INSPRICONS; IFEANYI'S UBAH LEGENDARY MODEL OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT (2)
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| Dr.Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah |
Growing up as a kid in Ibadan, I had very talented friends who played good soccer, but couldn’t realize their dreams because they didn’t know how to go about it and the typical Nigerian parents wouldn’t support their dreams because of the economic situation of the country and our country’s lack-luster attitude towards her sportsmen and women; and even those that eventually made it abroad are playing for foreign countries other than Nigeria. I have always opined that if Nigeria doesn’t plan for her youth, she would never realize her potentials as a country, we need to come up with a comprehensive plan that would keep the youths of these country usefully engaged and economically productive and this will on the long term put an end to youth restiveness currently experienced in this country. If all the youths of this country were busy with something productive, we would save more and spend less procuring weapons to kill fellow citizens and our prisons would be decongested.
That is why the Ifeanyi
Ubah's model is unique, because Sports are among the major activities that unite
this country and it is one thing that the youths of this country love with so
much passion. Investing in sports is investing in the youths, their future and
in the future of our unborn kids. Now let’s talk about some of Ifeanyi Ubah’s Political
and Philanthropic activities.
POLITICS:
Despite contesting
and losing in the last gubernatorial election held in Anambra State, in
addition to being a prominent member of one of the major Opposition Political Parties
in the state and country, he has shown a very high sense of Political maturity
and Camaraderie. By putting the outcome of the last election behind him and supporting
the present government in the state by commending the government on some of its
laudable policies, and not engaging in activities that could heat up the polity
of the state thus redefining the image of our state which was once seen as a
pariah state. This feat is unprecedented especially in a country where the
opposition is known to embark on needless propaganda that often distracts the
government of the day and the usual ‘PULL HIM DOWN SYNDROME’ because he is not
our party man which is common among opposition politicians.
Shortly after
winning the Anambra STATE FA election, he proceeded to the government house to
brief the Anambra State Governor on all the plans and activities of the
association and ensure that the activities of the association are in line with
the Governor’s grass-root sports development program. To further match his
commitments with action, he donated 150 million Naira to the STATE FA to fund
the activities of the organizations.
On the National
scene, we recall his role in ending the fuel scarcity crisis that occurred
shortly after the MAY 2015 General election and how he had also publicly offered
to help the Federal Government to crash the price of dollars. He also ensured
that his filling stations sold kerosene, the cooking fuel to the common masses
at the official pump price of N50, a task he vigorously pursued by also introducing
tucks that could dispense on the spot to millions of Nigerians who had hitherto
bought the commodity at very expensive rates. He is a detribalised Nigerian, he
has often exhibited by his actions his passion for this country and his loyalty
and patriotism to this country is never in doubt. A visit to his construction
sites in Nnewi, you will find almost people from every part of the country
there in addition to the expatriates who are handling different component of
the project.
Until, recently he
has also encouraged the Governors of Abia and Rivers state to sue for
economic integration of the region as a means of maximising and harnessing the
numerous untapped potentials and resources in the region.
PHILANTHROPY:
Ifeanyi Ubah has
a strong passion for giving back to his community and to the society at large.
When I first visited his place at Umuanuka Community, Otolo Nnewi. I was highly
surprised with what I saw there, that motivated me in writing this piece, because
I can boldly say without any fear of contradiction that what I saw there is
non-existent in any part of this country.
It was by all
standards a break from the norm, most communities I had visited before now with
prominent persons from that community hardly had good or motor-able roads in
their native Communities.
ALL the roads in
Ifeanyi Ubah’s community have well paved streets personally interlocked by him
with street lights and covered drainages, and from our findings the roads where
built four years ago without any form of
maintenance up till now. That’s not all, all the houses in the community
are fenced and painted with the same colour, with the same type of gates,
typical of the posh estates you find in big cities like Lagos, Port-Hacourt, and
Abuja. Guess this sounds too good to be true??
This is a huge sign
of unity that Ifeanyi Ubah has established in his community. I sincerely wish our
political leaders and Elites should be doing this in there different communities
instead of using the youths to instigate violence and disrupt public peace. I
was in for another shocker, when I learnt that the blocks used in interlocking
the roads where built by youths of that community and they played a very active
role in the construction of that road.
I decided to
hang around for a while, and I noticed that the lights came up around 7pm
powered by generators in Ifeanyi Ubah’s palatial country home. The presence of
the lights all around the community not only attracted visitors from all around
Nnewi to relax there at night and thereby making businesses around there
flourish due to the influx of visitors, it also gave the residents of that
community a sense of security, since everywhere was well lit, no one could hide
under the cover of darkness to commit any crime.
At the national level, he has supported the national team
for some years now aside from travelling to watch all their matches live, he
has often donated thousands of US dollars to the National football team as a
morale booster to win their matches.
Also, through the
Ifeanyi Ubah foundation he is sponsoring the construction of a Catholic Cathedral in Catholic diocese of Nnewi.
He recently also
partly sponsored the Joseph Yobo’s testimonial match, as way of honouring the
footballer for his immense contributions and patriotism to his fatherland. He
also mentors so many young entrepreneurs and encourages them to be the very
best of whoever they want to be, rather than being hangers on to politicians.
After seeing all these I asked myself could all these have
come from Ifeanyi Ubah? The man, most Nigerians including I, had been made to
see as Uncivilized and largely uncouth. I learnt a lesson never to judge anyone
based on 'SINGLE STORIES' and half truths.
I have been
privileged to hear Ifeanyi Ubah speak at different public functions and
interactive sessions; he always challenges young people in such gatherings to
be the very best of whoever they want to be and to always give back to their
community no matter how little, because all we have, was given to us by God.
Am highly fascinated
by his achievements in Youth Empowerment, because his model isn’t aimed at
providing 'Stomach Infrastructure' to the youths which could have been the
easiest thing to do and the norm with most Nigerian politicians thereby making
the youths willing tools in the hands of these Politicians, but his model is
aimed at lifting youths out of poverty (Poverty eradication and transforming
them into global agents of change and given them the opportunity of being part
of the history of the development of their communities and finally helping them
to realise their full potentials using Sports as a tool to achieving this.
This will certainly
help in reducing crime rates and providing the enabling environment for Peace
and development to reign in our country, if this model could be replicated in
different parts of the country, Nigeria will certainly be on its path to
greatness in no distant time.
This model also
makes a lot of economic sense because capital flight is reduced to the barest
minimum, because the change we seek in Nigeria for Nigerians can only happen by
Nigerians with the youths playing a very significant role and our Elites
providing the leadership and the enabling environment for this to happen.
At this point, it is
safe to conclude that Ifeanyi Ubah's signature model of Youth Empowerment is not only Legendary and Exemplary,its also Patriotic and an ideal model that could be serve as a Prototype in planning future youth empowerment programmes, especially at this time where economic diversification is inevitable for the economic existence of this country.
Once again, thank
you for reading this piece.
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-
F -Fidel Okechukwu writes from Nnamdi Azikiwe
University, Awka a Student, blogger, Youth Activist and a many of many parts he works with MEDIA 911 (an
online Media and Entertainment outfit) based in Awka.
Please follow me on twitter:@fidelokechukwu www.unizikmata.com.ng
Email:samedelky@yahoo.com
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