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Personality in Focus

Cheers, Henry Ukazu Waxes Stronger

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2 years ago

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By Abdulakeem Sodeeq Sulyman 

Life’s essence is not in the thing that can be counted, but the things you make count through your time-bound journey of life” – Abdulakeem Sodeeq SULYMAN 

Considering the schedules ahead of me during this twilight of one of my academic pursuits, I am so sure people in my fold won’t believe I am involving in this task of writing about someone else. But because of the bond between Henry Ukazu and I and the respect we accorded one another, penning this piece is highly unavoidable for me, especially based on the feedback I received on my celebratory messages to him exactly this time last year.
With all humility and deep sense of appreciation, I think am duly qualified to write about the personality of Henry Ukazu, based on the mutuality we shared. I am his brother, acquaintance, a protégé and based on the mystery that surrounds how we connected, I have no doubt that joining the fold of Henry Ukazu is divinely ordained! Assuming I knew Henry Ukazu through anyone, that person might have cut the link by envying the north-ward spiral of the trust and confidence he reposed in me.
I had known Henry Ukazu since around 2017 through his weekly article – Adding Values – in The Boss Newspaper, which I am a devoted reader of. However, as nature has designed it to happen, Exactly 33 days after the sudden and tragic demise of my dear elder brother and friend, Sulyman Luqman. I had the opportunity of speaking with Henry Ukazu on the 18th of April, 2020, when his United States’ phone number was mistakenly copied below his article.
Ingenuity compelled me to message him on WhatsApp which he swiftly replied, asking me what he could do for me. As at that time, the manuscript of my second book was at an advanced stage and I fired my shot by informing him of my request to write the foreword of the book. He granted my request as a welcome gift and also ensured that the book was an outstanding success. The lesson that resonates with me all the time through my connection with him is this: “Anytime we are meeting people for the first time, the purpose of that meeting must be defined because its outcomes will influence the life span of our engagement with such people.”
In one of John C. Maxwell’s books, he uses Five “S” – Surface, Structured, Secured, Solid and Significant – to depict Levels of Relationships. Leveraging these levels was my joker that day! As our relationship progresses, I learned that Henry Ukazu is a rare persona that is very easy to relate and mingle with once you have values to share. His primary principle of life revolves around values. Other things that endear him in people are sound characters, conviction to live an impactful life and high sense of gratitude.
The four qualities I pinpointed will be used to describe how mine and other people’s mats of roses were laid with him. Henry Ukazu sees values as a sum total of your skills and competences to identify problems, understand every element that constitutes the problems and be able to proffer solutions to the problems identified. He admires analytical and detailed-oriented people, since he himself as a trained lawyer knows that nothing earns him triumph more than the weight of the punches he can throw during cross examinations.
Many times, Henry Ukazu has sacrificed his comfortability in order to be of value to other people’s lives. One of those times I can vividly remember was January this year when he came to Nigeria and had a speaking engagement in Enugu State. The convener of the event, a UN envoy, mother and professor of English Literature in a reputable university in the United States suggested his speech be delivered via Zoom, but Henry Ukazu insisted on speaking with the audience physically so that they would be inspired and motivated by the carriage he radiates and the passion he exudes.
He delivered the speech and earned a standing ovation from every member of the audience. How else can one be valuable? Henry Ukazu believes that values become a potent asset when it is refined with sound characters. Characters to him are sets of consistent principles guiding how one lives. No matter your material possessions, you are perceived wretched and poverty-stricken when you are character flawed! He connects with people as a believer of “golden rule,” and also relates with people as a practitioner of “platinum rule.”
A short interaction with Henry Ukazu will affirm to anyone that he is passionate about his conviction to impact lives. Spending some seconds or minutes with Henry Ukazu will tempt you to probe your existence and ignite and fuel in you the inspiration and intrinsic refinement you need to champion a life that best reflects your values and characters. With no iota of doubt, Henry Ukazu’s personality radiates influence. Despite being a resident of the United States, his patriotism and commitment to civic duty are top-notch!
The other time I walked by Henry Ukazu’s side in his village, “Nnwane” was a familiar ring tone from the people greeting him. Although, “Nnwane” means “my mother’s child” in Igbo, but the question is, is it every native people that were given to by the same parents? I was fully left in awe when the majority of those who greeted him were acknowledging his impacts on them through his articles and Instagram Live shows. Henry Ukazu is their hero and beacon of hope.
Someone says, “The essence of your life is not the numbers in it, but the number of lives in it.” The impacts of Henry Ukazu on other people’s lives are not limited to his community, village or State of Imo. His impacts transcended ethnicity, color, race or religion. I have been instrumental in his kind gesture to students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across Nigeria. I am coordinating a group of secondary school students that receives his scholarships every term. How else can life be meaningful and impactful?
The ability to practice what one preaches is the highest positive example anyone can lay for others to emulate. This quality is present in Henry Ukazu to the core. Despite his class and status, he doesn’t care to deploy every resource at his disposal to express gratitude to anyone that does good to him. Statuses and posts on his personal social media handles are always filled with deep, sincere and profound appreciations of individuals who played valuable roles in his life. If you want to confirm this, kindly read the “Acknowledgement Page” of his first book – “Design Your Destiny: Actualizing Your Birthright to Success.”
Henry Ukazu’s story has helped reinvent thousands of lives because of the defining moments he used to shine the torches on his path’s personal transformation, distinction and spiritual illumination. As you have laced your life with meaning and purpose, may respect, honour, success and greatness be channeled towards you. You have sewn seeds whose flowers are sparkling the lives of millions. May you keep elevating and always have reasons to be celebrated as the days of your life blazes forth.
Happy birthday, Dear Mentor.
Abdulakeem Sodeeq SULYMAN is a Librarian and Information Scientist in view, resolute in academics and personal leadership. He is the prolific author of two books – Responsible Living: Live to Uncover Your Potential and The Path to Greatness.
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Personality in Focus

NIHOTOUR Transitions to Regulatory Body, Strengthens Strategic Partnerships

Published

6 days ago

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February 6, 2025

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As part of its ongoing transformation from a training institute to a regulatory authority, the Director-General/CEO of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare (Dr) Abisoye Fagade, has embarked on a high-level courtesy visits to key government agencies.

These engagements aim to foster collaboration, enhance industry standards, and strengthen NIHOTOUR’s regulatory framework for the hospitality, travel, and tourism sector.

So far, Dr. Fagade has met with top officials, including Mr. Ayodele Subair, Executive Chairman of the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS); Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); and Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Discussions focused on strategic partnerships to ensure compliance, professional certification, and improved service delivery within the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.

“Our vision is clear – to build a robust, well-regulated travel, hospitality, and tourism sector that meets global standards. This transition requires strong collaboration with key agencies to align our training, certification, and regulatory frameworks with international best practices,” said Dr. Abisoye Fagade.

With more agencies scheduled for engagement, NIHOTOUR remains committed to promoting excellence, innovation, and sustainable growth in Nigeria’s travel, hospitality, and tourism industry.

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Personality in Focus

Access Bank Appoints Uche Orji As Non-Executive Director

Published

1 week ago

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February 2, 2025

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Access Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Uche Orji as an Independent Non-Executive Director of its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc.

The Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, said the appointment, which takes effect from January 7, 2025, has been approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“This appointment reflects our commitment to enhancing our governance practices and ensuring a diverse and experienced board”, Access Holdings said.

Orji is a renowned investment banking professional, information technology entrepreneur, and finance expert with three decades of professional and board experience. He is the Co-founder and Partner of Titangate Capital Management, an equity firm that invests in deep-tech, enterprise software, semi-conductors, hardware, and artificial intelligence companies.

Orji is the Founder and Director of Vitesse Africa Limited, an investment advisory firm focused on African energy, technology and infrastructure sectors.

He serves as an Executive Board member and investor in Ultrasafe AI, an artificial intelligence/IT development firm that maintains strategic collaborations with leading technology companies.

He also sits on the Board of Private Infrastructure Development Group, London, and chairs the Risk Committee.

Previously, Orji served as the founding Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

He held positions as Managing Director and Senior Analyst at UBS Securities Limited New York and Managing Director and Head of European Technology/Semiconductor Equity Research at JP Morgan Securities, London.

He also served as Executive Director/Portfolio Manager at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, London. Earlier in his career, he was Acting Financial Controller at Diamond Bank Limited and an Audit Trainee at Arthur Andersen & Co.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Port Harcourt and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.

Commenting on the appointment, the Chairman of the Bank, Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), said: “Mr. Orji has been appointed based on his exceptionally rich professional, academic, and corporate board experience which will be invaluable to the Bank as we continue to pursue our strategic objectives.

“We are confident that his addition to the Board would further enrich the quality of our decision-making process, enabling us to deliver even greater value to our customers and stakeholders.

“His appointment has been made in accordance with the Bank’s internal policies and has been notified to all relevant regulatory authorities underscoring our commitment to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance.

“On behalf of the Board, Management and staff, I warmly welcome Mr. Orji to the Board and look forward to his contributions towards our goal of becoming one of the top five African banks in the shortest possible time.”

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Personality in Focus

Former FCT Minister, Jeremiah Useni, Dies at 82

Published

3 weeks ago

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January 24, 2025

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A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lt Gen. Jeremiah Useni (retd), is dead.

He passed away on Thursday at the age of 82 after a protracted illness.

His death was announced in a statement issued in Jos by Gyang Bere, the Director of Press and Public Affairs to Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang.

He described the of the former Minister and Quarter Master General of the Nigerian Army as a tremendous loss not only to his immediate family but also to the Nigerian Armed Forces, Plateau State, and the entire nation.

Highlighting the roles played by the late army general, Governor Mutfwang noted that he left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s security and political landscape with his tireless efforts to promote peace and security, especially in Northern Nigeria and Plateau State.

The governor prayed that god grants the family, plateau state, and the nation the strength and fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss, and also asked for God’s divine presence to comfort and provide solace in the days ahead.

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