By Goje Okamgba
With Christopher Ezeafulukwe, Group General Counsel
Head, Business Development Transcorp Plc.
- What inspires you?
Love and Leadership. Honestly, love is so amazing. The support, respect and magic it brings can never be fully comprehended. Leadership is awesome. The spirit of selflessness and sacrifice that goes with it can be so inspirational.
2. How do you unwind?
I watch football, I play table-tennis and I listen to music.
3. Best book read?
Now this is tough for me. It depends on what aspect of life we are looking at. I will say:
- The 5 Levels of Leadership by John Maxwell.
However, If you don’t mind please, two other books that have greatly impacted my life are:
- “If you want to be rich and happy don’t go to school” by Robert Kiyosaki ;
- and “Take the Risk” by Ben Carson.
4. Best film watched?
Hmm! Another challenging one here.
As a child, the film “the Raid on Entebbe” helped play a significant role in my life. The precision with which the Israelis carried out the 90 minute rescue operation at Entebbe helped in shaping my perfectionist approach to things in my adult life.
As a legal mind, the film “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” leads the way for me, and as a Christian and family man, the film “War Room” is an Oscar nominee any day, any time.
5. Favorite football club or any other sport that strikes your fancy?
Arsenal for life. At home, Rangers International Football Club. I love table-tennis (ping pong) and always treasure any opportunity to play the game, though it is so tough these days to find the time.
6. Most Embarrassing moment ever experienced?
Lol! Hmm, it is the day I acted what I always refer to as my own version of the Nigerian comedy, Osuofia in London.
Back then, as a student I had gone to a Houston police station to report the theft of the back wind shield of my car, which I parked on campus. As a police officer came to inspect the car, he noticed from the registration number that I was a new owner of the car. He confirmed that, by chatting me up and making me share my experience with him on how sweet the car has been since I bought it.
He then rubbed his hands at the edges of the borders of the “stolen” wind shield and asked me for the car keys. I gave it to him. He went into the car and punched one or two buttons. All of a sudden the “stolen” windshield started rolling up and got fully rolled up to its position. A nice officer he was, he came down from the car, tapped me on the back, gave me my car key and said in a naughty way, “Hey Bro, you got your windshield back, you’re good to go, enjoy your ride”!
7. Happiest moment ever experienced
The first day I carried my princess, my daughter, Kosisochukwu, in my hands.
8. What is family to you?
Irreplaceable. That wonderful but often neglected constituency that accepts you for who you are and is ever ready to receive and continue to love you even when the other constituencies in your life reject you.
9. Turn ons
Humility
10. Turn offs
Arrogance
Great guy! When my people say that ‘afa onye n’eso ya’, they had Chris in mind. He is every inch an Eze that anyi fulu kwe completely.
Nice post. The Osuofia in London part, too hilarious!