Andy Grove, the former CEO of Intel once said “only the paranoid survive”. Alexander Asseily, founder of Jawbone advised, “in the age of transparency, honesty, and generosity, even in the form of an apology, generate goodwill.” It would be my bad doing, if I become hesitant to extol and commend His Excellency, Rt Hon. Dr Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, the Executive Governor of Enugu state, a man who has taken the welfare of the resident students and youths in the state most personal than any other sector of his government by the “studentprenuership programme” currently on-going through the office of Special Adviser to the Governor on SME Development. “Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other” explained Randy Pausch. Aesop also added that gratitude is the sign of noble souls. If an Enugu resident who is in the know of the activities of Enugu state Government SME development centre lately feels is not worth applauding, it places his or her nobility, integrity and honesty in doubt.
The term, “studentprenuer” is commonly associated to a student who owns a business that runs concurrently with his or her academic programmes and activities. That is to say that while the said student studies, she or he has a business, whether big or small, that helps the individual meet up with day-to-day financial responsibilities that comes inform of purchase of textbooks, photocopying of handouts and other academic materials, feeding, transportation fees, to mention but a few. Some studentprenuers has become millionaires today even while in school.
With the understanding that there may exist resilient students who might not have come from wealthy families that might be looking for avenues to help themselves, Governor Ugwuanyi led administration through the never tiring and dexterously visionary Hon. Arinze Chilo-offiah, alongside his Enugu SME team has not only introduced studentprenuership seminars in all the Enugu campuses which spurs them to tour all the tertiary institutions in the state, such as the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Peaceland College Enugu, Institute of Management and Technology Enugu, Enugu State College of Education Technical (ESCET), etc, and also guide the students to obtain studentprenuer friendly loans to support their choice businesses. Kindly visit Enugu SME Center on FB or its office opposite Ebeano Tunnel, Enugu for pictorials and more evidences on this claim.
This is coming from a government that truly wants to revolutionarize the economic situation of the students and youths by helping the willing ones who have shown interest and courage to liberate themselves. This is coming from a Governor who wants to personally touch the lives of Enugu students who gave him almost 99.9 support during 2015 and 2019 gubernatorial election. It is also vibrant and efficacious tool to drastically reduce political thuggery and all forms of violence in Enugu. Truly, an idol mind is a devils workshop, hence, the need to engage almost all youths in one way or another, irrespective of class, creed or clan.
Betty Bender, speaking on the need to get people up-skilled enough to think and adequately empowered to do so, said, “when people go to work, they shouldn’t have to leave their hearts at home”. Governor Ugwuanyi does not want to handover power come 2023 with the fear that many a youth and student of Enugu cannot stand on their own financially. The human capital development bulldozer, Rt Hon. Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi intends turning Enugu State into the epicenter of young and vibrant entrepreneurs.
Our people said that “o bu mmadu ka e ji aka”, while one will evidence vividly that the Enugu State Governor agrees with the just stated Igbo proverb, it is also apparent that the amiable, peaceful and never devouring White Lion King in the Lion Building whose leadership approach has turned into a symbol of peace and quality projects agrees more with Lawrence Bossidy who opined thus: “I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day, you bet on people not on strategies.” In other words, His Excellency’s approach says, “yes, o mmadu ka e ji aka” but this people must be well trained and empowered enough to be quality persons in a way that the “gigidi bu ugwu Eze movement” won’t be characterized by touts, unskilled persons, poverty ridden beggars, instead, it should be a movement of successful business men, tech-savvy entrepreneurs, professors, and other quality personalities in different life endeavors. Hence, the speed with which Hon. Arinze Chilo-offiah and his team moves from one institution to another urging young ones to tap from the Governor’s current and viable financial breakthrough avenues for true financial independence.
Truly, Enugu State is in the hands of God, and God works wonders in Enugu through His Permanent Good Man, Odoziobodo Gburus. For those who will come under this beautiful article to label me sycophant, I’m a proud one anyways, especially for a governor who has over-fulfilled his promises to the electorate in Enugu state. Alfred Painter wrote that saying thank you is more than good manners, it is good spirituality. Mark Twain added that kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed,” agreed Maya Angelou. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a poet and essayist addressed us when he explained, “you cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late”. The great Cicero unravels our doubt and said, “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others”.
An anonymous also asserted that appreciation is a supplication for more. When we appreciate our workaholic Governor, brother, father and political mentor, we do it because it heals and connects us physically and spiritually to the divine abundance. Don’t ask me why Enugu residents should appreciate an elected officer for using their resources to work diligently for them, because, there are others who receive same amount of money Governor Ugwuanyi receives but refused to pay salaries as at when due talk more of looking out for students on campuses to better their lives. Enugu state is on the steady part of progress as the leaders of tomorrow are being prepared via Gov. Ugwuanyi’s visionary leadership.
Thank you and God bless you and yours immediately for supporting the good governance initiative of the Project Ambassador, Nwoke Obioma, the Permanent Good Man, Agu N’Eche Ndi N’Eche Ya.
For more information on Enugu SME Center activities kindly call 08089344768; 08084998224; 09042439495; 09013484336; 07018098225 or you can visit their office at No. 2a Market Garden Aveneue Opposite SME Roundabout along Ebeano Tunnel GRA Enugu or visit www.enugusme.en.gov.ng or @enugusmeagency on Instagram and Twitter and Enugu State SME Agency on Facebook for all your inquiries.
BIBIAN ANEKWE NEWS .. ADDED..Your skill can be either an asset or a liability( The choice is yours)
Written By:
Izuchukwu Ochenwari Udenwaeze
(Social and Political Analyst)
Media Team Member: Enugu di n’akachukwu movement
