HRH. Dr. Appolus Chu says good leadership can only be enhanced if parents are ready to inculcate moral up-bringing on children



By Emmanuel Daudu/Abuja-Nigeria



HRH. Amb. Dr. Appolus Chu Egbere Emere Okori and Oneh Eh Nchia X, Eleme, Rivers State has said that parents have a key role to play in enhancing good leadership in Nigeria.


The Royal father pointed out that the failure of our leaders is to a larger extent attributed to wrong parenting.


HRH. Amb. Dr. Appolus made the statement at the StandTall Africa Initiative-Stai Hall of Fame Leadership Award 2020, at the A-Class Park & Event, Kashim Way, Maitama, Abuja held on Saturday.

Appolus who gave a keynote address passionately stressed that the only way Nigerians can have a new breed of leaders is to retire parents into moral up bringing of their children, pointing that introducing children at their early age into leadership positions could be disastrous as he suggested that parents should allow their children to take up their desired carers first for at least 20years in their line of profession before dragging them into public/political positions.


While speaking with a cluster of journalists, just after the event, he advised parents to adequately train children in a Godly way, shouldn't expose them into luxury as it would make them lazy.


He further explained that leadership is influence, and influence is earned through self coordination, sacrifice and diligence.
"If parents do their best, I tell you all, we would have a better society", he added.


The convener, Dr.Ogah Emmanuel in his welcome address gave a concised background of what the NGO is all about. He stated that Standtall Africa Initiative is a non-profit and non-partisan organization operating on the continent of Africa in Nigeria, Senegal and Ethiopia. The international organization is an initiative that supports Africans to take their place of pride among global communities. The organization stands solidly on three legs; Quality Education, Service driven Leadership and Entrepreneurship (Value addition) respectively.



Ogah, speaking on current programs disclosed that the organisation is running a ten year nationwide effective reading campaign which is aimed at reviving the comatose reading culture of Africans and Nigerians in particular.


According to him, the nationwide effective reading campaign which has Prof Zaynab Alkali, a seasoned professor of English and a prolific writer of note, as the matron has not just succeeded excellently in the past two years but has also transformed the reading habits of many students and stakeholders for better. "As we all know, reading could be very exhausting but in the case of Nigeria, it is a herculean task and very boring which is why we have specially designed about 12 different projects to drive the reading campaign. These projects range from offering students at all levels study scholarships, providing research grants for lecturers of tertiary institutions, upgrading school libraries by providing schools with modern textbooks, e-libraries and other relevant reading materials, etc.
As at today, our research teams are on ground in three states of the federation (Benue, Adamawa, and Kogi) where we have signed a memorandum of understanding with the states government through their ministries of education to ascertain the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the quality education in these states. We have further set aside through our donors a sum of One Hundred and Fifty Two Million Naira (N152, 000,000.00) only for each of the states to procure educational palliatives such as textbooks, uniforms, writing materials, etc for each of the local government areas of these states at the end of the research exercise.



Standtall Africa Initiative in a bid to improve on the quality of educational research across Africa and also encourage avid reading has equally established four different research centres in early February 2020. These centres shall be officially unveiled today and also named after some prominent Nigerians who will also serve as the pioneer patrons of the Centres.
I would have loved to take you through each of these laudable projects by the organization over the last two years but for want of time. Below is a summary of what we have achieved in our educational, leadership and entrepreneurship programmes in the last two years and we hope to expand these projects come 2021 to benefit more Africans and Nigerians in particular".


Talking on achievements, he said, distribution of over 8 million textbooks and other relevant reading materials distributed to schools and institutions in Nigeria, Chad, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso and through our ongoing 10years effective reading campaign, over 6,000 Lecturers across African Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges have been empowered and positively affected via different educational projects, research grants, etc, over 4,000 students and undergraduates on study scholarships at different levels of study through our various scholarship projects under the nationwide effective reading campaign, over 15,000 teachers of primary and secondary schools equipped and empowered nationwide, over 10,000 young entrepreneurs trained and financially empowered through our entrepreneurship development and empowerment projects, over 12,000 top management leaders, managers, CEOs, directors, supervisors, etc trained and well equipped through the STAi leadership institute for better delivery and performance have all been achieved.


Speaking on the major awardees of the 2020 award, he stated that

His Excellency, Dr. Samuel OrtomDefender of the Benue valley), The Executive Governor of Benue State who as the chief executive of the state has assembled the best team ever in his cabinet and together they have transformed the Agricultural, Security and Educational landscapes of the State among other sectors of the state. Schools are being renovated and equipped on daily basis with quality educational facilities and manpower, farmers are being empowered financially and with other agricultural facilities, security is at its best in the state among others. A clear testimony that an astute leader is in charge. A disciplinarian to the core with gut instinct for what is right. It is interesting to know that one of the hall marks of true leadership is the ability and readiness to stand alone and to stand very strong when ideals and laws that do not genuinely represent the interest of the people are being sponsored and promoted. Governor Samuel Ortom has severally tested the murky waters of standing alone and standing strong in defense of the Benue people that he represents. He is man of many parts; an industrialist with uncommon expertise in business, a diplomat who has won the confidence of his people, a scholar with a Ph.D from the prestigious university of Jos and a seasoned politician and elder statesman who rose through the ranks to his present position as governor of Benue State. Less wonder the decision to name the Centre for Advanced and Professional Leadership Studies in his honor which shall henceforth be named and called Samuel Ortom Centre for Advanced and Profession Leadership Studies.


Prof. Ibrahim Katampe: a Nigerian born research scientist, innovator and entrepreneur with several years of research and product developments experiences in both academic and the private sectors. Ibrahim Katampe is a professor of Chemistry and currently the Assistant Director for Innovation & Technology Incubation in the College of engineering, science, technology &Agriculture (CESTA), Central State University. A man of many parts, a die-hard entrepreneur with a touch of excellence in all his works. He has overcome every obstacles and stigmatization that comes with skin color as one crosses over to the West and have coined a niche for himself among the whites. There is no better person to have our centre for the study of African Heritage and Values named after but him. He epitomizes the true African son. The centre shall henceforth be named and called Ibrahim Katampe centre for the Study of African Heritage and Values.



HRH. King Amb. Dr. Appolus Chu (Egbere Emere Okoriand Oneh Eh Nchia X, Eleme Kingdom): He is the paramount ruler of eleme Kingdom. A royal father with a difference. From the tender age of 19, he learnt that being independent and standing on your own is critical for effective leadership so he ventured into business after his college. With several businesses across Nigeria, Dr. Appolus Chu has used his position as a royal father and his God given resources to see to the welfare of his people and humanity generally. The Appolus Chu foundation has sponsored countless Nigerians to schools at all levels both in Nigeria and abroad. A Captain of Industry, Philanthropist, humanitarian, advocate of peace and author with many interesting and thought provoking books and publications to his credit. He was recently appointed by the National Councils of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCRN) as the chairman of the Committee to interface with the national Assembly for the reinstatement of the role of traditional rulers in the amendment of the 1999 constitution.
The centre for the Development of African Traditional Leadership and Institutions shall henceforth be named and called Appolus Chu Centre for the Development of African Traditional Leadership and Institutions.


Sheik Dr. Muhammad Kabir Haruna Gombe; National Secretary JIBWIS-Nigeria: Born in Kuri Village under the present day Yemeltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State to the family of the late devout Islamic Scholar Mallam Haruna, Kabir Gombe attended the Kuri Primary school then proceeded to the Comprehensive Day Secondary School Gombe for his junior secondary school after which he immediately moved to Government Science Secondary School for his Senior Secondary education. Sheik Kabir Gombe later proceeded to the College of Legal and Islamic Studies where he obtained a diploma in Sharia and Civil Law. He later obtained other certificates from the prestigious Bayero University Kano. An Islamic scholar per excellent whose influence and leadership influence is known, felt and recognized globally. He is the Secretary General of the Largest and most peaceful Islamic organization in the continent of Africa- the Jama’atuIzalati lBid’a Wa’iqamatis Sunnah, JIBWIS-Nigeria. Secretary General of the conference of Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jama’a in Africa-COAN, he is currently serving in different committees nationally and internally where he is chairing some and an active member in others. A man of depth and experience who has travelled the length and breadth of the globe with the message of peace, service to humanity and dedication to God. A recipient of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Sarduana Platinum Leadership award as Peace Ambassador among many other local and international awards. He is a man whose name is synonymous to peace with a personality that can hardly be ignored. The organization is honoring him today by naming one of the research institutes in his honor and as the pioneer patron of the centre; Kabiru Gombe Centre for Religious Diversity, Ethics & Peace Studies.



Dignitaries who attended the event amidst which are, Sen. Maj. General Mohammed Magoro (Rtd), Galadiman Zuru, Kano state governor, His Excellency Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Sheik Muhammad Kabiru Gombe, and several Nationals.

Good family,Good nation