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Mayor Of Housing, K O Baba Launch Scheme To Create Wealth In Diobu
Some eminent persons who grew up in Diobu, Port Harcourt, including Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, and K.O. Baba Jornsen have joined hands to launch a scheme that will create job opportunities and wealth for the residents of the area.
The take-off point was the TEDx Diobu which has won a license from TED International to organize a talkshow on Diobu to help rebuild the brand and the spirit of that section that drives the overall spirit of the Garden City.
A major sponsor and rated speaker at the TEDx Diobu, the Mayor of Housing, said it was emotional for him to be back in Diobu where he said it all started for him some 18 years ago.
Speaking on what Diobu puts in one’s life and career, China talked about courage and grit, adding that his journey had a lot of courage as well as vulnerabilities.
“There were days I frowned. But guess what, it started with that result here in Diobu that birthed the most important legacy every entrepreneur must aspire to build. That legacy is the legacy of grit”, he said.
“Grit is what happens when you’re able to blend your experience with lots of courage; blend your experience with embracing your vulnerability and not denying them, but growing bigger than them and not wishing that things were easier but wish you grew better.
“Then, you will tap into the biggest and deepest well of treasures in the world inexhaustible: the world and the wealth of human capital and your mental capital.
“When you develop that grit and come out, you will begin to see opportunities where people no longer see opportunities.
“You begin to see challenges as bread. Where people are complaining, there are different challenges and you’re asking where is the akara to add to the bread to make it a balanced diet.”
He agreed with Dan De Humorous who made brief appearance at the event, saying every story has a beginning, middle, and the end.
“Building a business, making an impact are all summed up in one word: the capacity to do more and the power of your story.
“Ask yourself the business you’re building, when the story is told, will it make the hearer weaker or stronger?”
According to him, one of the greatest liabilities that we have produced in our age is that we have failed to make impact even on the direct beneficiaries of our success, our children.
“Because at the end, it is not what you leave for them that is important, but what you leave in them. I am hoping as I leave, that what I’ve left in you will be more important than what I left for you.”
Also speaking, the TEDx Diobu franchise owner and entrepreneur who has linked up with Mayor of Housing said at the first edition of TEDx Diobu that the project is to promote the reality of Diobu, “which is about good, not the bad, not about snatching of phones”.
O.K. Baba who is also a well-known comedian and creator of ‘Mayor of Pitakwa’ annual comedy series, said the project is to bring the finest persons that once lived in Diobu to come and talk to Diobu of today.
The man who emerged as a force in Diobu years ago revealed how it came to be, saying he began helping the boys and then, every disagreement in the area was brought to him to resolve.
According to him, he emerged the street chairman without an election.
He reminded well-to-do people that one criminal could kill up to 1,000 persons, saying it was important to pull the youths off crime with social facilities.
He hinted many schemes that may soon come in Diobu, including an economic summit, adding that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) would be targeted for support after the TEDx Diobu event.
In his speech, an entrepreneur, Daniel Okwara, revealed his business techniques and the things he did to grow his business.
“Give back all to your business. I did this and grew from buying a mere 25% of container to becoming a global business today.
“I opened a joint account so I will never withdraw at whims. There must be a cogent reason and a process before withdrawing.
“Save cost, maximise. This means save the cost of operations so nothing can touch it. Then maximise the deployment of your resources so it increases your profit.”
In his own contribution, J.J. Folami showed how he used traffic of his blog to promote his music, now recording over 3.5m followers.
Another speaker simply named Dickson said he was born in Diobu and that he had found out that the spirit of competition dominated by ‘I pass my neighbour’ mentality had held Diobu and other such towns down.
“The rich collaborate; the poor compete; at best, they cooperate”.
He warned that collaboration will become the new competition and that the big fishes do not swallow small fishes but swallow slow fishes.
Dan De Humorous said though he did live in Diobu (D-Line area), that TED has a unique way of telling stories around the globe.
“In every story, there is a beginning, middle, and the end or climax. That’s the beauty of TED stories. I urge the audience to pay attention to the middle of stories. That is where the battle is, where the process that decides the end is found.”
In his admonition, a lawyer and activist, Chizi Wigodo, urged people who have ideas to join groups or political parties to push the ideas.
He said: “Civic participation is key. Government knows that the people have the greater power. Join a group to amplify your idea.
“Know it that the next election begins after the current one. So, the next election (2027) begins now. Post-election fights in court are however better than causing chaos. The court works with the story, the evidence, the law.”
A female broadcaster, Oby Ify Fakae, wrapped it up when she pointed out what makes persons not to collaborate, saying it’s a trust issue.
“People only trust you when you know them. Not all money is good money.”
The participants, including Hilda Dokubo agreed on efforts to rebuild the spirit of doggedness and grit which they said Diobu gave the Garden City, and turn the ideas to wealth and job creation.
My-ACE China, known as the Mayor of Housing, has won the 2024 Man of the Year. The award was announced by board of trustees of the DMOMA Awards Academy in Port Harcourt at the week.
The organisers also declared his company, the Construction and Housing Mayor Limited as the brand promoter of the year, the third in a row.
The award ceremony which was held at the Arena Event centre in the GRA area of Port Harcourt was attended by several dignitaries in the society.
The organisers led by Dr. Ezebunwo Nyeche (chairman) and Stephen Chidiebere Okoye (Awards organizer) said in a statement that China was picked for his support and impact to small and medium enterprises in Rivers State, his media footsteps and his consistent propagation and promotion of Rivers State.
They noted that China won over 10 prestigious awards in 2024 alone on his track to promote Port Harcourt as a brand destination and Rivers as a peaceful state.
Handing the award to China, the organisers said the Mayor of Housing always comes to the rescue of events that aim to promote Rivers State, saying the DMOMA Awards would be held in two more cities in 2025.
Responding, Mr China said there is need for more sponsorship of talents in Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta, saying what they lacked was support.
“There is more talent in Port Harcourt but there is more support in Lagos to artistes than in Port Harcourt. So, the top talents in Port Harcourt work 10 times harder than those in Lagos to attract sponsorship.”
He also said Nigeria has a treasure base which is Port Harcourt but that the treasure is not oil and gas but talents. He said he was highly elated to win the of Man of the Year Award with his firm winning brand of the year.
In an interview, My-ACE China said he was particularly impressed with the diligence demonstrated by the organisers and the processes they used to pick winners every year.
He also said the victory showed attention paid by the organisers to unveil the personality behind the corporate masquerade, not just focusing on the company. “It actually reaffirms one of my quotes that a brand can only grow as big as the character of the visioner behind it.”
On his plans to help Port Harcourt compete with Lagos, China said 2025 will meet him doing things with the youths of Rivers State to push the Port Harcourt brand in the social media and rally the traditional press to create a positive narrative of Rivers State beyond violence and political negativity.
“The Garden City has not been enjoying the best of media perception for some years now but this is the first time we have a governor committed to non-political bias in doing his work. He does not consider whether you are a member of his party or not before doing what is right. For the first time, we have a true father of the state to all, and he has been diligently following the blueprint that stakeholders developed at the last Rivers Economic and Investment Summit, making sure he is doing it without political cronyism.”
He said his company would be building the biggest estate and the best, the ‘Alesa Sustainable Smart City, to move from brand perception to brand experience so as to move Rivers State to the next level.
He appealed to entrepreneurs not to be carried away by the old perception but to join the new way. “Position yourself because there is going to be a boom. People are rushing into Port Harcourt and new entrants may take the ground. Think expansion not contraction, think investment not divestment. Else, you miss it.”
To fellow estate investors, he admonished them to gear up for regulation. “It is no longer going to be business as usual especially for land peddling and land grabbing. Try to grow up because tangible development is going to take over.
“It is no longer going to be who sells the most land but who develops the most houses. The housing deficit in the land requires effective land development strategies. Any serious land seller should grow into a housing developer because developments are going to be coming into Rivers State and a lot of people are coming into the state.”
He said those that have grown to be developers will be many times richer than those that are just starting or are mere land sellers and peddlers. People should also position themselves because all the foreign investments and local ones will take advantage of this influx.
“The value of influx is coming, so prepare and take advantage. Be one of those that are big enough to take advantage. Remaining small will not be good but grow big in your products, in your services, because the market is going to grow big.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed shock and sadness over the death of a former military governor of the State, Major-General Godwin Osagie Abbe (rtd).
Late Abbe, who hails from Edo State, was military governor of Rivers State between August, 1990 and January, 1992.
Governor Fubara described late Gen Abbe as one leader who dedicated himself to the service and wellbeing of Rivers people and humanity during his administration in the State, saying that the death of the distinguished military officer, politician and administrator was a very huge loss to the State, the Niger Delta, and indeed, the entire country, having traversed the length and breath of the nation in the cause of his military and political careers.
“On behalf of my family, the Government and good people of Rivers State, I condole with the family of the Abbes, the Edo people, and the Nigerian military on the demise of this colossus, whose contributions to the unity, peace and development of the nation are legendary.
“While we mourn his painful exit at this difficult time, we pray for the eternal repose of his soul, and urge the family to take solace in the fact that late Gen Abbe lived a fulfilled life in the service of his fatherland.”
Wife of Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, has noted with delight that Rivers children are well behaved, and has admonished them to remain supportive of their parents while striving always to make a difference wherever they find themselves.
Lady Fubara gave the counsel at the 2024 Christmas Children Party, attended by children from the 23 Local Government Areas of the State, including non-indigenes, at Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
The Christmas Children Party also witnessed the presence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who stopped over to share moments with them, walking from one canopy to another, waving at them, and at other times, shaking hands with them to leave lasting memories on them.
The Rivers First Lady pointed to the importance of the celebration of Christmas, which draws attention to the birth of Jesus Christ, demanding that people have a deep reflection of the love that is demonstrated and mission of the birth, which is to redeem mankind.
Lady Fubara recalled how she took out time to visit the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, where she appreciated God for safe delivery of children born on Christmas day while felicitating with the nursing mothers.
She also stated the valuable time spent with motherless babies when she visited the Port Harcourt Children’s Home in Borikiri, old Port Harcourt Township, and celebrated their meekness, innocence and the beauty they bring to the world.
She said, “Even today, as we continue the celebration, efforts were made to extend invitation to our children in all the 23 local government areas of our State. In doing this, children from all classes of society, including the physically challenged, have been offered the opportunity to sit together as brothers and sisters, play, eat and dance.
“Whilst contemplating the uniqueness of celebrating Christmas on a Boxing Day, steps were equally taken to provide gifts for the children who are there, and also to pray for them, a qualitative fun session that will last in their memories.”
Lady Fubara advised all children in the State to remember that Jesus came into the world to make a difference, advising that they must emulate him so that they can positively impact their families and society.
She urged them to pray fervently to God to bless and prosper their mothers, daddies, aunties and uncles to better cater to their needs.
She added, “Be humble, obedient and supportive at home. Do household chores, and don’t forget to make excellent grades in school next academic session. Children are the joy of every home, and we are glad to have beautiful, well-behaved children in Rivers State.
“Thank you all for witnessing this 2024 Children’s Party, and I pray God Almighty to protect, shield and keep you safe from all negative companies in the name of Jesus. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2025. God bless you all,” she said.
Lady Fubara expressed appreciation to her husband and Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for his absolute commitment to the growth of children, and the immeasurable support that ensured that Christmas Children Party was a success.
There were performances by Virtue Dancers, Kalabari Iria dancers, Wonder Time Children of Opobo Kingdom, Children of Rivers State Council of Arts and Culture, Diseye the Poet and DJ Arnold.