Emmanuel Onwubiko
“The Africa of my birth and of my life experience is a continent of abundant human and natural resources, immense and diverse investment opportunities, and an economy that is primed for leapfrog strategies. Africa’s challenges may appear daunting to most, but to those with the right entrepreneurial vision, challenges always provide opportunities.”
– Jim Ovia (Africa RISE AND SHINE)
Joanne Chory is a professor and director, Plant Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for biological studies. In the current edition of ‘The world in 2020,’a publication of The Economist, she did a detailed commentary on the possibility of humanity to wage a determined war against climate change making use of what she called plant genetics. Just like our opening quote from one of Africa’s best known entrepreneurs Mr. Jim Ova, this uncommon scientist Joanne Chory expressed her belief that attaining this lofty aspiration of confronting the effects of climate change may take what she categorized as a global village to attain.
Hear her: “There are clearly examples where science, technology and policy have converged to solve global threats. For our efforts to succeed, we need nothing less than the type or federal investment and partnerships between the public and private sectors that led to the lifesaving public health response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic”.
Her tremendously informed scientific observation was exactly what came to my mind when I read in some respected national newspapers in Nigeria about the current efforts of a private Nigeria citizen and a former national legislator Prince Ned Nwoko is doing to attain what he hopes would be an end to the malaria scourge ravaging millions of Nigerians. Ned Nwoko’s singular efforts through his reputable Non Governmental organisation known as Ned Nwoko’ s Foundation has come at a time that the founder of Nigeria’s and indeed Africa’s best known and most successful bank Zenith bank plc Mr. Jim Ovia is aggressively marketing his beautifully written intellectual work titled- “Africa Rise and Shine: How a Nigerian Entrepreneur from Humble beginnings grew a business to $16 Billion.” Ned Nwoko incidentally is from the same state like Jim Ovia and another giant in the business World Mr. Tony Elumelu who is the brain behind another successful African banking brand- United Bank for Africa.
His (Ned Nwoko’s) newly found love to end one of Nigeria’s most dangerous killer diseases (Malaria) has already attracted widespread media interests. However, there is still no known government participation in this initiative which if achieved could become the most acceptable scientific discovery of the 21st century Nigeria. Ned Nwoko is a politician with a difference because he usually embarks on humanitarian ventures that transcend mundane political affiliations. One of Nigeria’s widely read newspapers reported Ned Nwoko’s anti-malaria venture in a lovely mode.
The media stated that there is reprieve on the way to eradicate the scourge of malaria in Nigeria and the African Continent as the foremost philanthropist, Honorable Ned Nwoko has met a group of scientists and finalised strategies on when and how to commence and complete the first of its kind air fumigation of the country. The scientists from Antarctica will also advice on the best form of insecticides to be used based on the success story of the same project carried out in Florida and Malaysia. Already Hon. Nwoko is making money available to five universities for research and has decided to bear the financial burden alone without involving the government. Speaking exclusively to a newspaper report almost the same informations he relayed one on one to this writer in his imposing Abuja mansion, the former federal lawmaker said what inspired him to embark on this gigantic project of trying to flush out malaria was his determination to serve humanity and to save lives.
According to him, “It’s born out of humanity, the realization that nothing has been done in these areas that is an ongoing crisis in the health sector. His words: “If we have over five hundred thousand people dying every year according to the United Nations statistics, it is a huge number and nothing is being done about it or nothing seems to be on the pipeline that I am aware of. I’m trying to research to find out”.
He continued thus: “For two years I have being researching trying to find out but my conclusion was that this is not a White man’s problem, it is our problem just like sickle-cell and sickle-cell is also part of the offshoot of malaria – long time malaria crisis is what lead to sickle-cell anemia.”
“If it is not a White man’s problem, this explains why they have not bothered to pay attention at finding a cure by way of vaccine. Vaccine is the ultimate solution and I felt that we have to look for a solution from within Africa, from among ourselves and I know I can start it and I believe others will join as I go along.” Asked how soon it would take for the commencement of the project, he said, “We have started, my going to Antarctica was part of the process. Are you not in this world? We have started, I went to Antarctica and met with some scientists with the company involved in the air fumigation and also advising on the best form of insecticides to use because they’ve done it before in Florida and in Malaysia. “They also told me that they have done in some of the Caribbean Islands where there were mosquitoes before but no more. So we have a solution, it’s just a question of planning and implementing it.”
Prince Ned Nwoko the man who contributed to ending Nigeria’s economic depression few years back through his consultancy initiative that led to PARIS CLUB’S REFUNDS to Nigerian States and local governments, also entertained the question on whether he has any collaboration with the Federal Government, even as he answered in the affirmative, adding that what was needed by the government was support. He said,” Of course, there is. “Now, what we need is the support, the other form of support will come in terms of planning. We need the federal government to dedicate weeks for these things to be implemented. “We need states government and local governments to be actively involved in the clean ups of the environment. There is a lot of collaboration at every stage in this project.
”Even when you look at the area of research itself, where we are making the money available to five universities, yes, federal government may not have any role to play, state government may not have any role to play, since I am personally funding it exclusively, but if those we chose are from federal government’s institutions, they have a role to play in guiding them, in advising them, making sure that they go to work and come out with a result.”
On his level of commitment in the project, the Delta State born philanthropist said, “Whatever it takes to get this going is what I am doing. This is about the need to save lives no financial cost is comparable to live. “So I am not looking at the cost because I can afford to do so in doing what I am doing now. When the time comes, if I need support, from the federal government or state, I will let them know.”
An interesting dimension in all of this is that the majority of Nigerians who have read this piece of sweet story have heaved a sigh of relief that at least one of the most deadly diseases ravaging our poor, rural communities is about to be confronted and defeated. I spoke with at least two dozen rural women in Arondizuogu in Imo State about this initiative of Prince Ned Nwoko and what i got from the useful dialogues is that radio stations have actually relayed the news to them but that they are yet to come to terms with the possibility that Malaria fever known to have led to the untimely deaths of many people they know could be eradicated. “Please help is tell Prince Ned Nwoko that our best wishes and prayers are with him so he actualized this noble objective“, so says Mrs Gladys Onwubiko my Mother who also spoke with me.
Onwubiko is the Head of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria
