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08.03.2018 Feature Article

Ifeanyi Ubah: When Charity Meets Capacity (2)

Ifeanyi Ubah: When Charity Meets Capacity 2
08.03.2018 LISTEN

It is the same with widows especially in his native Nnewi town. His generousity has wiped out tears from the faces of the indigent among them. Rather than treat the widows with scorn as some in his position would do, Ifeanyi Ubah has brought great succor to them. Obviously, their happiness is his happiness!

Furthermore, in order to create jobs especially for Nigeria’s teeming youths, Ifeanyi Ubah has ventured into other areas of business including the media where he owns several radio stations, a newspaper company, a not-for-profit Foundation, a high profile football club etc, employing thousands of youths, from all walks of life including his native Anambra State, not just employing them but also entrusting them with critical offices, functions and positions of authority that shows he is a man who has great faith in the younger generation.

The oil magnate has also proved that he has the Midas touch as everything he touches turns to gold.

His football club FC Ifeanyi Ubah had existed for a long time initially as Gabros International FC.

All the while, the club had only managed to exist and remained at best a mid-table football club without any laurels except relegations and promotions back to the elite division of the Nigerian Professional League. But the moment Ifeanyi Ubah bought over the club in 2015, its transformation and upward progression started in earnest. Hence, in 2016, just within a year of being acquired by Ubah, the football club became not only the first Nigerian Professional Football Club to enter into a historic and strategic partnership with a leading football club in the English premier league, West Ham United FC, the club also lifted the FA Cup in 2016 after beating Nasarawa United in the final.

The victory brought immense joy to the people of the State as it was a dream come true for NdiAnambra as such feat within so such a period of time was hardly anticpated by the people.

Apart from this, it also puts Anambra people on the map of intercontinental soccer as FC Ifeanyi Ubah represented Nigeria at the CAF Confederations Cup the following season.

All these have also stimulated economic activities around Anambra South as visitors, fans and supporters from the different countries whose club sides had to face the Nnewi-based football club came in and also patronized businesses in the area.

Even in politics, he has proved to be a force to be reckoned with. Unlike many others, Dr Ubah has proved that he is not into politics to be served or to get enriched but to serve his constituents from the depth of his own personal wealth, experience and clout.

His role in the last Anambra gubernatorial election cannot be overemphasised. He proved to all and sundry through that election that anyone or party who underrates him does so entirely at their own risks. His movement into APGA immediately shored up the chances of the incumbent governor, Willie Obiano, as Ubah declared total victory of 21/21 local governments for Obiano. It was a target he set for himself and he remained committed to it until it was achieved using the catch phrase "Afa Igbo Efuna" which resonated widely with the people. Not even all the presidential powers from Abuja brought to bear on Anambra from the centre could stop Obiano.

A proven prudent manager of resources and lover of his people, Ubah’s sojourn into politics is borne out of the desire to elevate the standard of life of the people and contribute his own humble quota in ensuring they get their proper place in the scheme of things in Nigeria’s highly complicated web of politics and highly contentious system of distributing resources.

Partisan politics aside, every community or constituency deserves a leader who has the clout and the temperament to negotiate best for them amidst competing forces, to set a target for his people and achieve it fully. No doubt, Ifeanyi Ubah has both and even much more.

A man whose acts of charity are well documented and his philanthropy acknowledged everywhere, Ifeanyi Ubah would continue to do everything to protect, project and promote his immediate constituency for the benefit of all concerned. He has done it before, he can do it again. He is a man who has been tested and trusted. If he could take the enormous risks and be selfless in coming to the rescue of the entire nation in 2015 when we were grappling with fuel scarcity occasioned by strike action embarked upon by the ubiquitous oil marketers, what will he not do for people of his immediate constituency?

There are many who want to do charity but are not empowered enough to do that which they would like to do to help humanity, and there are others who are greatly empowered with enormous capacities but lack the heart to help humanity. Fortunately for the people of Anambra South, God has deliberately blessed them with Ifeanyi Ubah, a man whom He has endowed with not only the capacity to reach out but also the heart to do charity.

In Ifeanyi Ubah, charity has met capacity. The least the people can do is to support him to lead them to the Promised Land! They must not miss the looming opportunity!

(Concluded)
[email protected] ; Twitter: Stjudendukwe

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