Chief Peter Okoye (1890 - 1974)

Chief Okonkwo Peter Okoye was born in Enugwu Ukwu in Present day Anambra State about 1890. He embraced Christianity and formal education around 1910. In 1918 he enrolled as a policeman and was transferred to Enugu which was just a developing town at the time

He left the Police force to become the first registered contractor of the Public Works Department in Enugu 1927

Major contracts executed include

Enugu Printing Press
Old Enugu Secretariat
Enugu Airport
Enugu Recreation Club

He also went into transport in the late 1920's and established "God Speed" Transport that plied Onitsha, Enugu, Abakaliki,Ogoja and Itighidi.

He was a very successful businessman. His income assessment entry in 1956 states thus "Peter Okoye is one of Enugu's biggest landlords and has property valued at £100,000". in the 1950's he was the sole importer and major distributor of salt in Eastern Nigeria