Thank you President Tinubu! Congratulations Nwagba!!

Thank you President Tinubu! Congratulations Nwagba!!

By Bolaji O. Akinyemi.

The average age of a Nigerian youth is 17 years old- Uzoma Nwagba.

The reality of Democracy as a culture in consciousness of the majority is lost on many Democrats. This loss of knowledge more than anything else is responsible for such allegations as non-indigenes want to take Lagos from the indigenes and the youth should wait for their time. The truth is the waiting period of Nigerian youth is over and the increasing number of non-indigenes outnumbering indigenes is a political reality that we all must come to terms with, to devise a system of inclusion favourable to all. If the youth own the day we are in, then non-indigenes will always decide the political fate of Lagos State in a transparently free and fair election!

If as at the last election, the average age of a Nigerian youth is 17 years old, how the minority demography of the old and dying, hope to still forcefully hijack government in 2027 via manipulation of the process is left alone to our imagination. The youth I guess are with me in thinking of what wonderland 2027 election will arrive with. Though Democracy is a system of government. However in Africa and particularly Nigeria, it is far from running like a system. Systems run on structures of timing of parts and injections by patterns built in the system. 

The Oxford dictionary defines it as; a set of things working TOGETHER as parts of a MECHANISM or an INTERCONNECTING network; a complex whole. For example, the state railway system. (Emphasis are mine).

By application, the failure of democracy in Africa is easily traceable to the absence of component parts deliberately designed and patterned to make timed contributions in the working of our democratic development. Little wonder about our rail system in Lagos; blue rail, red rail or green rail lines are the best in the “media” anywhere in the world but on the ground, experience of Lagosians and visitors; local and international can’t support our media stories! For the reason of the missing components and supply of focil fuel and particularly electricity. Our trains will depart the online when we are ready!

Democracy should be more of a product in Africa and other developing countries due to the fragility of institutions that are superintending its management. Until the structure fully evolves. The onus for now is on our political class to adopt a product development and marketing approach to democratic deliverables. This is what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done by appointing Uzoma Nwagba to head Consumer Credit Corporation.

Though we live in expectation of renewed hope,  Uzoma Nwagba is beyond hope. If faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, then Uzo; “meaning the way” is the evidence of the way forward and a true inroad to the Nigerian youths generally. He is an intelligent palliative to placate pressured nerves of the restless South Eastern youths that the President, after all is not blind to the abundance of talents and human capacity among the lion hearted youths of the region! 

Growing up in Aba, Abia State and schooling in Lagos has made Uzoma a blended spirit of talents and enterprising spirit of Aba, and of the opportunities and sporadic greatness of the Lagos environment. Having gotten into the King’s College Lagos in 1998 the year before Tinubu became Governor of the State. So, while Tinubu was serving Lagos, Nwagba was preparing to serve Nigeria, that opportunity the President has finally offered him. Beyond the daily duties of official call is the catalyst and inspiration that Uzo must serve as the way forward for unity among the Nigerian youths. 

A round peg in a round hole!

Uzoma Nwagba a professional with profound capacity at the intersection of technology and finance until his appointment, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Nigeria’s Government Enterprise and Employment Programme (GEEP), managing the world largest microcredit scheme. Where he leveraged on the power of technology -driven operation to disburse and manage a portfolio of two million loans to UNDERBANKED Nigerians, demonstrating the biggest advancement of financial inclusion via credit in Africa.

Prior to his appointment, Engineer Nwagba served as Chief Operating Officer of the Bank of Industry in charge of driving micro-credit and other financial interventions at the institution. He had also served as a senior investment associate, specialising in financial services (banking, insurance, and pensions) at the African Capital Alliance.

Antecedents is key when leadership representation of a fast finger generation is being considered. Young people who could get to know whatever they need to do at the click of a button should never be given a leader that is not verifiable. 

Unlike Betta Edu, the young and vibrant Nwagba at 36 represents the hope and aspirations of the Nigerian youths. He started his career as an Analyst at Goldman Sachs, New York; and then proceeded to become a Product Manager at Microsoft, Redmond; where he received a Gold Star Award, one of the highest honour in the company, for his effective management and leadership of vast mobile technology Team!

Uzo is a seed the Lord has planted. As the co founder of Leadership Seed, an organisation focused on case-based teaching of ethics and governance; he is helping to nurture Godly seeds across high schools in the country for leadership. Uzo, arguably with access to the highest data of Nigerian youths in preparation for leadership is coming on the job with not just the knowledge that the average age of a Nigerian today is 17, he knows just what to do to activate their interest and deploy their energy towards productivity; politically or otherwise!

Uzo no doubt is a deserving role model of the Nigerian youth. Beyond academics, at Harvard, he was involved in extracurricular activities and social engineering such as Management Consulting Club, African Business Club, Business in Government Club and Christian Fellowship among many others reflecting his multifaceted interests and leadership qualities.

Nwagba is a deserving role model of the generation of our children, a people to which merit must be taught as a social doctrine. 

The founder of Nwagba Foundation has come to the Kingdom for such a time like this! Replicating the template of the foundation across the country could be all that is needed to make the nation great again!

To Uzo, the President has given the yam and his knife trusting he will banish hunger in the land. Expectations of our desire to see good governance as a deliverable of democracy in the context of the critical portfolio the President has tossed at him is very high. May you surpass it.

Thank you, Mr. President! Congratulations Uzoma Nwagba!!

Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder. He’s also President Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table. BoT Chairman, Project Victory Call Initiative, AKA PVC Naija. He is a strategic Communicator and the C.E.O, Masterbuilder Communications.

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