In this report, OGENYI OGENYI, takes a holistic look at Governor Eno’s silent entrepreneural revolution in the last eleven months and it’s future impact on the political-economy of Akwa Ibom
Whenever Governor Umo Eno speaks about entrepreneurship, one cannot but feel the strength of his vision, the passion of his conviction and the zeal of his futuristic insight. The elegance of his language, the force of his argument and his potential for good are obviously dominant.
His vision is for a new Akwa Ibom state where entrepreneural development will diminish a culture where able bodied youths thronged the gates of politicians to beg for crumbs as a major occupation, a vice he has vowed must be halted and reversed immediately.
To interprete and implement this vision, the Governor appointed Imo-abasi Jacob, Managing Director of AKICORP, as the Team Lead of
To realize this vision, the Governor saw to the establishment of Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Centre (Ibom-LED) in 2023.The Centre aims to bridge the gap in leadership and entrepreneurial skills development amongst business managers by providing bespoke learning programs, thereby enhancing the socio-economic growth and development of Akwa Ibom State and beyond. Ibom-LED offers a range of services including business advisory to guide, mentor, and support emerging entrepreneurs and businesses in the state and region. Ibom LED is an independent organization governed by a board of trustees.
To interprete and implement this vision, the Governor appointed Imo-abasi Jacob, Managing Director of Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation,AKICORP, as the Team Lead, Mrs. Ekaette Umoh as Pioneer General Manager, while Mr. Ime Uwah, SSA on Entrepreneurial Development serves as the Programme Director of the Centre.
The trio were tasked with the responsibility of interpreting the Governor’s entrepreneurial blueprint by articulating and implementing the strength of his vision, the passion of his conviction and the zeal of his futuristic insight in line with the administration’s entrepreneural philosophy.
To prove that the true test of a leader is not the speeches he delivers but on whether he delivers on his speeches, the Governor donated N250 million for the take-off and training of the first Batch of 400 participants. N50 million went for their School Fees and Training while N200 million will be disbursed as Business Support Grant of N500,000 to each trainee upon completion. Trainees who have products that needed NAFDAC certification, licenses and registration were to be helped to get such, he directed.
For a man with a unique ability and charisma of galvanizing people to come together to the logic of his convictions and beliefs, with a visionary insight not hamstrung by limited exposure or lack of depth because of his analytical mind which gives him the ability to gather the brightest and the best into his team to interpret and implement his vision, it is not surprising that the strength of his vision has made Ibom-Led a success story.
To the Governor, the Ibom-LED success story is a stark reminder of how long the road towards building a new crop of young Akwa Ibom entrepreneururs is but how necessary it must be that as a government and a people we travel it, especially as the state is blessed with a generation of young, industrious, hard working, creative, talented and passionate youth desirous of creating small businesses but lack seed capital, training and access to market and network.
And so in fulfilment of his promise to train and empower entrepreneurs, Eno late last month disbursed N500,000 grant to 800 Ibom-LED trainees. This was followed with the branding of the beneficiaries business outlets across the state.
While presenting the cheques the Goveenor congratulated the beneficiaries for successfully going through the programme and described them as ambassadors of the EAP.
“I like to say clearly here that whether this programme will continue or not depends on you because you are the ambassadors of this programme. You are not all totally new in businesses or entrepreneurship. I am not concerned about the little seed that’ll be put in your hands, but the training you’ve received”, the governor says.
Interestingly, he took time to advise the beneficiaries on some business tips. According to him, “everything you need to succeed is in your hands.
“For now, don’t be politicians, just be entrepreneurs . This is an opportunity for you to have a primary address. If you’ve a primary address, politics is secondary.People will respect you for what you can do. This little money is a seed and if you plant it well, it will bring a mighty harvest. I remember that, in this state, I opened my hotel with just five rooms, and a few years later, we had grown exponentially.
“The first thing is that you must make up your mind to succeed and in that determination, there will be a place of sacrifice and self denial. People will tell you all manner of things, don’t mind them. Your time will soon arrive. Above all, this community has been created; stay around the community and don’t try to impress people. As a government, we’ll continue to support you. This is just the beginning.”
Team Lead of Ibom LED Imoabasi Jacob, in his remarks appreciated the governor for the vision, commitment and support for the Akwa Ibom business community and assured that given the quality training to the beneficiaries, the grants will yield the desired dividends.
In her keynote address at the event, Head of the Alumni Directorate and Support Services of Enterprise Development Center at the Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Ms Nnena Ugwu, advised the beneficiaries to cultivate the culture of discipline, commitment and focus to enable them succeed in their different business ventures.
However, one of the beneficiaries of the Eno administration’s N400 million business grant to Akwa Ibom entrepreneurs, is Jones Okon Akpan, a person living with a disability.
Akpan, the CEO of Jones Shoe Manufacturing, refuses to see disabilities. Instead, he saw a season, and an opportunity with Governor Umo Eno who leap-frogged from a five room to a towering consortium of hospitality brands before public service forced him to step aside.
The grateful Akpan did something instructive while crawling to receive his cheque from Governor Eno, who appears to be humanising politics in addition to running government as a business.
At the event, the governor handed Akpan a cheque of N500,000, laced the seed fund with an extra N1.00 million, and also directed the Health Commissioner to ensure the daring businessman is mobile. Eno said he is committed to lifting 5,000 crawling Joneses to enviable heights of business leadership. His message has always been, “If I can, then you can.”
The project witnessed 400 participants of the Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme, (EAP) Batch 01 who participated in the mandatory 3-months training from October 16 – December 15, 2023 and the 400 Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme, (EAP) 02 Batch B participants who started their training from January 29 – March 28, 2024 at the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Centre, at IBB Avenue, Uyo, receiving the grant.
The 800 beneficiaries successfully completed a 3-months mandatory training which stood them out as certified ambassadors of the center poised to become world-class leaders in their respective fields, equipped with the knowledge and skills garnered during the training.
The participants underwent training covering key facets of entrepreneurship such as; Business Development, Record Keeping, Sales and Marketing Strategies, Product Development and Innovation, Legal and Regulatory Compliance, Networking and Collaboration, Pitching and Presentation Skills, and Access to Funding and Resources.
The beneficiaries upon completion of training were officially inducted into the distinguished alumni community of Ibom-LED, a platform where membership creates a meeting and melting point between the trainees and would-be-investors, with lost of benefits, including expert mentorship, networking opportunities, funding avenues, comprehensive support, and heightened exposure in the business landscape.
The 3-months rigorous training ensured that participants stand as certified agents poised to become world-class leaders in their respective fields, equipped with the knowledge and skills garnered during this transformative programme.
And as part of a conscious policy direction, the Governor has vowed that the trainees at the Ibom-LED Tailoring & Shoe making Hub will be responsible for the production of over a million school uniforms and shoes for pupils and uniform and boots for the men of the Ibom Community Watch in the state.
“We are determined to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in our people and this vision is being championed by the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Centre (Ibom-LED). So far, we have successfully hosted the maiden Edition of the Made in Akwa Ibom Trade Fair, where the 400 registered attendees were given a grant of five hundred thousand Naira each to progress their businesses. We have also set up and commissioned the Ibom-LED Tailoring & Shoe making Hub among other great things the Center is doing”
“In line with our commitment to support our indigenous entrepreneurs, we have ensured that all contracts for the production of school uniforms and shoes for our pupils and uniform and boots for the men of the Ibom Community Watch are handled by our youths at the Shoe and Fabric Hub housed at the Ibom – LED Centre. I call on all of you to avail yourself of the programmes initiated by the Centre,” the Governor declared during his New Year broadcast in January.
