…How Mr Kingsley Akamere of Guaranteed Solar Inverter System and Kings Pure Energy Ltd may face criminal charges
‘The acclaimed Igbo boi-boi apprenticeship system, once celebrated for fostering entrepreneurship and social mobility, now faces a crisis of trust and integrity’
By Magnus Ike
A disturbing trend is emerging among some Igbo entrepreneurs that threatens to tarnish the community’s reputation for hard work and ethical business practices. This involves reputed businessmen reneging on agreements made with their apprentices—young men who serve them for years with the understanding that they would later be financially supported to start their own businesses. This once celebrated Igbo apprenticeship system, hailed even by Harvard Business School, is increasingly being undermined by such breaches.
The scheme typically involves a trader taking a young apprentice from a rural village under an unwritten agreement to settle the apprentice financially after five to seven years of service. However, as apprentices near the end of their service, some employers concoct false accusations, often of theft, to avoid fulfilling their obligations and to dismiss the apprentices empty-handed. When apprentices accept this injustice and attempt to forge their own path, they are frequently subjected to intimidation and legal harassment, including arrests based on fabricated charges.
This pattern is vividly illustrated in the case involving Kingsley Akamere, aka KingKen, proprietor of Guaranteed Solar Inverter System and Kings Pure Energy Ltd. According to a petition dated June 30, 2025, filed by Dr. Osa Mbonu-Amadi, Arts Editor and Deputy Editorial Board Chairman of Vanguard Newspaper, Mr. Akamere allegedly reneged on a financial settlement to Chimobi Mbonu, his apprentice who had served him for four out of the agreed five years.
Despite efforts by Dr. Mbonu-Amadi and other Vanguard editors to mediate and resolve the dispute, Mr. Akamere escalated the matter by barring Chimobi from operating in Lagos’s Alaba International Market and threatening him with arrest. On June 25, 2025, Mr. Akamere filed false criminal allegations against Chimobi with the police at Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos. Using a ruse involving a fake customer, police officers handcuffed Chimobi and detained him alongside two other former apprentices, Mr. Great and Mr. Nnamdi, who had refused to cease business dealings with Chimobi against Akamere’s wishes.
They were accused of stealing approximately ₦22 million belonging to Akamere. Although all three were released on bail the following day, the accuser continued to threaten Dr. Mbonu-Amadi’s family and assert his intention to see Chimobi jailed.
Following the petition, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police at Zone 2 took the case from the initial officers and assigned new investigators. Mr. Akamere was subsequently invited, detained, and bailed as a suspect, with a fresh case file opened against him.
On July 8, 2025, during a meeting convened by the new investigation team at Zone 2, Mr. Akamere’s current apprentices testified that Chimobi was innocent, contradicting Akamere’s claims. Further investigations were ordered, with all parties asked to reconvene on July 28.
The unfolding case has drawn attention to the challenges faced by apprentices in the popular Igbo boi-boi apprentice scheme, and highlights the need for stronger legal protections against exploitation and harassment. Observers are now closely watching how law enforcement handles this contentious dispute.
Below are excerpts from Dr. Osa Mbonu-Amadi’s Petition to the AIG, detailing the case:
June 30, 2025
The Assistant Inspector-General
The Nigeria Police Force
Zone 2 Headquarters
Onikan
Lagos.
Sir,
Petition by Dr. Mbonu-Amadi Osadebe Chiedozie
I am Dr. Mbonu-Amadi Osadebe Chiedozie, Arts Editor and Deputy Editorial Board Chairman of Vanguard Newspapers. I am 61 years old and an indigene of Umunakara, Imerienwe, Ngor-Okpala, Imo State. My late father, Barrister Mbonu Amadi, served for many years as the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in Imo State before becoming the Administrator-General of Estate & Trust at the Ministry of Justice, Imo State.
I have six brothers. My eldest brother, Sylvanus Chijioke Amadi, who resides in Imo State, has three sons. His first son, Ikenna, has graduated from university and is currently completing his youth service. I established a scholarship scheme within the Mbonu-Amadi family to ensure that every family member can pursue a university education. However, four years ago, my eldest brother’s second son, Chimobi Mbonu, chose to first learn a trade in solar equipment. Consequently, he was placed under the apprenticeship of Mr. Kingsley Akamere from Orlu, Imo State, who runs a solar equipment business in Lagos, under the Boy-Boy apprenticeship scheme.
Shortly after Chimobi arrived in Lagos and began living at Mr. Akamere’s house around 2021, my eldest brother asked me to find out where Chimobi was staying, in case I needed to locate him. He provided Chimobi’s phone number, which I used to contact him. Chimobi then gave me Mr. Akamere’s phone number. I called Mr. Akamere and arranged to visit him to see where Chimobi was staying. He asked me to come on a Sunday. I went on the scheduled Sunday but waited all day without seeing him or his wife, so I left.
Later, I called Mr. Akamere and suggested that Chimobi visit my house so he could know where I lived. Mr. Akamere allowed Chimobi to visit, but only on the condition that he would not spend the night at my house. Chimobi came one Sunday and left quickly. I was later informed that Mr. Akamere had warned Chimobi never to return to my house. I called my brother and suggested that we leave Chimobi with Mr. Akamere since his master did not want Chimobi to visit me. My brother agreed. Nevertheless, I occasionally sent Chimobi pocket money through a third party, as I do for all my children and cousins in university.
Late last year, 2024, after Chimobi had served Mr. Akamere for four years, Chimobi’s mother informed me that Mr. Akamere had begun making trouble for Chimobi, intending to send him away without the agreed financial settlement. They asked me to meet Mr. Akamere to hear his side. Before I could arrange this, Chimobi called me one Sunday by January ending 2025 and said his master had asked him to pack his belongings and that he would be sent back to the village by Saturday of that week.
Two days later, on Tuesday, February 4, at around 4:00 a.m., Chimobi called again to say he was already at the Maza Maza bus station, ready to board a bus to Imo State. I told him to wait, and I was coming.
When I arrived at Maza Maza, I found Chimobi with two or three other apprentices of Mr. Akamere. They told me that Mr. Akamere had instructed them to buy a bus ticket for Chimobi, put him on the bus, and return the ticket to him as proof that Chimobi had left for the village.
I immediately called Chimobi’s father to ask if he was aware of this. He said no. I asked if Mr. Akamere had informed him about sending Chimobi back, and he said no. I then asked what we should do, and he told me to take Chimobi to my house.
I called Mr. Akamere to inform him I was at the bus station with Chimobi and his apprentices and that Chimobi’s father had asked me to take Chimobi. He consented and instructed his apprentices to hand Chimobi over to me. They complied, and we left.
Instead of going home, I took Chimobi to my office at Vanguard to work. On the way, Mr. Akamere began calling me repeatedly. When I answered, he ordered me to return Chimobi to the bus station or face consequences. He threatened that he did not use the police but military men to deal with people and that he would accuse me of kidnapping Chimobi.
I was shocked by such threats from a man I had never met face-to-face. I ignored him and took Chimobi to my office.
At Vanguard, Mr. Akamere called again, demanding I bring Chimobi to his office in FESTAC. I told him I would come to see him, but he refused and insisted I give him the Vanguard address, which I did.
Shortly after, he arrived at Vanguard with a woman he introduced as his wife. That was our first face-to-face meeting. I took them to our guest room and he asked me to write an undertaking confirming that I had taken custody of Chimobi. I told him to draft the undertaking in his handwriting. He wrote two copies, which I signed after minor edits, keeping one and giving him the other.
I then asked what offense Chimobi had committed. He said he could not answer there and asked me to visit his office if I wanted to know. I agreed.
As they left, Mr. Akamere gave me advice, which I quote: “Send Chimobi away. Don’t allow him to stay in your house. If you have ₦5,000, give it to him.” This was the most absurd and audacious advice I had ever received—an outsider telling me to cast away my own nephew to satisfy his ego. I remained calm and thanked him.
After finishing work, I took Chimobi to my house.
A few days later, I called Mr. Akamere to schedule the meeting he had suggested. Eager to learn the nature of Chimobi’s alleged crime, I brought two Vanguard editors with me: Mr. Theodore Opara (Motoring Editor) and Mr. Prince Osuagwu (High-Tech Editor). The meeting took place at Mr. Akamere’s shop in FESTAC.
We asked Mr. Akamere:
“Did Chimobi steal your money?”
He answered, “No.”
“Did he steal your goods?”
He answered, “No.”
What was the problem then?”
He cited minor issues, such as Chimobi not answering the office bell promptly.
We told him we would discuss among ourselves and get back to him. After deliberation, we agreed to bring Chimobi to Mr. Akamere so he could kneel and ask for forgiveness, regardless of whether he had committed an offense.
When I informed Mr. Akamere of this and asked for a date, he declined, saying he would visit Chimobi’s father in the village. That ended the matter. Chimobi then started working at Alaba International Market as a middleman, bringing customers to shop owners and earning a small commission.
Months water e received a public notice circulated by Mr. Akamere bearing Chimobi’s photo and the following statement:
NOTICE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
This is to inform you that Chimaobi Victor is no longer a staff of Guaranteed Solar Inverter System and Kings Pure Energy Ltd.
Any transaction with him is at the personal’s own risk.
Thanks,
Management.
I consulted my lawyers about the legality of this notice. They advised that circulating such a notice, implying that “any transaction with him is at the personal’s own risk,” was defamatory and unlawful, especially as it did not clarify that this applied only to transactions on behalf of the companies. The notice was intended to malign Chimobi and discourage business with him. The lawyers recommended legal action to protect Chimobi from further harm.
After careful consideration, I chose to avoid conflict for the sake of peace. However, Mr. Akamere and his family continued to warn traders at Alaba International Market against doing business with Chimobi or allowing him near their shops. Chimobi’s natural charisma has earned him many sympathizers who informed us of this campaign of calumny. We ignored these warnings until the worst incident occurred on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
That evening, I received a call informing me that Chimobi had been arrested in handcuffs at Ojo Police Station, Lagos. Mr. Akamere had allegedly used an accomplice to lure Chimobi outside the market under false pretenses and had him arrested by police. The accomplice pretended to want to buy solar equipment and asked Chimobi to guide him from Alaba Rago to Alaba International Market. Upon arrival, Mr. Akamere and policemen handcuffed Chimobi.
On the same day, another solar equipment trader from our village, Nnamdi, who also apprenticed under Mr. Akamere, was arrested for allowing Chimobi to visit his shop.
Similarly, Ugo Solar, another former apprentice of Mr. Akamere, was lured to Apple Junction in FESTAC, blocked by Mr. Akamere’s vehicle, and arrested by police.
The three young men were taken to the Nigeria Police Force Zone 2 Headquarters in Onikan, Lagos. Initially, Ojo Police claimed they were at Panti, Yaba, but after searching, we confirmed they were at Zone 2.
At Zone 2, Mr. Akamere accused the three of conspiring with Favour, one of his apprentices, to steal approximately ₦22 million from him. He presented WhatsApp voice notes allegedly obtained from Favour’s phone as evidence of business transactions between the accused and Favour.
On Thursday, June 26, 2025, we secured the release of the three boys. We requested two weeks to meet with Mr. Akamere and resolve the matter, which he agreed to.
The following morning, Friday, June 27, 2025, Mr. Akamere called me early and resumed his threats and insults against me and my family. He boasted about having various means to force Chimobi out of Alaba International Market, including sending “area boys he feeds” to harass him until he leaves Lagos voluntarily. At that point, I began recording the conversation. He reiterated his earlier advice from February 4, 2025, that I should not allow Chimobi to stay in my house and should send him back to the village. When I asked why it was a problem for Chimobi to stay with me, he ranted further and demanded that Chimobi’s father come to Lagos for a meeting with the IPOs before July 10, or he would refuse to attend.
On record, he accused Chimobi of stealing money and giving it to me and his father, demanding that I print Chimobi’s and my bank statements. After a tirade of insults, he abruptly ended the call.
A few days later, Favour, the apprentice Mr. Akamere accused of conspiring with Chimobi, sent a voice note to Chimobi, which Chimobi forwarded to me. In it, Favour confessed that Mr. Akamere had instructed him to lie against Chimobi, Nnamdi, and Great, fabricating claims that he had supplied goods worth millions to them. Favour said he refused to lie, which led Mr. Akamere to falsely accuse and imprison them.
My Plea
Sir, in light of these distressing events, I respectfully appeal to you to:
Join us in thoroughly investigating Mr. Kingsley Akamere and the false accusations he made against Chimobi, Nnamdi, and Great, which led to their wrongful detention and extortion.
Investigate Mr. Akamere’s business operations, especially given his admission that he supports criminals he could deploy to harass Chimobi.
Prosecute Mr. Akamere if it is found that he fabricated or forged evidence against Chimobi, Nnamdi, and Great.
Obtain an official undertaking from Mr. Akamere to cease all attempts to harm Chimobi or obstruct his efforts to earn a living at Alaba International Market. He must be held accountable if any harm befalls Chimobi, his business, or myself, Dr. Osa Mbonu-Amadi, whom he perceives as Chimobi’s protector and has threatened repeatedly.
Prosecute Mr. Akamere for defamation for printing and circulating Chimobi’s name and picture with false warnings to the public.
Persuade Mr. Akamere to compensate Chimobi with at least ₦20 million for serving and working for him for four years without salary.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Osa Mbonu-Amadi.
