By Ori Martins
One of the earliest persons who influenced my life positively was Mrs Maria Celine Nneji, the now late mother of Mr Frank Nneji, the chief executive officer of the transportation industry revolutionary ABC PLC.
Madam Nneji was not just an inspirational personality, she was an ecclesiastical evangelist, a social crusader as well as an uncelebrated human rights activist.
I was privileged to have associated very closely with the Nnejis while growing up in the 1970s through Mr Jude, now the managing director of ABC who is my senior in every standard., Celine who was my primary school classmate and actually dominated her classes at Community School Lagwa, Aboh Mbaise LGA, Imo State, before my late father, Peter Ori, took me to Central School Okwuato for a rejuvenation. There was the ever quiet Chima also known as Calistus, who was my junior in the post primary education.
What attracted me to Paschal was his American life style and spotless dressing. He was handsome and charming. Of course, I followed doc now prof as well as Frank, from a dignified distance. I never knew Adanne then.
It did not take time before Frank established the then high flying Rapido Ventures LTD from where the idea of ABC Transport came into being and every other thing followed.
With ABC, the Nigerian transportation system was drastically and majestically improved on. With ABC, Nigerian travelers no longer suffer all the road odds hitherto experienced while in transit. With ABC, it appears as if you are airborne – there is tv/ video to watch, rest room for pressed persons, snacks to quench hunger and thirst before the mandatory stop over.
With ABC, passengers no longer feared losses of thier luggage even as touting was radically curbed. With ABC, bus terminals are now decent and clean. The wonders of ABC Transport was multiple and they were made possible through the vision, ingenuity, capacity, competence and character of Frank Nneji.
He is a great Mbaise ward, a patriotic Igbo and good Nigerian. Happy birthday Dee Frank Nneji and more blessings ahead.
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