Felix & Janet Ohiwerei Foundation

Felix O. A. Ohiwerei, OFR

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Felix Omoikhoje Aizobeoje Ohiwerei hails from Uzebba in Owan Local Government of Edo State. He was born on the 18th of January, 1937. He attended St. David’s School, Avbiosi New Site, and Government Secondary School, Owerri, for his primary and secondary school education respectively. He later proceeded to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology Ibadan. He obtained his B.A. in Geography from the University of Ibadan, formerly University College, Ibadan in 1961.

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He joined Nigerian Breweries in April 1962 as Manager-In-Training. Shortly afterward, he was promoted to the position of Field Sales Manager and in that capacity, he served in the West and Mid-West and returned to Lagos in 1965 as Promotions Manager. In 1966, he was sent on attachment to Elida Gibbs (a Unilever Company in the UK). He returned to Lagos eighteen months later to assume the position of Star Product Manager. Before becoming Marketing Manager in 1974, Mr. Ohiwerei held the positions of Lager Product Group Manager and General Brands Manager.

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He was appointed to the Board of Nigerian Breweries in 1977 as Marketing Director, and in 1982 was seconded to UAC Foods Division as General Manager. In June 1986, he went to UAC International, London (a Unilever Company) as a Senior Manager in Nominated African Territories Regional Management.

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He was appointed Deputy Chairman/Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc in 1987, became Chairman/Managing Director in June 1989 and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the company in 1997. He retired from the service of Nigerian Breweries in June 1999, was appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the company in July 1999 and retired from the Board in December 2007. He also served as Chairman of Fidson Healthcare Limited.

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He was also Chairman of Unilever Nigeria Plc from January 1998 to December 2007. He was a Director of Shell Closed Pension Fund Administrator Ltd until April 2009.

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He is also on the boards of several blue-chip companies including Coates Brothers (West Africa) Limited, Jubilee Mortgage Bank Limited, e-Tranzact Plc, Bankers Warehouse Limited, World Dove Media Plc and Ashford and McGuire Consulting. Currently, he is the Chairman of Asset & Resource Management Holding Company Ltd.

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• He has an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree (LL.D) from the University of Ibadan.

• He is a recipient of the Zik’s Prize in Leadership Award.

• The Order of Orange Nassau by the Queen of the Netherlands.

• Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR).

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Janet Ohiwerei

 

Mrs. Janet Alero Ohiwerei (nee Okorodudu) was born at Abeokuta, Ogun State on the 1st of September, 1943 to Chief Alfred O. Okorodudu, and attended Government Primary School, Owo, Ondo State and also St. Agnes Primary School, Yaba Lagos. For her secondary education, she attended St. Theresa’s College, Ibadan, after which she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in History at the University of Ife, Ibadan branch. She rounded up her education up at London University in the United Kingdom where she obtained a post-graduate degree in education in the 1966-67 academic session.

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Janet got married to Felix Ohiwerei on the 17th of December, 1966 in London with a few family members and friends in attendance. 

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She taught at Jubril Martins Secondary School in Iponri for a year and then moved on to Corona School and then Lagos City College, before joining the West African Examination Council, WAEC, where she spent the longest spell of her career.

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She later teamed up with her good friends and former colleagues from WAEC (Mrs. Jean Obi and Mrs. Julie Esisi) to form JEMACO, a remedial college for secondary school leavers which was situated on Strachan Street in the heart of Lagos Island.