–Charles Odunukwe, President General, Aka Ikenga

By Christy Anyanwu

Charles Odunukwe is a businessman and the President General of Aka Ikenga, a great Ibo think-tank and socio-cultural organization. The business icon spoke with Sunday Sun about his favourites recently.  Excerpts:

What’s your favourite sport?

Football. I was a footballer and now a football fan. I appreciate most Nigerian clubs and they are doing very well. In the international scene, I support Chelsea in the UK, in Spain; I support Barca, called Barcelona in Spain.

Favourite leader?

Let me take it from the scripture. One person that I admire so much, who later became a leader, was King David. In Africa, I admire Mandela so much for his leadership even though he’s dead. In the United States, I admire George Washington and he’s also dead. In India, I love Indira Ghandi and in Nigeria, hmmm… so far so good, we need someone that really loves the people. I mean someone that would sacrifice for the interest of the people and we are still waiting for such a person.

Favourite book?

I read motivational books.

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Favourite quote?

“The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious”. In order words, the ability to foresee. If we are talking about a country like Nigeria, vis- a-vis other countries in the world, at the time we had the opportunity of selling our oil at very a high price, I thought we could have used that time to transform our great country. We were thinking that the oil boom would continue but it didn’t. At that point, if we had foreseen that this thing might one day drop, what that would mean to us would have been for us to make the best use of the revenue. The same thing applies to individuals and even organizations. Whatever you are doing today, give it your best shot, because that opportunity may not be there anymore. So, many opportunities come everyday and if you are the first to see any and grab it, you would have to make the best use of it before other people will start rushing for it. That is what I am saying.

Favourite holiday spot?

The seaside. It must be a good hotel and by the seaside. Even in Gambia here, most of the good hotels are on the seaside. While you are inside your room you are looking at the Atlantic Ocean.  I have been here several times on holidays.

Favourite food?

I like bitter leaf soup and pounded yam. The soup has to be enriched with stockfish or dry fish.

Favourite colour?

I like black…black suit; I like black safari and my car has to be black.

Fvourite film or TV program?

It has to be an educative film. I don’t watch most of these African Magic programmes, because I don’t learn anything from them.  I like films that would enrich my life and they have to be educative.