I Pioneered The Recognition of Igbo Apprenticeship System by Harvard Business School”- Chief Chidolue, MD/CEO of Chelsea Group.

I Pioneered The Recognition of Igbo Apprenticeship System by Harvard Business School- Chief Chidolue, MD/CEO of Chelsea Group.

Chief Patrick Chidolue, a prominent Igbo serial entrepreneur, MD/CEO of Chelsea Group has an extensive educational background and a wealth of experience spanning over three decades in various sectors. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Lagos Business School (2001), a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Abuja (2006-2013), and a Diploma in Law (1994-1995).

In a recent interview with media personality Rev. Innocent Chukwudi-Peace Udochukwu, Chief Chidolue, affectionately known as Nnabuenyi by his peers, highlighted his pivotal presentation at Base University on the Igbo Apprenticeship System, which garnered interest from the prestigious Harvard Business Review.

Described as a people-oriented leader, Chief Chidolue is known for his ability to instill discipline, foster teamwork, and allocate responsibilities effectively. His overarching mission is to spearhead infrastructure development conducive to economic growth and manufacturing.

As the CEO of Chelsea Group of companies, Chief Patrick Chidolue boasts a diverse portfolio encompassing telecommunications, real estate, electronics, hospitality, education, construction, power, information technology, furniture, health, manufacturing, oil and gas, industrial and agricultural development, and humanitarian services.

Chief Chidolue’s entrepreneurial journey began humbly in 1978 as an apprentice patent medicine store manager, where his managerial acumen quickly gained recognition. Over the years, he ventured into various businesses, including electronics retail, real estate, and importation, demonstrating remarkable growth and success.

Noteworthy milestones include the establishment of Patnasonic Industries Limited and the founding of Cell Communication Limited, later known as Visafone, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.

Chief Chidolue’s commitment to community development is evident in his efforts to reopen Alaba International Market and his contributions to infrastructure and security, including the establishment of police stations and vehicles procurement.

Deeply rooted in his Catholic faith, Chief Chidolue has actively promoted spiritual well-being, exemplified by his involvement in building St. Patrick’s Church in Alaba.

Furthermore, his advocacy for education and meritocracy led to initiatives such as evening law programs and the reopening of Alaba International Market, demonstrating his dedication to fighting tribalism and promoting merit-based opportunities.

Chief Chidolue’s entrepreneurial ventures extend beyond telecommunications and real estate to include Chelsea Group’s subsidiaries such as Patnasonic Industries Limited, Chelsea Hotels Limited, Chelsea Technologies Limited, Imo Chelsea Industrial Park Limited, Chidol Properties Limited, Chelsea Agric Limited, and Chelsea Farms Limited.

Through these ventures, Chief Chidolue aims to drive industrialization, agricultural development, and technological innovation, ultimately contributing to Nigeria’s socio-economic growth and empowerment of its citizens.

Harvard Business School’s endorsement of the Igbo Apprenticeship System [IAS] marks a significant milestone in recognizing the innovative business practices of the Igbo community in Nigeria.

The IAS is a centuries-old entrepreneurial model characterized by apprenticeship, mentorship, and hands-on learning in various trades and industries.

Chief Chidolue’s pioneering efforts to introduce this system to Harvard Business School have garnered attention for its effectiveness in fostering economic growth, skills development, and community empowerment.

This endorsement underscores the importance of indigenous knowledge and traditional business models in global business education and highlights the potential for cross-cultural learning and collaboration in the field of entrepreneurship.

CHELSEA GROUP CHAIRMAN’S RICH AND INTIMIDATING RESUME

MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 2001 Lagos Business School BACHELOR DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE 2006 – 2013 (University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria) DIPLOMA IN LAW 1994 – 1995 (Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria) DIPLOMA IN PURCHASING & SUPPLY MANAGEMENT 1992 – 1993 (University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State, Nigeria.) A systematic manager of people, who instills discipline and governs with love and care, putting the right people in the right job with motivation and support to achieve the best value in the service of God and man.

MISSION To build infrastructure that will enable growth and manufacturing Patrick Chidolue,Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Chelsea Group of companies is a veteran professional businessman with over thirty (30) years experience in local and international business ranging from Telecommunication, Estate, Electronics, Hospitality, Education, Construction, Power, Information Technology (IT), Furniture, Health, Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Industrial and Agricultural Development and Humanitarian services. •

Chief Patrick T. Chidolue, Chairman Chelsea Group is an astute executive, started his business managerial career as an apprentice patent medicine store Manager in 1978 at the age of 15 years.

Discovering the managerial potentials of young Patrick Chidolue, he was elevated above four seniors by Mr. Gabriel Emenike Adinson, the owner of the shop and was made the shop Manager of one of his shops located at Eke Abagana in Anambra State.

The business increased to four(4) folds within Six (6) months of his appointment as the shop Manager. • By 1980, he started his first business as a record store owner that provides public addressing system at Abagana in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Within Six (6) months, this business had developed into electronics and record store providing electronic appliances like radio, fans, music system, television, public addressing system etc to people living within Njikoka Local Government Area.

The business which was started with One Thousand Naira (N1,000) had grown into a Six Thousand Naira (N6,000) enterprise within Six (6) months. • Young Chidolue knows that his growth no matter how rapid has its limit in Abagana and relocated to Lagos in 1981.

His electronics business in Alaba market grew very fast that he immediately incorporated his two younger brothers as his first apprentices.

By that same year, he secured his first property in Lagos and provided electricity infrastructure to the entire neighborhood.

For providing By 1982, Chief Patrick T. Chidolue’s business in Alaba market had grown into a strong business outfit that employed the services of over ten (10) people and the business was registered as PatyJoy Nigeria Limited with block G7 as the head office and three branches within Alaba.

It was also this same year that he started importation of electronics from London and distributing it to traders for a resale. • Chidolue ventured into real estate as part of his official business in 1983.

It was also this year that he incorporated Patnasonic Industries Limited as a limited liability company with head office first at No. 7 Chidolue Street and later moved to a two-storey office complex at 144 Olojo Drive, Ojo, Lagos State.

The various developments that young Chidolue attracted to and participated in Ojo area made the Olojo Chieftaincy family to confer a Chieftaincy on him as Otongboluga of Ojo meaning “the light of Ojo”.

By this same year, Patnasonic Industries Limited had employed Two Hundred and Fifty-Six (256) workers with branches in Aba, Onitsha and Lagos Island and Ojo. • The first factory was built in 1983/84 to process cane for export to Singapore.

It was also this year that he appreciated most the value of education and decided that above everything, he must educate himself to the highest level of education. He enrolled into Awori College Ojo, Lagos State.

One remarkable thing that happened was that shortly after his enrolment, he employed most of his teachers in his company which head office is opposite the college. • At the inception of PatyJoy Nigeria Limited, a significant but special business of filmmaking was initiated by sponsoring the first film on Biafran war. That business today became Nigeria Nollywood.

Because Igbo’s are good in copying any good venture, many of his colleagues copied his film making strategy and today it has become Nigeria Nollywood an industry that has employed a lot of people and earned the country high foreign exchange.

5 • Pat. Chidolue (PatyJoy) as he is fondly called discovered importation of electronics from Singapore by 1984/85 as the cheapest source of electronics supply.

Many importers are still exploring this source till today. Again, the company developed Cooperative and Commerce Bank regional office in Alaba an edifice that till today is still one of the best properties in Lagos. • The Chelsea Group chairman Chief Patrick T. Chidolue has natural gift of foresight. He proffers solution to problems.

The difficulties of making International calls either from NET in Marina, Lagos or Airport Hotel, Ikeja in 1986 not only made him to establish an office in Ikeja but to start thinking about private telephone company. It was also in 1986 that Patnasonic Industries Limited commenced training of staff outside Nigeria.

The first staff to be trained in Singapore was Mr. Nnaemeka Agbasi followed by Mr. Emenike Ndulue who was sent to Hong Kong as International business strategy to source goods and services at the world best prices. • In academics, Pat. Chdiolue as a business leader and the first President of Alaba Amalgamated Traders Association decided to enroll into evening Law programme at Lagos State University, Ojo.

This development endeared majority of the Forty Thousand (40,000) member Alaba Traders Association to embrace part time education programmes which has helped not only Igbo traders but majority of Nigerians to alleviate themselves within Ojo Local Government Area. • Other important achievements is the reopening of Alaba International Market which was closed following misinformation to Col. Raji Rasaki, the then Governor of Lagos State by disgruntled people who were jealous of progress of Igbo people in Alaba market.

They advised the then Governor to close the market and relocate it to Epe. It was at this point that the traders approached Chief Chidolue to lead in finding a solution to the problem.

The leadership quality of Chief Chidolue led him to recruit the then Inspector General of Nigerian Police and sold the fiat to him that if only Ten Percent (10%) of the traders turn into Armed Robbers as a result of closure of their means of livelihood that Lagos State will be ungovernable.

He partnered with him and got the market re-opened. As a result, Chief Chidolue built Six (6) Police Stations and bought Five (5) vehicles for the Nigerian Police. 6 • Chief Chidolue as a businessman with Christian faith as a Catholic, encouraged his peers at the early days of Alaba to join hands in building a church for their collective Spiritual wellbeing.

When money was raised and church building was erected, Bishop Okojie changed the name of the church to St Patrick.

Chief Patrick Chidolue’s Patron Saint. He made it clear that it was in recognition of Pat Chidolue’s commitment that he decided to name the church after his Patron Saint. • By 1991, following difficulties in obtaining a phone line and making International calls within Nigeria, he sent a memo with his associates to the then President Ibrahim Babangida for the need for a license for private ownership of telephone company.

By 1993, Babangida’s administration promulgated decree 75 that establishes Nigerian Communication Commission (N.C.C.). By 1996, he incorporated Cell Communication Limited that is now Visafone.

Chief Chidolue has contributed immensely to development of telecommunication in Nigeria. • Following the call by former President Ibrahim Babangida for private companies to join hands with government in development of Abuja and providing offices and accommodations for people in 1989, Chief Chidolue encouraged many of his friends who followed him to commence property development in Abuja.

Today, that request has been met. Chief Chidolue and his allies continued to provide facilities in real estate sector.

This has resulted to the fact that over Sixty Percent (60%) of private offices and housing accommodations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are provided by Igbos. • Having obtained Diploma in Law at Lagos State University, he proceeded to the University of Abuja, Nigeria and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and then went ahead to obtain Master’s in Business Administration in 2001 and further the business studies at the prestigious Spanish Business School IESE. • Chidolue’s interest in service manifested and culminated into vying to represent Ojo Federal Constituency in Lagos State at the Federal House of Representative under UNCP.

He won the election to represent the most populous Federal Constituency in Nigeria of Yoruba extraction to be the first person in Nigeria to achieve such feet. His election in Lagos served dual purpose of: a. Fighting tribalism. and 7 b. Encouraging merit. SUMMARY OF ACHIEVEMENTS • Encouraged the Federal Government to privatize telecommunication in 1990 – 1999. • Founded Visafone then Cellcom Limited in 1999. • Founding President Alaba Amalgamated Traders Association. • First Igbo man to represent Ojo, Lagos Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representative. • Fellow Institute of Chartered Chemist of Nigeria (FICCN) COMPANIES • Chief Chidolue had founded various companies notable amongst which includes: Chelsea Group Limited – The company has successfully completed projects in major parts of the country through its subsidiaries: Patnasonic Industries Limited, Chidol Properties Limited, Chelsea Hotels Limited, Patyjoy Nigeria Limited and others. Chelsea Group Limited is the major shareholding in Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON). Patnasonic Industries Limited – a company that employs over One Thousand Two Hundred Staff (1,200) with presence in Lagos, Abuja and Anambra States.

Patnasonic Industries Limited is involved in real estate development and has developed various houses and projects including the old Chelsea Hotel with SeventyFive (75) rooms and various 5-Star facilities, Fifty (50) Flats Housing Estate at Maitama A6 in 1991 currently being occupied by the Federal Ministry of Finance/Federal Ministry of Works and Housing,

Developed a 24-Flats Complex currently occupied by the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Wuse 2, Abuja etc. Patnasonic Industries Limited is currently developing Ten Thousand (10,000) housing units at Uke, Nasarawa State. Chelsea Hotels Limited– a company with over One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty (1,250) staff strength with footprint in Lagos and Abuja.

Chelsea Hotel is a service provider in hospitality industry. 8 The company intends to create a local international branch and to employ over Fifteen Thousand (15,000) people by 2025.

Chelsea Hotels in partnership with Patnasonic Industries Limited is currently developing 17-Floor 200 rooms 5-Star Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos. Chelsea Technologies Limited – An Information Technology (IT) company that specializes on biometrics human resources software.

Currently, Chelsea Technologies is working on the possibility of creating a central database for the country and particularly the Federal Payroll for the Federal civil Servants by which Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) showing their monthly remunerations on real time online in addition to Human Resource (HR) to manage promotions and retirement pensioners.

A centralized database that will enable Federal Government to manage Nigeria Population by death and birth registration, National Identity Cards, Unemployment benefits etc.

Imo Chelsea Industrial Park Limited – The Imo Chelsea Industrial Park (ICIP) will pioneer the rebirth of industrialization by creating the first cluster of manufacturers dedicated to producing “Made-in-Nigeria” goods to address the significant mass market demand for finished goods among the 600 million low and middle income individuals in Nigeria and Africa, and will fill an affordable and accessible gap that exist across Africa, while leveraging on the continent’s proven and growing labor force.

Chidol Properties Limited – A company incorporated in 1987, employing over 300 people.

Chidol Properties Limited produces wooden finishing and household furniture.

Chelsea Agric Limited – Is an affiliate of Chelsea Group that is into mechanized commercial farming and agricultural development in Nigeria and has acquired Ten Thousand Hectares (10,000Ha) in Mkpunando / Enugu Otu in Aguleri Anambra State.

Chelsea Farms Limited – the Group has equally acquired Ten Thousand Hectares (10,000Ha) at Itama, Dekina Local Government of Kogi State for making available food produce to the Nigerian populace with the use of mechanized modern agricultural implements and more so to contribute in providing basic infrastructure and empowerment to the immediate community and the country at large.

9 SOCIAL SERVICES In the field of social services, Chief Patrick Chidolue has been: • The Vice Chairman Umudioka Village Union, Lagos. • Chairman Umudioka Village Union. • Vice President Umudioka Village Union. • Member Peace Committee that restored peace at Neni. • Vice President FHA Lawn Tennis Club. • President FHA Lawn Tennis Club. • Member Board of Trustees Anambra Towns People, Abuja. • Member Parish Council of Holy Family Festac Town and Holy Trinity Parish Maitama, Abuja. • President Alaba Traders Association. • Member Institute of Directors. • Member Rotary Club of Nigeria. • Member IBB Golf Club. • First person to provide Infrastructure for electricity to Umudioka Village in Neni in 1984. • Sponsorship and design of Umudioka Village Hall in Neni. • Scholarship award to indigenes of Neni. • Scholarship award for relatives. • Hotel Owners Association which they formed along with Chief Chika Chiejina and Chief Omelle of Agura Hotel. 10 • Patron Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja. • A Knight of Saint Mulumba. • Knight of Saint Sylvester. OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES • Provision of pipe borne water to his town at Neni. • Donation of land for Neni town hall in Lagos. • Major contributor to building of Neni town hall. • Major contributor to development of St. Patrick Parish, Ojo, Lagos State. • Contribution of a scholarship scheme for the development of Neni Education Foundation. • Various financial contributions to motherless babies homes. • Catherine Relief & Employment Centre, Neni in Anaocha LGA – a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) caring for the most needy and help the Local Government indigenes to source for and secure jobs.

11 TRAINING & WORKSHOP CHIEF EXECUTIVE PROGRAMME 2000 Lagos Business School Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria SERVICE AND VALUE CREATION 2001 University De Navarra Barcelona, Spain ENERGY & TELECOM PROJECT FINANCE Aug – Sept. 2004 NICON Hilton, Abuja Euromoney Seminar. INTERESTS Lawn Tennis, Golf, Swimming, Football & Socio-Political issue