The Executive Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, has stated that the traditional Igbo entrepreneurial model must undergo strategic reform rather than abandonment if it is to stay competitive in today’s global market.
Delivering a convocation address at the Alfa Belgore Hall of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Prof. Okonkwo addressed an audience of academics, industry stakeholders, and graduates, noting that while core attributes like individual initiative and self-reliance remain foundational, the overarching system requires modernization.
As part of his strategic blueprint for recalibrating the enterprise model, Prof. Okonkwo proposed updating the historic Igbo apprenticeship scheme (Igba-Boi) to ensure modern trainees gain expertise in digital commerce, financial technology, data analytics, artificial intelligence, business management, intellectual property, and export protocols while retaining its practical, mentor-based foundation.
He also urged business owners to move past counterproductive rivalries in favor of operational partnerships, pointing to joint commercial efforts within the aviation sector, such as the alignment between United Nigeria Airlines and Air Peace, as a practical reference for building capacity and scale.
Furthermore, Okonkwo called for direct structural exchanges between tertiary institutions and informal commercial hubs to convert academic research into commercial ventures, alongside establishing firm quality assurance standards and packaging practices to meet international regulatory requirements.
To ensure long-term viability, he emphasized that indigenous firms must open leadership channels to younger innovators, integrate modern technology, and maintain ongoing educational cycles to keep local commercial hubs dynamic.
Journalists Faheem Lawal and Kelvin Osa Okunbor reported on the address, which took place during the university’s convocation ceremonies in Ado-Ekiti.
