Observing Dr Uche Ogah (Part 4)

GREAT IMO JONATHAN

The first day I visited Dr Uche Ogah’s group company’s headquarters in Lagos, one of the things I noticed was a picture frame of a lion with the inscription like “it doesn’t matter the economic situation in the jungle a lion will not eat grass”.

Then the day I saw his company’s group advert in a magazine, I noticed that lion was their insignia, with a rider “it takes the heart of a lion to do what we are doing”.

I was really fascinated and personally connected to him and his company because lion is a symbol in my family and I have a deep connection with it.

I have known Dr Uche Ogah for a few years now and I have observed so many things about him. Although one cannot say he knows a man all. But I can say that the symbol he associates with deeply reflects him.

A lion is symbolic of courage, power and energy. “Lions are symbols of strength and courage and have been celebrated throughout history for these characteristics. They are also common symbols for royalty and stateliness, hence the phrase ‘king of the jungle’. Ancient Egyptians venerated lions as their war dieties due to their strength, power and fierceness”

A closer observation of Dr Uche Ogah reveals those characteristics in him. Dr Uche Ogah is, especially a man of courage. When you see how he single handed transformed his community, his impact in Abia State, South East and the entire Nigeria, you will agree no less.

It takes courage for a young man of 36 years old, who have risen to the zenith of banking profession as an Assistant General Manager with accolades to resign his employment to face the uncertainties of our business environment as an entrepreneur. It took courage to build the Energy City in Port Harcourt, worth billions of Naira. It took courage to build Onuaku Industrial City in Abia State, with over 12 industries located his immediate community. You can understand what it means for an investor to brave the odds and went ahead to build an industrial estate in a typical rural community where there are no social infrastructures in place. He did not only plant his industries in there, he also provided such infrastructure that are needed to provide an enabling environment for others to thrive created and turned Onuaku into a tourist destination.

How about the over one thousand (1000) scholarships he has given to youths in Abia State. The over eighteen thousands (18,000) direct and indirect employees in his payroll. His many industries in Lagos, Ogun state, Abuja and other cities in Nigeria.

Particularly in 2009, at the height of Niger Delta insurgency, whiles foreigners and other local investors were fleeing the region, Dr Uche Ogah stayed back and invested more in the region to create jobs for the youths, as a means of arresting insurgency and ensuring sustainable economic development in the country.

From North East to South East and to every part of Nigeria, Dr Uche Ogah is making such huge contributions that are helping to give leverage to people across the nation.

In fact one of the rarest displays of courage I have ever observed is seeing him everyday with ordinary people. The bigman syndrome that is ravaging our leaders and rich dudes could not infect him. Some of the closest people I know him with are ordinary people who became his friends even when they were nobodies. Every day in his office ordinary citizens come to his office to discuss one thing or the other. Although there are those who abuse such privileges but he kept doing his best.

In a country where rich people look down on ordinary men and women and only want them to worship them, it takes rare courage to be like Dr Uche Ogah.

In so many ways this man has demonstrated courage but with humility. Even in Abia State, when it appeared many were afraid to challenge visionless characters who rendered the state poor, Dr Uche Ogah braved the odds to challenge them.

If you see Dr Uche Ogah’s vision for Abia State, the various projects of his conglomerate and the things he is pursuing amongst many of his achievements, you will agree with me that it takes only a man of courage with the heart of a lion to do what he and his company is doing.

Dr Uche Ogah is a man who dreams seaming impossibilities into reality. He is indeed a man of courage and I can testify.