Agatha Emeadi 

Vincent Chiedu is the CEO of Proadvance Global Concepts Ltd and President, Nigeria Initiative Think Tank (NITT), a Non-Governmental Organisation poised to project Nigeria positively.

In this interview with Sunday Sun, Chiedu spoke on exploits of Nigerians, his experience as an automotive consultant and many more.

What is the focus of the Nigeria Initiative Think Tank?

Too many of us have given up on Nigeria and I discovered that they dwell on negative news from various media between Nigeria and the Diaspora. There are problems here likewise in other countries, including the world powers. The primary focus and drive of my NGO is to highlight the positive side of Nigeria. Nigerians are quite a legendary bunch; we focus on exploits that Nigerians are achieving all over the world. They have achieved much in almost all the various endeavours. This initiative is to recreate the greatness of Nigeria and Nigerians. A lot of people see our greatness, but we do not see it ourselves. We need to take our destiny into our own hand and transform the image of Nigeria once again.

How has it been as an automotive consultant?

Let us not look at spare parts business from the traditional ASPAMDA, Idumota, Ladipo trading system etc. The spare parts business is highly technical beyond what one sees an average trader does. It does not mean they are not doing very well, but if they venture into the essential element of the business, they will do a lot better; because manufacturers of these spare parts actually run it in a very comprehensive and organised data base. Every part has a spare parts number and the same spare parts could be found in several other vehicles. We order them based on the number, and inventory which makes it a lot more efficient in working with the same organised technical number that the manufacturers themselves gave it. That is where we come in, we are more technical, when I worked with the Subaru and Toyota, I oversaw the spare parts department of the operation that I ran. I worked with people who were directly dishing out the spare parts, keeping the inventory and ensured that it was run properly the way it is supposed to be run. Now, we sell spare parts and do not assemble them.

How was the early commitment?

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I was born and raised in Ikoyi. All my formative years took place in Ikoyi.  I attended Corona Schools even as my parents were civil servants. My father was a Mechanical Engineer and a director in the Ministry of Works while my mother was a principal officer in the Ministry of Labour. My mother died while I was in final year in University of Benin and my father died six years later. Their death left me with the responsibility of my six siblings. Being the first, my immediate younger sister and I had to grow up quickly to take the roles of daddy and mummy automatically. Then, we moved from Ikoyi to Satellite town and all of us stuck together like a swarm of bees armed with a primary focus that everyone must graduate and marry legally; it worked perfectly well. My parents were very strong disciplinarians and highly intellectual.

I studied Mechanical Engineering and graduated from University of Benin 30 years ago, but could not get a job. It was a dream of every Mechanical Engineer to work in the oil industry, but it did not work out. I was driving my father’s car around and recognised that I am a Mechanical Engineer, I take the car to mechanic and pay money to fix it and I don’t have a job. I went to meet my father’s mechanic and partnered with him. I was educated and he was not, after few months, it became obvious that he did not have much to teach me anymore. I went to a distant friend who was the managing director of General Motors and told them I wanted to do an apprenticeship, which I did for 18 months. They had a robust training programme as at that time. I opened my own workshop immediately. I provided myself a job for two years, along the line, the technology in cars changed; I went to the United States to study Automobile Technology, when I came back, I joined Toyota, then Subaru, Coscharis and set up my own.

What fond memories of your parents do you have?

My father was an intellectual while my mother was the one who flogged us then. With my mother, we do not go to bed without completing our home work which she would supervise herself.  Both complimented each other in terms of raising us. The Church was a constant habit as members of St. Saviour’s Church then, now Our Saviours Church at Race Course Lagos. The priest then was Rev. Payne, a white man, those were the early commitment then. With my parents travelling to the village in Delta State was a constant part of our development, especially during the festive periods and other times.

Is there any significant difference between Ikoyi then and today?

It is no longer the same, not at all. It has been highly commercialised now with most corners filled with businesses. Then, it was purely residential with a lot of greenery, not congested because we used to ride our bicycles round Ikoyi, no one can do that now.

As someone who traversed between jobs, before setting up your own business, how do you see the ostentatious lifestyle of upcoming youths? 

It brings us back to the Nigeria initiative. There is an initiative that we must champion, propel and propagate in life. With all the things that are going on in Nigeria, children are like empty vessels, so the value they are given from home and society will eventually determine what they will become in future. With all that are happening in the society, there are still very good children in the world today. So sad that there are some bad heads who have seen the wrong side of life too. Nation building is not by accident; Nation do not just get built, people take an initiative, something idealistic, master a plan that says everybody will sign up. Look at the core values of life. We are being drawn into different directions.