You must have heard about the monumental tragedy that befell Nnewi, Anambra State on Christmas Eve – Thursday, December 24, 2015. Some people were reported to have died in the inferno which consumed both lives and buildings, leaving a sour Christmas taste in the mouths of all those affected. As well as their families.

Situated along Igwe Orizu Road, the company, Inter Corp Oil Ltd ( an LPG gas plant) is owned by Chief Chika Alexander Okafor, a man of little education, but one of the richest men in the entire Anambra State. Arguably in his 50s, the billionaire mogul hails from Umudim, Nnewi. Married to Favour, an engineer and blessed with children, he has a honorary doctorate degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and holds the national award of OON from the Federal Government. In the church also, he is a knight and belongs to the order of KSC.

Fondly called the Ezego of Nnewi, YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine reliably gathered that before favour and fortune located him, he was selling chewing sticks, newspapers and eggs! His parent company, The Chikason Group, was incorporated on January 24, 1978, with only N1,300, but today has over 4000 people in its employ.

More known in the country for some of their products like A-Z Oil, Life Vegetable Oil, Protex Soap, etc, the multi-faceted business since it set sail has never experienced a tragedy of this proportion and dimension.

The charred remains of some of the victims, meanwhile, have been taken to nearby Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi. Anambra Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has also visited the scene, assuring that thorough investigation will be conducted to ascertain what went wrong. Again, he promised that the government will write off the medical bills of all those still in the hospital.

So far, lack of functional fire vehicles in the entire Nnewi has been blamed for the spreading of the inferno which could have been easily contained were it to be otherwise. In fact, we were told that the fire fighters who eventually assisted came from neighboring communities like Awka and Okpoko, in Onitsha.