Five years after his passing, the memory of Captain Idahosa “Hosa” Wells Okunbo has been immortalized in stone, glass and greenhouses. In a solemn yet celebratory gathering at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, Iganmu, the children of the late billionaire philanthropist and investor unveiled the Captain Idahosa Wells Living Museum, a monument not merely to a man but to a philosophy of resilience, generosity and institutional stewardship.
The museum sits on the same 27-hectare high-tech hydroponic farm that Captain Hosa built during his lifetime, and remains one of the largest greenhouse agricultural initiatives in West Africa. It was formally unveiled by Her Royal Majesty, Olori Atuwatse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom and Founder of Elevate Africa, who also introduced the ceremony’s keynote speaker. The unveiling marked the emotional climax of a day-long commemoration that drew Nigeria’s political elite, international statespersons, family and friends to reflect on what it means to leave a legacy that outlasts a lifetime.
Speaking on behalf of the Okunbo children, Olori Atuwatse III relayed the family’s tribute to their father. “My father was a blessing that God gave to the world,” the tribute read. “Those of us who knew him knew him to be remarkable. But it was after his passing that we realised what a treasure lived amongst us. If my father lived another life, he would be a teacher, because his life taught us lessons on resilience and generosity, of true nobility and hard work. So when we asked ourselves how best to honour him, we thought to build him something that would keep his memory alive. We wanted to build something that would help the next generation aspire to become. Captain Hosa was too special to let the sands of time wash away his memory. It serves as a reminder that a truly great tree once walked in the forest of humanity.”
Designed as a “living” institution, the museum is part memorial, part educational archive and part working agricultural showcase. Family members expressed hope that Captain Hosa’s grandchildren, and generations yet unborn, would walk through its doors and encounter what an enigma Captain Hosa Okunbo was.
Delivering opening remarks on behalf of the Idahosa Okunbo family, Osahon Okunbo captured the private grief behind the public monument. “Losing our father was the hardest thing we have ever been through. We were all left without our anchor, our leader, our captain,” he said, recalling his father’s final charge, delivered in four words that became the family’s guiding mission: “Keep the family together.” “Staying together is not what happens by default. It is a decision, made again and again, by people who are grieving, who are tired and who do not always agree. We made that decision, and we are still making it, only by the grace of God,” he remarked.
The family chose not to let the fifth anniversary pass quietly. “Five years is long enough that you have to decide what to do with the day. You can let it pass quietly, or you can use it. We chose to use it,” Osahon said. That choice resulted in more than a building. “We built a museum on his farm, where he now rests, and we invited people who have led at the highest levels to come and speak about leadership, legacy and what a man truly leaves behind. That is what today is — not simply a memorial, but a conversation,” he added.
Among the dignitaries in attendance was His Excellency, Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun, CON, Executive Governor of Ogun State, whose presence underscored the standing Captain Hosa commanded across Nigeria’s political establishment. The intellectual heart of the ceremony, however, was delivered by Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former President of the Republic of Liberia, who also serves as President of the African First Ladies Initiative. Introduced by Olori Atuwatse III, Sirleaf delivered a keynote address that set the stage for a panel discussion titled “The Responsibility of Leadership: Shaping Institutions and Generations.”
Moderated by Stephanie Busari, the Emmy, Gracie and Peabody Award-winning journalist and media executive, the panel featured ‘Dapo Ogewole, Secretary General of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL) and Chairman of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative (LMI); Sarah Fafa Kpodo, Chief State Attorney at the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, Republic of Ghana; and Maryam Bukar Hassan, poet, spoken word artist and the first UN Global Advocate for Peace and Security. Their conversation wove together the themes of governance, intergenerational responsibility and the architecture of enduring institutions — themes that defined Captain Hosa’s own approach to business and philanthropy.
When asked what their father left behind, the Okunbo children do not point to companies or properties. “I point to the fact that we still call each other. That we still gather. That there is still a house,” Osahon said. “He built that before he built anything else. And he built it to outlast him.”
The Captain Idahosa Wells Living Museum now stands as the physical manifestation of that belief. On a farm that remains a benchmark for agricultural enterprise in the region, the museum ensures that the lessons of Captain Hosa’s life — his pivot from the cockpit to the boardroom, his commitment to agriculture and youth empowerment, his devotion to family — remain accessible to scholars, leaders and the simply curious for generations to come.
Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo may have left the cockpit and the boardroom, but five years on, and now enshrined in the museum that bears his name, his impact endures.
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Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.
