Remembering Chief Augustine Ilodibe, pathfinder of Nigeria’s transport sector

His memory remains evergreen, his legacy bears testimony to a young boy, who was determined to turn every obstacle on his way into opportunity.

He was the son of a produce trader in Aba, Abia State that was struggling to make ends meet; so, Chief Ilodibe was not born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth. However, by dint of hard work, diligence and tenacity, he put and is still putting silver spoons in the mouths of numerous people even in death.

His growing up was spiky, as fate dealt a crushing blow on him in 1942, when his father and breadwinner of the family died. He was barely 10 years old, and it seemed as if the entire world had cascaded on the family.

Thereafter, the young Augustine found refuge and guidance under the wing of his uncle, Chief J.C Ulasi, an influential transport magnate. However, fate released another blow, as his uncle passed away leaving him adrift once more.

However, when his mother, Eunice noticed the spark in him and his doggedness to confront and overcome any obstacle on his march to success, she took him to the then Parish Priest of the Roman Catholic Mission, Nnewi, Rev. Father Kettle in 1946 and he lived with him until 1950, when he completed his primary education. The Catholic priest was so impressed with Augustine’s character and zeal that he gave him 35 pounds to support his ambition to be an automobile spare parts dealer. He specially blessed him with the money and prayed for his success in whatever he did.

Armed with a mere ₤35 and a little saving he had made as seed capital, he moved to Onitsha and became an apprentice under a motor spare parts dealer, Mr. D.C Chukwujekwu. He later opened his own spare parts shop before delving into the transport business.

Initially, he operated his new transport business alongside his motor spare parts venture. But, he was quick to realise that the road transport business demanded absolute devotion and concentration. He was compelled by this discovery to wind up the motor spare parts business to concentrate fully on road transport. As a result of the success he achieved with the first lorry, he purchased a second one three months after, and subsequently expanding his fleet.

He bought his first vehicle, an Austin lorry from SCOA Motors in 1955.
However, it was the purchase of an inter-city Mercedes-Benz bus from Leventis Motors years later that blazed the trail of today’s luxury bus transportation. With the firm, Ekene Dili Chukwu, later becoming most preferred and most popular long distance passenger transport operator in Nigeria.

Ekene Dili Chukwu Motors became the first interstate transport service with offices in most cities. They transported both humans and goods across states. The company’s name rose above all similar businesses.

After independence, the firm introduced Peugeot 404 salon cars for faster transportation between the Eastern Region and Lagos. The firm also began buying Benz trucks from Leventis Group, the new distributor of the brand in the country. The Nigeria-Biafra internecine war had its toll on the company, as his trucks were forcefully taken over by Biafran forces to prosecute the war. After the war, he recovered a few trucks, and trudge on back to the top.

Through perseverance and tenacity, he built the Ekene Dili Chukwu Group of Companies into an empire. From a fleet of over 150 Mercedes Benz trailers and lorries for nationwide haulage to a vast array of luxury buses for intercity travel, his impact on the transportation industry remains unparalleled. His collaborations with prestigious international entities and government appointments validate his legacy as a visionary entrepreneur.

With his perseverance and integrity, he garnered recognition from industry giants. Leventis Motors Ltd acknowledged his exceptional record, appointing him as an authorised dealer for a wide range of vehicles, including Mercedes-Benz trucks and cars, Renault cars, and Honda motorcycles. His business ventures continued to expand as he established partnerships with international entities, fostering growth and innovation within the industry.

He quest for success calls more success, as in 1976, he embarked on a ground-breaking partnership with West German company Emil Doll KG, focusing on the construction of trailer bodies, tanks, and various steel structures, which also led to his appointment, as a distributor of Mercedes Benz vehicles by the Federal Government of Nigeria, solidifying his position as the giant player in the automotive sector.

In 1977, the Nigerian government appointed him the distributor of Mercedes Benz vehicles, representing Daimler Benz of West Germany and Mercedes Benz Do-Brasil under the umbrella of Ekene Dili Chukwu Motors Ltd.

In 1980, Ekene Dili Chukwu Motors Ltd became a major distributor for ANAMMCO (Anambra Motor Manufacturing Co. Ltd, Enugu), further establishing him as a force to be reckoned with in the industry.
He was not only an inspiration to many transporters, who joined the business later, but was highly respected, among his colleagues, and as a patron of the Luxury Bus Owners Association of Nigeria (LUBOAN, known today, as Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBION), he was referred and his counsel always sought.

Chief Augustine Ejikemen Ilodibe’s legacy continues to inspire generations of entrepreneurs, showcasing the transformative power of determination, hard work, and a relentless pursuit of one’s dreams. His journey serves as a testament to the heights that can be achieved through unwavering dedication and a resolute vision.

Like a little acorn, the Ekene Dili Chukwu transport business that started with a lorry grew to become a cedar, and has a pie in every sector of the Nigerian economy, including, real estate, manufacturing, steel and farming.

In 1982, he was inducted as a Fellow of Transport Institute of UK, and in 1989, awarded Honorary Doctorate Degree by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Chief Ilodibe was both a philanthropist and a humanitarian. He loved and served people.
His humility and kindness were unparalleled. In fact, most of his philanthropic and humanitarian services were unknown to his immediate and larger family.

His philanthropic activities and humanitarian services, which came to light, were inevitable, as he could not hide them. These include: A scholarship fund he endowed in perpetuity from which many people have been trained and are still being trained; the post graduate school building he built for university of Nigeria; the guest house he also built for the same university; he built Rev. Fr. Kettle’s Memorial Hall (a storey building) at St. Joseph’s Church premises; he contributed immensely towards the construction of Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu; Catholic Secretariat, Nnewi; St. Stephen’s Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos; and contributed to the then Anambra State Education and Technology Fund. He donated ambulance to Iyienu General Hospital, Ogidi in Anambra State. These are just few that could be remembered.

His business empire has fed thousands of mouths by way of direct and indirect employment and positively touched many lives.

His social life was spectacular; he was a pillar of the People’s Club of Nigeria.
The death of the business mogul closed a very significant chapter in the annals of road transportation in Nigeria.

He was a caring and loving husband and father. He married Catherine in 1957and their credo of, ‘forever together’, saw both of them dying the same month of July, five years apart.

For a better society

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