ezeani Akuluouno).
In 1970, immediately after the civil war, he commenced as a tyre retailer and repairer and, through hardwork and diligence, he was able to raise capital to venture into his dream business of road transportation. Although he worked with a road transportation company before he kicked off his company, which he registerd in 1972. His first vehicle was a Ford mini bus that he operated under the pet name, “The Young Shall Grow.”
From his humble beginnings, Chief Vincent nurtured his company into a transportation colossus with the largest luxury bus fleet in West Africa. As the company grew, he divested into other sectors of the economy, giving birth to successful companies, among which are Rockview Hotels, a trusted hospitality brand with five branches across Lagos, Owerri and Abuja; Vinee Gas Nigeria Limited, an LPG (cooking gas) company with five branches across Lagos, Nassarawa, Onitsha and Abuja.