THE ENGR. ENYINNAYA (NANA) NWAFOR EXAMPLE
By Sam Hart (2018)
Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is the Governor of Abia State. As Governor, he has a lot of friends, brothers and stakeholders around him. Today, we explore what it should really mean to be a friend, brother and stakeholder to someone in power using Engr. Nana Nwafor as case study.
1. YOU STAKE BEFORE YOU HOLD
Credit to Barr. Nkumah for this theory. It was in the course of the campaign for Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to become Governor that he explained that there are 2 categories of stakeholders. Those who wait until they’re holding something before they stake something in return and those who stake everything for their friend and brother even before they hold anything.
Nana staked everything for his friend and brother Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to become Governor. Naturally all cannot be revealed here but suffice it to state that he was a General in the battle for OVI to become AND REMAIN Governor. He staked his resources (human, material and otherwise) and he would have suffered incalculable loss had things gone south. I state without equivocation that Nana did all he did not for any anticipated reward, he is already blessed by God beyond compare. He staked all just to see his friend and brother attain greatness. A lesson in friendship and brotherhood.
2. YOU GIVE YOUR ALL TO SEE HIM SUCCEED
Nana lives in Abuja. He runs successful businesses in Abuja employing lots of staff. He has been executing contracts for the Federal Government and her agencies for a number of years now. But since Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu became Governor, he has practically relocated to Abia State. He has deployed his professional expertise to execute a number of projects in Abia State. Needless to state that the projects executed far outweigh whatever payments he has received till date.
More importantly for me, the projects he is executing are of topmost quality attracting ecomiums to the administration of his friend and brother. His company, Tunnel End Construction constructed Oomne Drive, Aba. It is on record that this is the 1st time that road has survived 2 rainy seasons. Investment House, Umuahia is another testament to the commitment of Nana to deliver quality to his brother. Ditto MCC Road and Old Express Road among others.
3. INVEST IN THE STATE. CREATE EMPLOYMENT.
Closely related to 2 above. Nana has built offices for his companies in Aba, Osisioma and Umuahia. They are fully manned by different staff. He has also constructed one of the largest and most modern asphalt batching plants at the Aba PH Expressway. Construction companies come from within and outside the State to source their asphalt at his plant. He is on the verge of setting up an ultramodern factory that will employ not less than 1,000 people directly and indirectly on one of his properties, an old factory at Osisioma Expressway. There are lots more but I will wait for him to unveil them himself. These are longterm commitments and investments. They are resounding votes of confidence in the efforts of his friend and brother to attract investors to the State thus making it easy for him to convince others to come using you as an example.
4. RENDER HUMANITARIAN SERVICES, EASE THE BURDEN ON YOUR FRIEND AND BROTHER
Nana runs a humanitarian foundation ‘Each One Aid One Foundation’. He has used this Foundation to touch countless lives in Abia State. The Foundation has so far donated about 10,000 School Shoes Bags and Books to pupils all over Abia State. The Foundation runs regular medical out outreaches all over the State. The Foundation has hundreds of students on scholarship at various levels of studies within and outside Nigeria. Nana has personally contributed out of pocket in millions to several causes e.g Medical emergencies, school rebuilding/renovation/equipping projects, community development donations, personal development grants, poverty alleviation interventions and countless humanitarian interventions too numerous to mention. He, alongside his siblings, rebuilt the Anglican Parish in their Umuojima Osisioma Community in honour of the memory of their late father, Dr. Chima Nwafor, foremost Medical Doctor, Icon and former 2-time Deputy Governor of Abia State. For every set of individuals and organisations that Nana has touched, he has absorbed the burden from his brother and friend who these people would have been looking up to to solve their problems.
5. BE A MAN OF THE PEOPLE
When you are in power, those desirous of seeing you cannot see you all the time due to vagaries of office. Your friends and brothers must bridge that gap by being accessible so that when people cannot see you, they have options of others within your circle to see and either have their problems solved or at least be made to feel loved and appreciated. Nana epitomises this. Whenever you go to his office in Abuja or Aba, you will meet a large group of people being entertained and sharing jokes and banters with him. His doors are open. He sees those who want to see him thus easing the burden on his friend and brother.
I obviously cannot say everything I know about what Nana Nwafor does for his friend and brother, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor of Abia State. I however have no hesitation recommending him, for the few examples outlined above, as a model friend, brother and stakeholder to those in political office.
Odika ya akola anyi.