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Soludo’s Success Tips for University Graduates

Published

4 months ago

November 8, 2024

OCHEFA

LAST week Tuesday, 7th November, 2024, the Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, delivered the 13th Convocation Lecture at the Veritas University, Abuja.

“May I, at this moment, congratulate all the 800 graduate students for having been found worthy in character and learning to deserve the degrees of this University,” said Soludo.

He then offered the following advices to the graduate students:

Making money cannot be an objective; adding value is what makes money.

▪︎Jobs are not there, and about 80 percent of you will not practise what you studied. It is scary and I am not sure how adequately the University has prepared you for survival in chaotic times. As I draw the parallels between my time of graduation and yours, I am not sure whether to say congratulations or commiserations.

But what you make of the current situation depends on whether you see it as a challenge or an opportunity.

▪︎ For me, Nigeria remains the Black man’s greatest opportunity. National Youth Service The next year–your one year of National Youth Service may be the year for re-setting.You will meet new people; you will stumble on new ideas—good and bad; and you

may even try some adventures. Community Service One day a week, you will have what we used to call a day for “community service.”

Make that day count! It might be your rehearsal for selfless public service. Start with Volunteerism: volunteer to serve at every opportunity.

Do something good for the benefit of society from which you do not expect to be paid. It is a pivotal year, your balcony moment, and you must make it count.

During my youth service at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife), I attended all M.Sc classes in the Department of Economics—though I was not a registered student. Perhaps, part of the impetus for me to resign from Coopers and Lybrand after five months to go back for post-graduate studies may have come from my NYSC experience.

My tailor in Abuja, Mr. Adekunle from Osun State, is a graduate of Geology from the University of Maiduguri.

He sold used clothes during his NYSC in Akwa Ibom and, from there, learned tailoring during the same service.

Today, he has more than 150 tailors, 30 graduates in Management, and other staff—all totalling over 200, working for him. I can cite over 100 similar examples. Thus, what happens in this one year of your ‘national service’ might determine whether Nigeria ends up as a half-empty or half-full glass for you.

▪︎Still, on your personal survival, let me add a little digression. Many of you probably only studied/read seriously while preparing for examinations, and believe that henceforth, the torture is over. Bad News for You I have bad news for you. Your bachelor’s degree (B.A.) might mean “Begin Again.”

In today’s world, there is a connection between continuous learning and earning. If you stop learning, you start decaying, or you can sum it up in a slogan: learn more to earn more! I have heard several of the richest people in the world brag about how many non-fiction books they read in a year. I will not say more.

▪︎ As you venture into the uncertain world, you will need all the help you can get. You will need all the networks and partnerships you can get. Success in life is not just about what you know but even more so about whom you know.

▪︎ As the saying goes, if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together. So, you will need the help of others to get ahead. “Anything” Cannot Take You “Anywhere”

▪︎ Soon, you will start looking for jobs or other ‘help’ from people to jumpstart a new life. For some decades, I always had young people approach me to help them find a job, and when you ask, ‘What do you want to do,’ a common answer was, “Anything.” Of course, “anything” cannot take you “anywhere” because as the saying goes, “if you don’t have a destination in mind, any road will take you there.”

So, my only tip to you on this occasion is to always seek intentionally to add value.

Before you approach someone for help, there is a minimum investment/preparation you must make to be ready to be “helped.” 7.

When you approach people, start with what value you will bring to the table—how you intend to ‘help them.’

This might sound counterintuitive. Paradoxically, that is also how you make money.

Making money cannot be an objective; adding value is what makes money.

The Richest People in The World Think of it for a moment.

The richest people in the world (through enterprise, and not through rent or criminality) are those who set out to solve specific problems for society and money followed as a reward—naturally!. Think of the inventors, the software developers who set out to connect people socially (Facebook, Twitter, etc), industrialists, consultants, tailors, traders, or anyone seeking to create value for customers, and how money followed them consequently.

So, the next time you approach someone for help, start by telling them what you can also do for them, and you will see that they are more likely to listen to you than if you approach them for charity. When You Are Applying for a Job

▪︎ When you are going to apply for a job, spend time researching how you can help to improve the fortune of the company. Instead of just “applying for a job,” write them a proposal on what you can offer, and you will see the difference. Try it! Sorry, I veered off into advisory which I promised not to get into.

▪︎Let me share some statistics that may jolt you to action. Without a doubt, the first need of man is survival and safety. Maslow prioritized human needs as physiological needs (air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, sleep, and health), safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Incomes Distribution

▪︎Again, the reality is that given Nigeria’s current income distribution, more than 60% of you may not go beyond satisfying the first need –physiological needs. When I was Governor of the Central Bank, we had a study that gave us a casual inference about the income distribution/inequality in Nigeria (beyond the Gini coefficient).

We discovered that 92% of the millions of depositors in Nigerian commercial banks had bank balances of N300,000 or less. But this 92% of depositors controlled about 7% of the total deposits, while the 8% that had over N300,000 controlled 93% of the total deposits.

I understand that a similar exercise was repeated several years later with a threshold of N500,000 and the distribution was largely unchanged.

Someone can crudely interpret this to mean that about 8% of the population controls 93% of the income, while 92% of the people control just 7% of income. Crude as the statistics may seem but it tells a thousand stories and highlights the context of a society in which our new graduates must thrive and excel. Unemployed or underemployed

▪︎I know many of you will already be casting and binding and praying that it is not your portion to end up among the 92% or among the many who may remain unemployed or underemployed for several years after your national service.

The point, however, is that if we all do not work to alter the meta-level architecture that produces such outcomes, much of our efforts at individual survival might be circumscribed.

My Core Message to YOU

This brings me to my core message to you: the current situation in Nigeria is not destiny. Everyone—I mean, everyone including you, the new graduates, can and must do something about it.

Nation-building is too serious a business to be left to the politicians or public servants alone.

To our young graduates, Veritas University has imbued you with knowledge, skills, and social thought to mobilize you for the public good.

The future you seek is in your palms, and only those who plan can control the future. As I look into your eyes, I can see hope.

Yes, Nigeria may not have offered you much, but in fulfilment of your divine purpose on earth, you will be expected to give more than you have received. I therefore urge you all to show up and participate in shaping the destiny of this nation.

We are Nigerians and this country belongs to all of us. We are all birds of passage but each of us must account to our Creator what we did while at our pilgrim post here on earth.

As I look around, I do not see many of the doyens of Nigeria’s first, second and even third republics.

Let no one tell you that you are the leaders of tomorrow. That tomorrow is here: take it and shape it so that Nigeria can realize its manifest destiny as the greatest Black power and the leader in the 22nd century.

May your road be rough, and let us get it done, together!

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At Heirs Energies Leadership Forum, Oil and Gas Leaders Unite to Drive Nigeria’s Oil Production Growth

The dialogue affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to increasing production,while maintaining environmental responsibility and leveraging gas as a transition fuel.

Published

2 hours ago

February 24, 2025

OCHEFA

▪︎HEIRS ENERGIES LEADERSHIP FORUM 2025:

L-R: CCE, NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe; CEO, Heirs Energies, Osa Igiehon; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; Founder/Chairman, Heirs Holdings and Chairman Heirs Energies, Tony O. Elumelu, CFR; OPEC Board of Governors Chairman for Nigeria & CEO, First E&P, Ademola Adeyemi-Bero; CEO, Seplat Energy, Roger Brown and Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPC Limited, Udobong Ntia, at the Heirs Energies’ Nigeria Petroleum Industry Discourse which held at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja.

Heirs Energies, Africa’s fastest growing indigenous integrated energy company, hosted its inaugural Petroleum Industry Leadership Dialogue at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, bringing together public and private sector leaders to accelerateNigeria’s production growth.

Heirs Holdings’ subsidiary, Heirs Energies, convened the forum, moderated by CEO of Heirs Energies, Osayande Igiehon, and which featured distinguished speakers including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; Chief Commission Executive, NUPRC, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe; Chairman, OPEC Board of Governors and CEO, First E&P, Adewale Adeyemo-Bero; Executive Vice-President Upstream, NNPC Limited, Udobong Ntia and CEO of Seplat Energy Plc, Roger Brown.

With a new administration and ambitious targets for production critical for Nigeria’s economic growth, the Dialogue provided a timely venue for private and public sectors to continue the successful interaction, that has already seen Nigeria crude production grow by 25%, since May 2023.

The speakers highlighted how a series of Presidential Executive Orders had radically reshaped the operating environment and catalysed industry growth.

Indigenous oil and gas companies were now responsible for more than 60% of Nigeria’s crude output and the successful indigenisation programme was delivering a bold new chapter in Nigeria’s natural resources history.

Tony Elumelu, Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings and Chairman of Heirs Energies, in his opening remarks, paid tribute to the catalytic role that current government had played in reinvigorating the sector.

Mr Elumelu also set out Heirs Holdings’ vision of transforming Africa’s energy landscape, through indigenous leadership and sustainable development.

Heirs Energies, in just four years, had rapidly grown its production from 21,000 to over 50,000 barrels per day of hydrocarbon.

Mr Elumelu also welcomed both public and private sector guests, emphasising the strong spirit of collaboration that underscored the successful indigenisation:

“Production growth, ambitious and sustained, is our shared national mission. I am honoured that Heirs Energies is bringing together distinguished peers from the industry and our partners in government.

As an investor not just in resources, but in Nigeria’s power production and distribution sectors, all of us, need to come together to ensure Nigerians get the benefits of our resources.

As we build Africa’s largest integrated energy business, innovation and collaboration are central to our execution”.

The dialogue affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to increasing production,while maintaining environmental responsibility and leveraging gas as a transition fuel.

Speaking at the forum, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, applauded Heirs Energies for hosting this inaugural event.

Indigenous oil and gas companies were now responsible for more than 60% of Nigeria’s crude output and the successful indigenisation programme was delivering a bold new chapter in Nigeria’s natural resources history.

“Let me express our gratitude to Heirs Energies for providing this platform for meaningful industry engagement.”

The Minister announced Nigeria’s oil production had reached 1.8 million barrels per day in January 2025 and set an ambitious target of 2.5 million barrels per day for 2025.

He also reaffirmed the administration’s “drill or drop” policy to accelerate production growth.

The Petroleum Industry Leadership Dialogue, which will become an annual event, brought together key stakeholders in the oil and gas industry, including MD of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Osagie Okunbor; Managing Director of Aradel Holdings, Adegbite Falade and industry veteran and founder of Platform Petroleum & Managing Director A.A Holdings, Austin Avuru, among others.

NUPRC Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, empahsised the dialogues significance in advancing the sectors objectives,

“I thank Heirs Energies for this beautiful initiative of putting together the Petroleum Industry Leadership Dialogue as a commitment to achieving our national objective in the upstream sector.”

He highlighted the surge in active drilling rigs to 38, with projections to reach 50 by March 2025.

OPEC Board of Governors Chairman for Nigeria and CEO, First E&P, Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, commended the forum’s timing, noting “It’s apt.

It’s early in the year and it’s about how we grow production.

That’s why you see all of us participating.” He shared how indigenous operators have successfully increased production, citing his company’s achievement of 57,000 barrels per day from previously untapped fields.Heirs Energies CEO, Osa Igiehon, reinforced this perspective, showcasing Heirs Energies’ impact in Nigeria’s onshore sector.

“Our success at Heirs Energies demonstrates what’s possible in Nigeria’s onshore sector, through our Brownfield Excellence Strategy, robust security measures, and genuine community partnership,” he said.

“By tripling our producing wells to over 100, we’ve shown how indigenous operators can efficiently unlock value while ensuring sustainable development of host communities.

“The Petroleum Industry Leadership Dialogue also exemplified Heirs Energies’ commitment to Mr Elumelu’s Africapitalism, the private sector’s transformative role in driving Africa’s economic and social development through strategic, long-term investments hinged on partnership and collaboration.

Heirs Energies Limited is Africa’s leading indigenous-owned integrated energy company, committed to meeting Africa’s unique energy needs while aligning with global sustainability goals.

With a strong focus on innovation, environmental responsibility, and community development, Heirs Energies leads in the evolving energy landscape and contributes to a more prosperous Africa.

Heirs Energies is a key implementor of Heirs Holdings integrated energy strategy, Africa’s largest integrated energy business, , whose objective is to ensure Africans benefit directly from their continent’s resources.

News

Here’s When To Watch Lunar Crescent Across Nigeria on Friday, February 28, according to NASRDA

The last cities to experience the lunar crescent, he said, would be Lagos and Abeokuta between the hours of 6:59 pm to 7:30 pm.

Published

17 hours ago

February 23, 2025

OCHEFA

The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) said that Nigeria would likely witness its first astronomical lunar crescent on Friday evenings, February 28.

The Director of Media and Corporate Communications of NASRDA, Dr. Felix Ale, disclosed this in a statement, saying that the lunar crescent had been calculated to occur at 1:45 A.M. West African Time (WAT).

He said that the predicted time of 1:45 A.M time, also known as the Crescent Zero hour, would be when the crescent could be seen under perfect atmospheric conditions with the aid of optical instruments like binoculars or telescopes.

“The crescent will become visible to the naked eye in the evening of Friday, February 28, 2025, between 6:17 PM and 7:35 PM across different locations in Nigeria.

“Maiduguri will be the first city to witness the young lunar crescent from 6:17 PM to 6:48 PM, followed by Yola, Adamawa State, from 6:21 PM to 6:51 PM.

“Damaturu, Yobe, will follow from 6:22 PM to 6:53 PM, Kano, Kastina, Jos and Kaduna will experience the first lunar crescent between 6:38 pm and 7:12 pm.

“The sunset and moon set will occur between 6:35 pm and 7:12 pm, 6:38 pm and 7:15 pm, 6:35 pm and 7:11 pm, 6:40 pm and 7:17 pm respectively.

“Enugu will experience the lunar crescent between 6:42 pm and 7:32 pm with sunset and moonset at about 6:42 pm and 7:18 pm,’’ he said.

He predicted that in the FCT, the first lunar crescent would appear between 6:44 pm and 7:15 pm, with sunset and moonset at about 6:44 pm and 7:20 pm.

The last cities to experience the lunar crescent, he said, would be Lagos and Abeokuta between the hours of 6:59 pm to 7:30 pm.

Ale said that other cities across the federation will experience the lunar crescent at different times within the estimated visibility window of 6:17 pm and 7:35 pm on the same day.

He said “For a clear sighting of the first lunar crescent, observers are to use optical aids where necessary, and observe under clear atmospheric conditions.

“Observers are to position themselves in locations with an unobstructed view of the western horizon after sunset.

“He added that the scientific report provided precise predictions on the lunar crescent across locations of the country.

According to him, the report ensured accuracy for those who relied on lunar observations for religious, cultural, and scientific purposes.

The space agency encouraged researchers, scholars, and religious groups to utilise the findings, adding that anyone requiring additional data for further analyses could visit the official office website.

Director, the Centre for Basic Space Science and Astronomy (CBSSA), an activity centre of NASRDA, Dr Bonaventure Okere, said it was regarded as the first stage of the moon, hence the new crescent.

Okere said the appearance of the new crescent was highly significant in the Islamic religion because it was used to determine some rites and practices like the beginning of the Ramadan fast.

“The Islamic religion uses moon phases for their Islamic rites but astronomers study the cycle of the rising and setting of the moon to determine moon days, which is usually 28 days.

“Astronomers use the moon cycle to generate the Lunar calendar, understand the part of the moon you can see daily,’’ he said.

News

Kogi State Mourns Loss of Media Icon Prof. Tom Adaba

Prof. Adaba, who passed away at the age of 83, was celebrated for his trailblazing contributions to Nigeria’s media landscape.

Published

1 day ago

February 23, 2025

OCHEFA

The Kogi State Government has expressed a huge sense of loss following the demise of Prof. Tom Adaba, a pioneering broadcast expert, patriot, and distinguished son of Kogi.

Prof. Adaba, who passed away at the age of 83, was celebrated for his trailblazing contributions to Nigeria’s media landscape.

Prof. Adaba’s legacy is marked by groundbreaking achievements.

He was one of the first Nigerians to earn a Doctorate in Mass Communication, setting a high standard for academic excellence in the field.

His visionary leadership was evident during his tenure as the Principal of the Nigerian Television College, Jos, and as the inaugural Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission.

His work not only transformed the media industry but also laid a strong foundation for ethical journalism and responsible broadcasting across the nation.

In an official condolence message signed by the State Information Commissioner, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, the Kogi State Government described Prof. Adaba as “a media colossus, patriot, and a distinguished Nigerian” whose wisdom and dedication left an indelible mark on the country.

The government extended heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the entire media community, urging that his legacy be remembered as a beacon of inspiration.

The statement reads: “We have lost a great media pioneer whose life-long contributions to Nigeria’s broadcasting industry will forever be cherished. May the Almighty God grant him eternal rest and give his loved ones the strength to bear this irreparable loss.”

Prof. Adaba’s passing is not only a significant loss to Kogi State but also to Nigeria as a whole.

His illustrious career and unwavering patriotism will continue to inspire future generations in the realms of media and beyond.