By Juliet Chiemenem
It was Father James Keller, a 20th Century Roman Catholic priest and founder of The Christophers, who once said: “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”
Prince Alex Mbata is one man who has internalised the wisdom contained in the above aphorism and lives by it. He has come to be like that lamp spoken of in the Gospel of Luke that, once lit, cannot be put it in a hiding place or under a bushel, but must be placed upon a lampstand so that others may see with its light. From creating employment opportunities to empowering the youth and assisting in community development efforts, Prince Alex Mbata has remained a bright spot in a dark world in desperate need of light.
The Chief Executive Officer of ABM Global, a key company in the downstream sector of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, Prince Alex Mbata has used his wealth to impact positively on the lives of people.
Apart from the hundreds of Nigerians across all regions employed by ABM Global, the company also extends a hand of fellowship to bright and indigent students through scholarship awards. It also builds for indigent people and gives palliatives to the needy, thereby sowing hope where there is despair.
A frontline businessman, philanthropist and manager of men and resources, Prince Mbata has over the last 10 years partnered with several NGOs, especially faith-based NGOs, to support and restore hope to the poor and the needy. He has also continued to empower many Nigerians through his foundation, the Alex Mbata Humanitarian Foundation, which focuses on empowerment of youths, widows and the under-privileged in the society. His humanitarian deeds, which cut across Imo State and beyond, have earned him the name ‘Friend of the People’.
In the last quarter of 2019, for instance, the foundation empowered 1,000 Nigerians with N100,000 each, amounting to a total of N100 million, as start-up capital for various businesses.
But for unforeseen circumstances, the word on the street is that Prince Mbata had planned to hold another youth empowerment programme in September this year. The programme, which is now scheduled to hold on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at the Ndubuisi Kanu Square in Owerri, aims to empower over 3,000 men, women and youths across Owerri zone comprising nine local government areas. Beneficiaries will be equipped with items including 500 hairdressing equipment, 500 sewing machines, 300 motor bikes, 2,000 bags of rice, as well as N50,000 each to 1,000 indigent men and women, all geared towards assisting them to start up small and medium scale businesses. This massive empowerment programme, valued at N380 million, is expected to have significant multiplier effect on the Imo State economy.
Furthermore, in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prince Alex Mbata, widely known as ABM in the corporate world, made a donation of N20 million to the Imo State government as support in the fight against the dreaded virus.
Just in May this year, the Imo State Government commissioned a double-lane, two-kilometre road with double drainage and streetlights in the Owerri Capital Territory singlehandedly constructed by Prince Alex Mbata at the cost of N180 million. The road, named Prince Alex Mbata Road, was “a dungeon and death trap” before Prince Mbata came to the rescue.
During the commissioning, Governor Hope Uzodimma, who was represented by his deputy, Prof Placid Njoku, described the road project, a first-of-its-kind in the history of Imo State, as a major boost to the infrastructural and economic development of the state as well as a people-oriented project designed to ameliorate the sufferings of the people. He appealed to other well-meaning Imo citizens, both home and abroad, to toe the path of Prince Mbata by supporting the efforts of the state government.
A native of Ngwoma Obube in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Prince Alex Mbata has through his life-changing humanitarian activities and public good demonstrated uncommon commitment to the advancement of humanity. It is therefore not surprising that he has been variously described as “a practical lover of humanity and consensus builder,” “a good-spirited man of excellence,” “human capital development guru, maverick employer of labour and empowerment monster”, “a rare breed phenomenal leader and developmental politician”, a “highly cerebral, cosmopolitan” man with deep pockets “yet disarmingly unassuming”, “a true leader of leaders by doings”, “an elite with deep empathy and pro-poor sympathy”, and “a profound promoter of justice”.
In public service, Prince Alex Mbata has shown himself as a dutiful and selfless leader who can be trusted. His time as Chairman of the Governing Council of Imo State University, Owerri, remarkably marked by exceptionalism and pragmatism, bears eloquent testimony to this assertion.
In all his humanitarian deeds, however, Prince Alex Mbata has preferred not to attract undue publicity to himself. Yet, just like a golden fish that has no hiding place, he has unconsciously remained in the spotlight because of his unrepentant devotion to the empowerment and well-being of the less privileged. His humanitarian activities, because of their impact on the beneficiaries, have continued to attract attention and commendations.
There is a saying that a lamp does not speak but introduces itself through its light. Prince Alex Mbata is that lamp whose light illuminates a dark world. In words and deeds, he has shown himself as a rare gift to humanity and a valuable asset to the good people of Owerri zone, Imo State, and indeed Nigeria.
•Hon. Chiemenem writes from Lagos.