Gilbert Ekezie
Former governor of Abia State and Senator-elect, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and the Akwa-Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel, will be the key personalities at the commissioning of first indigenous Enterprise Centre powered by Southern Atlantic Polytechnic, Uyo, on Saturday, May 25.
Founder of the polytechnic and General Overseer of Royal House of Faith, Pastor Bassey James, disclosed this on Wednesday at a briefing ahead of the exercise.
James explained that the Enterprise Centre was primarily established to combine what he described as abundant local technology and state-of-the-art technologies from industrialised economies, with a view to building capacity and sparking off industrial revolution in South-South, South-East and Nigeria in general.
He said the commissioning would also offer an avenue to celebrate home-grown business gurus, who eventually made it to the level of renowned world-class billionaires and entrepreneurs.
“We are also looking at the calibre of people we are bringing. For instance, former governor of Abia State and Senator-elect, Dr. Orji Uzo Kalu, is a multi-billionaire businessman who became rich when he was less than 20 years old. I have worked with him since 1989. I have studied him like a book and I discovered the ingenuity in him and we said this kind of person should come and talk to the youths on how he was able to build his business empire from nothing to this greatness. And, he has agreed to come to speak on the business revolution, possibilities, focus and entrepreneurship spirit which he has.”
James , who is also the chancellor of the polytechnic, said that Kalu is coming to put fire in various bones and hearts to drive the young men and women from the South-South, South-East and beyond, who are attending the programme as a destination of success.
According to him, Udom Emmanuel, who is the chief host, from the banking sector, with a lot of experience in business and finance, will also give a lot of encouragement to the youths.
“I commend Udom Emmanuel for spear-heading industrial revolution, building industries and empowering youths across the state. We asked him to come and speak to the youths, and his acceptance will add more colour to the programme.”
James further hinted that professors across the world, like Professors Okoro, an authority in Engineering Management Science will be in attendance because areas like the combinations of locally- manufactured equipment, local engineering, fabrication, local enterprise development and the equipment that are needed to develop transport network and bringing it together from the point of an academic to the point of physical development will be looked at.”
It also learnt that former military administrator of Akwa-Ibom State, Idong Essiet Nkan, will chair the occasion.