By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Engineer Enyinnaya Nwafor is an investor and a philanthropist who has veered into politics and prefers to call himself an accidental politician.

He is the founder of Tunnel End Investment LTD, a conglomerate with interests in real estate, furniture, agriculture, production, construction and hospitality. In this interview, he explains why he vowed to share profit from Tunnel End Group with the society. He also speaks on Entrepreneurship and business development.

Excerpts:

May we know you?

My name is Enyinnaya Nwafor from Mbutu Umuojima Ogbu Village in Osisioma Local Government Area of Abia State. I grew up in Aba where I had my primary and secondary education. My stint at the Seminary school was intentional, it was to expose me to life in its purest form devoid of hypocrisy and pretence.

My age long ambition was to be an Engineer. Engineering because I knew early enough that Engineers are meticulous, pay attention to details, are diligent, work with little or no supervision and above all elaborately conscientious.

So, my parents gave me all the support to enroll at Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) to pursue a course in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Therefore, it is correct to say I am a Certified Engineer with bias in Business Administration, Human Relations Management, Sustainable Quality Management and Imperative Book Keeping

I am married with children. My wife, Dr. Mrs. Kelechi Enyi – Nwafor is a Consultant Anesthetist at the National Hospital Abuja. I am an Anglican.

Did having a politician father influence you?

My father was the late Dr. Chima Nwafor. He made his mark as a diligent surgeon before venturing into politics where he rose to become the Deputy Governor of Abia State.

IT is important to note that my father had established himself as a renowned surgeon before venturing into politics. So, to that extent, we saw a father who approached politics and public service being independent minded, service driven and goal oriented.

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To him, politics was nothing more than a favourite pastime. I had also told myself that before I join politics, I shall have become relatively established and independent minded

My mother Dame Nne Nwafor spent greater part of her life in public service showing herself approved in probity, transparency and accountability. These virtues too influenced my growing up.

What is your exploits in business and entrepreneurship?

Not too long after I left school, I was in a hurry to become a practicing Engineer. I wanted to play in the big league but needed to start small. In 2008, leveraging on family and friends goodwill, we started TUNNEL END with a modest five staff. What we lacked in numerical strength, we gained in purposeful team play, partnership, synergy and introspective thinking. We started sourcing for jobs from federal government agencies and multinational corporations.

Today, from five members of staff in a lowly rated office in Abuja, interested only in construction, we have expanded to Real Estate Management, industrial Furniture, mining and merchandising with additional offices in Ebonyi, Abia, Lagos and Turkey, employing no fewer than 1,215 persons

Many people think TUNNEL END’s major client is Abia State government, is it true?

Well, I do not want to categorise our clients as major and minor. All I can say is, before we had our first job approved by Abia State Government; we had done jobs for TETFUND, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Julius Berger, National Deposit Insurance Company (NDIC) and later Ministry of Defence. When we were doing TETFUND job at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, I realised we didnt have a single job in my home State to our name. So, I felt if reputable Federal Institutions could find us worthy, we need to replicate same in our home State.

When you see this trajectory, you will agree with me that our stint with Abia State Government was to largely offer to own State, those services that distinguished us from the others. Our charity even if it didn’t start at home, should extend to home.

What is TUNNEL END’s relationship with Abia State government?

Very cordial. In relating with Abia State Government, we subsume our corporate self into the real and imaginary challenges of the State government. We take our contracts with them personal. At all times, it is service above corporate self. In all of these, we can’t thank Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu led government enough for offering us the opportunity.

Can we know some of the contracts you have done for Abia State government?

Yes, we pride ourselves as the Group whose roads provided alternative routes to and from Aba when Osisioma became acutely impassable. Our Obikabia/Umuene Road came to the rescue. Some other roads we did are: Adaelu Road, Omnee Road, Obikabia/Umuene Road, MCC/ Samek Rd, Ugwunagbor LGA road (5km), Umuode Road( 5km), Arumejije Rd ( 9.3km) Ntigha Rd, Itukpa Rd, Owerrinta/ Umuojima Rd ( 4km) and Dr Chima Nwafor by world bank police station road.

Some have alleged that you are playing politics with your philanthropy through Each One Aid One Foundation, what is your reaction?

I do not find it convenient discussing about the activities of EACH ONE AID ONE FOUNDATION. The reason is simple, the major philosophy behind that Foundation is to give to the society without counting costs or returns. You may have noticed that we started this “politics” using your word, in 2012. You will agree with me that any gesture you had done for ten years is deliberate and beyond mere smokescreen.

I vowed to share profits from TUNNEL END GROUP with the society. So, as we grow, our interventions also grow. Last year, the Foundation registered 3,000 JAMB candidates. This year, we raised it to 5,000.

If providing life saving surgeries at no cost to many with defective eyes is politics, then I like that kind of politics. If offering non refundable loans to start ups is politics, so let it be. What is politics about providing life grants to Small and Medium Scale Enterpreneurs? What is politics about ensuring that junior cadre civil servants are obliged rich welfare packages, pay school fees for indigent students or perhaps provide shelter over the heads of the poorest of the poor widows?

I have encouraged the administrators of the Foundation to be steadfast in their interventions without let or hindrance.

Why do you describe yourself as an accidental politician?

Accidental is that which happens by accident. I am an Engineer, employer of labour, serial entrepreneur and that person that is transferring my life experience, skill and industry sense to politics. So, when you are not a career politician, you are an Accidental Politician.