CHIEF (DR.) CHILO CHRIS OFFIAH, OON

Chief (Dr.) Chilo Offiah was born on the 26th February, 1946 in Abor, Udi Local Government of Enugu State.  He attended Abbot Secondary Grammar School, Ihiala (1960 – 1964); St. Theresa’s High School, Nsukka (1965-1966) where he did his HSC. He did the Diploma of the Institute of Bankers, London, for his Associateship, AIB (1974).  He attended the Southern New Hampshire University, (SNHU) Manchester, New Hampshire, USA for his B.Sc and graduated as the best Student of the University in 1975 (valedictorian).  He was awarded the University Academic Gold key.  He did his MBA with Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA (1975-1977).  Attended Harvard Business School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA for studies in France for Business Executive & Change Management in (1996 & 2000).  He attended International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne – Switzerland.  He was decorated with Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (DBA) by the Enugu State University of Science & Technology in 1997.

He started his working career as a Banking Clerk with National Bank of Nigeria Limited, and left after six months in 1972 for Higher Education in United States.  He worked for Merchant National Bank, Manchester, New Hampshire as Internal Auditor.  Roxbury Action Program Inc. Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA (a non profit organization) as a Controller of Finance.  First National Bank of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, as a Loan Officer & Consultant in Middleast        & Africa Affairs.  It was from there that Chief Offiah was recruited by First Bank of Nigeria Plc. (then Standard Bank Nigeria Ltd) as a Deputy Term Lending Manager.  He was there-after promoted to Term Lending/Corporate Finance Manager.  He passed through various grades to become Principal Area Manager in 1983 – 1985 and there-after became Assistant General Manager (1985-1989).  In the year 1990 he rose to the post of a Deputy General Manager (Treasury) and supervised the take-off of FBN Merchant Bank where he became the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer, before he was promoted to the first Managing Director/CEO of FBN Merchant Bank Ltd.  He was the Managing Director/Chief Executive for 11 years before he retired from the Bank in Dec. 31st, 2000.  The same year the Financial Times rated FBN Merchant Bank Ltd as the best managed/solid Bank in Nigeria out of the 57 Banks that were in operation.  The Bank has now merged with the parent Bank, First Bank of Nigeria Plc.  He is presently the Chairman/CEO of Inter Trust Limited – A finance, Investment and Consultancy company.               Chief Offiah is presently the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).

Chief Offiah at various time served as:
Chairman - Enugu State Special Advisory Committee on Finance (1992-1993)
Chairman- Nigerian Mineral Water Industries Limited, Onitsha (1988-1991)
V/President- Council of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Elected on 22/8/90)    
Chairman- Premium Securities & Finance Co. Ltd. (1992-2000)
Chairman- Eastern Bottling Company Limited        
Director- Kakawa Discount House Limited (1994-2000)
Director- Nigerian Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) Limited (1998-2000)
Patron- Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lagos State Branch, Eti-Osa Division.
Member- Board of ESUT Business School, Executive MBA Programme (1992-Date)
Member- Governing Council of Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC)        (1995-1999)
Member- Editorial Board of Nigerian Banking Annual (Incorporation Who’s Who in Banking.(1987-1989)
Patron - Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria.
Member- Enugu State Council of Elders (2008-Date)

Chief Offiah has been given many Awards and recognition:
-  Southern New Hampshire University, (Academic Gold Cup Award), 1975.
-  Hesser College, U.S.A. (Valedictorian) 1974.
-  Southwestern Company, Nashville, U.S.A. 1975 Best sales man Award.
-  R.A.P. Insight Award for his contribution to the Boston black Community 1975.
-  Corporate Excellence Award 1974.
-  The Role Model Entrepreneurial Award – Ofomedia 1994.
-  Fifty Notable Leaders in Corporate Nigeria – Newswatch Communications 1995.
-  Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR), 2001.
-  The 30 Leading Economists in Nigeria – This Day Newspapers 1999.
-  Certificate of Merit for Patriotic Service to Anambra State – Gov. Col. R. O. Akonobi 2001.
-  Corporate Awards for Excellency by Maritime Authority 1996.
-  He was elected as one of the Outstanding people of the 20th Century by International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, England. Oct. 2000.
-  Awarded Officer of the Order of Niger by the President and Government of  Nigeria. November 14th, 2011.
-  And so many to be mention.

Dr. Offiah is a:-
Fellow – Nigerian Institute of Management (FNIM).
Fellow – The British Institute of Bankers, London (FCIB).
Fellow – The British Institute of Management (FBIM) 1982.
Fellow – Chartered Institute of Bankers, Nigeria (FCIB).
Fellow – Institute of Credit Management, Britain (FICM).
Fellow – Institute of Management Consultants, Nigeria 1997.
Fellow – Direct Marketing Association of Nigeria 2006 (FDMA).

He holds the traditional titles of:-
The Ezedike I of Abor.
Ekerin Balogun Babagunwa of Ibadan Land.
The Otun Are Bobajiro of Ikirun Land.
Akuzuluora of Ebe.
Oka-ome of Eke, among others.

HONOURS AND AWARD

STATE GOVERNMENT:

a.    Merit Award Certificate:  For patriotic and services to the Government and people of Anambra State – Gov. R. O. Akonobi – 1989.

b.    Distinguished Society Service Award – Enugu State Development Foundation – 2000.

c.    Commander of the Udi Local Government by the Chairman & People of Udi Local Government – 1988.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT:

a.    Member of the Order of Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) -by President & Government of Nigeria. – Nov. 2000.

b.    Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) -by President & Government of Nigeria. – Nov. 2011.

He is married with children.