Obiora Obianodo: Reveals Of How The Father Built His ‘The Young Shall Grow’ Transport Empire
Obiora Obianodo is the son of a transport billionaire Chief Vincent Obianodo Reveals How He Built His ‘The Young Shall Grow’ Transport Empire
The name Vincent Obianodo may not ring a bell to you instantly. But that of his business surely does. He is the owner of The Young Shall Grow, one of the leading long distance (Luxurious transport Company) in Nigeria. He owns a fleet of over 500 luxurious buses plying major cities in Nigeria and even the West Coast. So visible are his buses that you are bound to see one on every major long distance route you take. Although he is also into other business, he ranks among one of the richest transporters in Nigeria.
The story of this wealthy business man is quite an inspiring one as he started from a very humble beginning way back in the Northern part of Nigeria where he spent most of his teenage years. Chief Vincent Obianodo hails from Umueze Nneni, Anambra State. Married to Ifeoma, the union is blessed with 5 kids. He is the largest employer of Ndi Neni and a great philanthropist. He is the brain behind YSG group of Companies, a wholly owned private Nigerian conglomerate comprising of viable subsidiaries in the Transport, Hospitality, Real Estate, Oil & Gas, Dredging & Quarry, and Rural Market Development Sectors.
[b]The parent Company, Young Shall Grow Motors Transport Limited was found in 1972 by the Chairman, Chief Dr.Vincent Amaechi Obianodo MON (Member Order of the Niger), a business Mogul with a Midas Touch. He is the Chairman of YSG Transport, Rockview hotels, YSG Dredging, Vineegas, Vineeoil, and YSG properties. He was the co-owner of Cellcom Telecoms, a Fixed CDMA Telecommunication Company which was later sold to Visafone in 2006. He has provided mass employement in the rural areas, and also invested enormously in Rural Market Development by building and subletting shops and stores. One of such notable edifice is the ultra modern urban market in Onitsha located opposite famous Onitsha main market in Eastern part of Nigeria which is presently the biggest market in West Africa with about 3,000 shops, ware houses and banking hall, (Land mass 10 acres) managed by YSG properties Ltd, a real estate company as well as a rural and urban market development company. His first son Obiora Obianodo who got married recently is now the Managing Director of the conglomerate. He is the present Managing Director of YSG Transport Ltd, Rockview Hotels, YSG Dredging Ltd, YSG Properties Ltd, YSG Travellers’Lodge Ltd, Vineegas Ltd and VineeOil Ltd.[/b]
Vincent lived most of his early years in Kano where he worked hard to make ends meet as a young and hardworking youngman. Among the numerous menial jobs he did, one that he allegedly became popular with was his ability to repair punctured Tyre. He was said to have been a vulcaniser for a long periiod of time before he developed interest in transport business. He started from the scratch in the business, as he was alleged to have been a bus conductor also before his dogged determination and diligence saw him setting up his own Inter State transport business which has today become one of the biggest in Africa. He commenced business in 1972 as a mini-bus Transport operator plying Enugu-Onitsha in the East -Central state of Nigeria. By 1973, the company moved its main operational base from Onitsha to Lagos and expanded into urban commuter bus business which Blossomed from a fleet of two (2) locally built Mercedes Benz 911 buses to over 40 within a period of seven (7) years.
Young Shall Grow Transport launched in Inter-State passenger conveyance services in 1978 with a new Brazilian made Mercedes Benz 0362 Luxury bus which operated along Lagos -Onitsha -Owerri route. Today, he owns over 150 luxury buses which transverses all sections of Nigeria.With its Head Office in the following cities: Ibadan in the West, Abuja, Kano, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Jos and Yola in the North and Onitsha, Neni, Enugu, Owerri, Aba, Umuahia, Uyo and Calabar in the Eastern part of Nigeria. Today Young Shall Grow Motors Transport now convey passengers to West African countries such as Ghana, Cote d’ Voire (Ivory Coast), Benin Republic, Mali, and Burkina faso.
In his hometown, Nneni Anambra State, he has bagged many Chieftancy titles on account of his dignified personality and generous contribution towards the growth of the community. His palatial mansion which is heavily guarded with security is simply a sight to behold. He has also provided employment opportunity to a lot of indigenes in his hometown. —
Credit:VIVIAN ONUORAH
