Former Minister of Aviation Osita Chidoka hosted 100 young entrepreneurs in Owerri recently
His post on the event
Owerri was an interesting revelation. I did not know that a vibrant, youthful and entrepreneurial ecosystem is thriving in the city despite all the challenges. The complainants will talk about lack of infrastructure, governance failure, poor access to funding and all the usual lamentations.
Yesterday, I saw young men beating the odds. A Tedx talk, business conference, social media events and a thriving digital innovation space all in Owerri.
I met over 100 volunteers, who helped make the event work. Young men and women seeking to improve their lives, learning and making effort. I was touched.
I had planned to take the members of my Osita@50, social media followers and UnlockNaija groups to lunch but I couldn't resist taking the over 100 volunteers to Olde English restaurant. I met the owner, who is from Oba in Anambra and thriving in Owerri. About 150 of us ate at the restaurant. The food was nice and ambience great.
The speakers at the TedXIkenegbu event were amazing. I recommend you find Dike Chukwumerije's talk, it is mind-blowing.
One young lady approached me during lunch and told me how my talk about Tyranny of Followership profoundly changed her mindset in her current business model. We agreed to review her model.
In all, what I experienced in Owerri yesterday is a tribute to the Naija spirit, that space where government is absent and our innovative spirit is present. Where many saw Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt as the growth centres, these young people see Owerri and the South East as a frontier market enjoying a higher quality of life, cheaper housing, better transportation, thriving social life, a vibrant and entrepreneurial population and a place to raise their families in a balanced way.
The possibilities are immense and I plan to collaborate with these young people to access global capital and enhance the technology ecosystem. Southeast can be a thriving place despite all odds.
Osita Chidoka
July 2022