Akanimo Udofia: The Power of Foresight
Nevertheless, one man did not only think of this, but actually made real and commendable effort to start the process. As far as 2007, Mr. Akanimo Udofia sponsored the training of 160 youths in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States on various Maritime courses not only to equip them for engagements in the various oil multidimensional companies that were operating in the region, but to also give them a long-term relevance in the maritime sector and as well prepare them for opportunities in the proposed Seaport.
Akan Udofia knows that his over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas sector will hardly count for something if he is unable to reproduce his kind. But aside from his desire to see Akwa Ibom youths thrive in the oil and gas sector, Mr. Udofia seems genuinely committed to developing and supporting the youths to have opportunities and succeed across all sectors of life. By his prediction, agriculture, technology, energy, oil and gas, entertainment, sports and entrepreneurship are some of the money-spinning ventures where many of our innovative youths can easily breakthrough. For him, one of the ways the economy of the state and country can easily bounce back from the negative effects of the global pandemic, is to effectively engage our human resources in key viable ventures.
As a private businessman, Udofia has done so much over the years, through inspiring and supporting younger people in business. For someone whose business scope covers the entire country and beyond, he apparently does not have the luck of choosing a particular region to focus his investment in people. It therefore means that he has to spread his goodwill across Nigeria and beyond. For instance, moved by the July 2012 Danzig Street mass shooting in Scarborough, Toronto, Akan Udofia, in November 2012, donated one hundred and fifty thousand Dollars ($150,000) to the community. He meant it to be quiet donation but when the probing media caught up with him and pressed for comments, he said: “I choose to be a role model, to show these kids that there’s a big world out there”. By “big world”, he apparently meant to inspire hope in the children faced with a devastating situation. He wanted them to rather look at the bigger picture. Moreover, his noted that his donation in far away Canada could ripple down to Africa. “The emerging economies of Africa can use a skilled, talented and reformed youth from the Danzig community in Toronto and I can help,” he submitted.
Development is not rocket science. Having spent many years in a country where government actually works, Akan Udofia has learnt the rudiments of good governance. This shows in his managerial skills of his private business concerns. Truth is, in as much as Mr. Udofia has the desire to contribute immensely to the development of Akwa Ibom State, there is only very little he can as an individual. As a private citizen, he is as helpless as the rest of the people when he is working against unfavourable policies, infrastructural deficits and other fundamental problems.
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