The Executive Chairman of XL Africa Group and founder of Centre for Entrepreneurship Knowledge Exchange, Charles Nwodo Jr. has described himself as a vessel of value creation.

In a recent interview he declares that there is a purpose to entrepreneurship, affirming that entrepreneurs should find that purpose and when they do, life becomes a lot more meaningful.

“To be a successful entrepreneur requires something more than what the Nigerian school system prepares you for. The Nigerian school system is designed to just get you certificated. I think of myself as a vessel of value creation.

“I see myself as some part of the transformative impact for the people around me. In XL Africa, we have over 6000 members of staff and every day I wake up I think about these people and how my actions directly affect them. I think about their lives, challenges, ambitions, aspirations and how I can help them. How can the company be more relevant in their lives and how can they become better off because of the company? These are the things that drive me as an entrepreneur,” he says.

He says his vision for XL Africa Group which has subsidiaries like XL Outsourcing,  Xtra Energy Support Services, XL Express & Logistics, FMX Integrated Services, XL Security & Protection Services and Integrated Cash Management Services, is to make his members of staff happy, on and off the job.

“I want to be able to see how we can transfer the company’s prosperity to serve the interests of the individual members of staff. We are working on it and I believe that it is possible. Where there is a will, there is a way. This is especially for those who have served with us through thick and thin. I want to be able to say that it is possible to become rich and successful from legitimate hard work, doing the right thing and dedication. I want to show that this is possible in this clime. This is one of my driving forces in life and my ultimate dream. I want to achieve this in a structured and sustainable manner,” he says.

He also revealed that his passion to extend wealth to everyone around him informed the creation of Centre for Entrepreneurship Knowledge Exchange, where young graduates are trained to take charge of their lives. He said the centre is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) extension of XL Africa Group.

He explains, “The Knowledge Exchange Center provides a three-prong program. We created the GAP Network to provide employability skills for young graduates and get them ready for the labour market. I am excited to announce that we have a 100% success rate, this means that by the end of the course, all our students have job placements,” he said

“The second leg of our program is the Career Workshop. Here, we bring students, employers of labour, government agencies and international organizations to brainstorm on the future of work, the workplace, the skill sets needed, the government’s role and many other things.

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“The third leg is Direct Advocacy, where we interface with government agencies, lawmakers and all other stakeholders connected to the planning and developments of curricula.

When I hear the stories of our participants, and how the course of their lives has changed, I understand the drive, the passion and what keeps people fulfilled other than profit,” he added.

Charles Nwodo was born October 9, 1962 at a place called Nsukka in Enugu State. But he is originally from a town called Ukehe in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.

He started his primary education at Saint Peter’s Primary School, Ukehe in 1970; after the Civil War. Shortly after he started his primary education, his father was rehabilitated into the Nigerian Civil Service, and so his family had to move to Nsukka, hence his primary education was transferred to Central School, Nsukka. Even though he started primary education in 1970, he finished in 1974.

His secondary school was College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu from ‘74 to ‘79. He was admitted into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1980 where he studied Civil Engineering and graduated in 1985. In 1988, he went back to school and got his MBA.

After his MBA, he trained as a Stock Broker and qualified as a Dealing Clerk of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. He practiced stockbroking for some years at a company called M&M Securities, who were dealing members of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, he did that till 1997.

His many awards for excellence and service include Distinguished service award by Rotary International;The Nigerian Economic Summit Group appreciation award; The portfolio of Management by New York Institute of Finance; Member, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers; Member, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; Member, Association of Currency Affairs IACA; Nigeria LNG Ltd Production division safety award to XL Africa Group and Nigeria Economic Summit appreciation award to XL Management Services Ltd.

Vanguard News Nigeria