Facilitators, Batch A Beneficiaries of First Abia Leadership Academy Narrates Achievements, Hails Governor Otti’s Initiative

Johnson Obali, the consultant of the First Abia Leadership Academy has described the training of youths in the program as the future of Abia leaders.

Johnson gave his position while interacting with newsmen at the center of the training, Government College, Umuahia on Tuesday.

Johnson also added that the training has equipped the beneficiaries for the basic knowledge to hold leadership positions.

The consultant hinted that the Abia Leadership Academy is an initiative of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, meant to mentally prepare young ones between the ages of 16 and 20 to take up leadership roles in the society.

CANDID REPORTERS gathered that the camping and training of the first batch of beneficiaries is planned to accommodate 250 beneficiaries for each batch that will last for seven days and target 1,000 beneficiaries annually as the training of the first batch elapse on Wednesday.

The facilitator also added that the camping and training of the students has enabled them to unlearn and re-learn. He said the training has “helped the students to cancel all sorts of negative values they have put up.

In his words:”Thank God for the present administration that is revamping education, we know how terrible it was before Governor Otti came in. The mind set they had before they came here was fixed but here it got broken down and they now have the growth mindset. It has helped the students to cancel all sorts of negative values they have put up.

“The growth mindset they have now is the one that incorporates culture, character and a very strong visionary outlook towards Abia”.

Prof Adanma Ngozi Ohia, Nee Uko, the administrative head of the training added that the initiative was a laudable one and the process of selection was transparent as adverts for the training was made public via the print and electronic media where beneficiaries were asked to register online and the eligible ones went through a physical interview and examination.

“After their registration, we divided them into groups which we call pods. We grouped them into 50 persons per pod so that they will know themselves, at a point we removed their phones from them so that their interaction among themselves will be super, otherwise everyone of them will be glued to their phone without mixing up properly and it will help them to focus on what we want to tell them.

“It is very critical that we give them the values that make them good leaders like Governor Alex Otti”. Professor Adanma said.

Some of the beneficiaries of the First Batch of the Abia Leadership Academy expressed satisfaction on the level of training received from the facilitators.

Ochi Kelechi, a beneficiary of the training affirmed that he has discovered his “Ikigai” (A Japanese concept, translates to a reasoning for being or reason to wake up in the morning). He said he has been able to discover himself in the field of analysis, calculation, data analysis and other tech analysis.

Kelechi who is also a cheese player said he wants to help Abia State in future from the knowledge gathered from the training.

“I look forward to seeing myself in those positions where I can build a better Abia state, courtesy of the knowledge acquired from the training.

“I believe Abia has a lot of potential and bright minds, if we harness them, there will be no need to look for greener pastures outside this country”. Kelechi Said.

Okezie Divine, a beneficiary of the training said from the training, she now discovered that she has the potential of a good leader.

“I have discovered potentials that I have that I never knew of. I can be patient, I can help you discover something that you are not even sure about yourself, I have been open to learn what haven’t been able to learn in the four walls of school. I thank Governor Alex Otti for the opportunity”. Divine said.

Dodoh Okafor, a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Otti on Public Communication and a member of the planning committee of the First Abia Leadership Academy said while the governor is focused on building infrastructure in the state, he still sees the importance of building a leadership philosophy mindset.

The governor wants to inculcate the philosophy of commitment, service, dedication and sacrifice in the minds of the people.

“They have been taught the values of a transformational leader, work, commitment, excellence. He wants them to learn so that in the future it will be difficult for somebody to corrupt our system by sending some narratives that are not true or having a kind of leader that is taking us back to where we are coming from.

“It is part of the Governor’s agenda to sustain a continuous growth of the state beyond his administration”. Dodoh Okafor said.