How I became rich in America – Gen Alabi-Isama

By Isa Isawade

General Godwin Alabi-Isama, a Civil War veteran and former Chief of Staff of the 3 Marine Commando Division (3MCDO) and Principal General Staff of the Nigerian Army has revealed how he hit millions when he relocated to America after his curious retirement from the army at the age of 37.

Alabi-Isama, a dedicated officer who put everything on the line and fought gallantly along with other patriotic officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, became an object of envy by some powers not comfortable with his outstanding brilliance and uncommon prowess in military strategy and tactics.

The unhealthy power play orchestrated by the entrenched cabal led to the premature retirement of the brilliant brigadier general in August 1977.

He, thereafter, relocated to the United States of America where he enrolled at a school of technology to obtain relevant qualification in a venture he had planned to embrace- telecommunication.

The 84-year-old General made the revelation in an exclusive interview with PMNEWS last December when he was asked to mention his happiest moment in life.

“My happiest moment? It was when I left the military. I was so sad. I was completely confused, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know any other job. So, when I got abroad I went to a school. I developed an appreciation of the situation in the world and in the country. Number one to ten of the biggest companies in the world were oil companies. Then, the rest were telecom. I looked at it again, again, making a plan like a soldier.

“Looking at the appreciation of the situation, at that time there were 5 billion people in the world. They would need telecom. If I could only get 10 million of them, I would be a millionaire. So, I went into telecom. By the time I finished my training, today as we are talking the first ten companies are telecom companies, IT companies.

“So, it was from the school I was recruited to go and build a sanitary system somewhere. I made a complete success of it. I was given a job to be done in 9 months. I told them I would finish it in 6 months but I finished it in 4 months. The man said, no it’s not possible, you can’t finish it in 4 months. Even the 6 months you said you would finish it would be tough. Then, they came to check and recheck. They checked again and were surprised. They paid me for 9 months. But the job was done in 4 months. And so I went and bought a big house, you know Nigerians- once you have arrived (mo ti arrive ni yen), you show it (laugh).

“So, the news was everywhere that Alabi was doing well abroad and all that,” Gen Alabi-Isama recounted.

Thereafter, dollas started rolling in for his company, Vadcom which led to the general becoming a succesful telecom businessman in America.