BY SAM OTUONYE
Over two thousand Imo youths including men and women gathered at the political Secretariat of Chief Barr. Obioma Success Akagburuonye, at Ogbor Uvuru, in Aboh Mbaise, on Tuesday to show solidarity and appreciation of his uncommon support to Imolites, as Christians mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ that brought hope to mankind.
The youths who have been receiving various forms of empowerment under the aegis of Hope Rising for Imolites, a non-governmental organisation founded by Engr. Dr Success Akagburuonye, to put smiles on the faces of Imolites, is billed for another round of empowerment and skill acquisition.
The youths, drawn from the 27 local government areas of the State, under the umbrella of Hope Rising for Imolites and New Progressive Imolites, expressed their gratitude to Chief Akagburuonye, noting that his support and kind gesture would always be appreciated and rewarded.
The Founder of Hope Rising for Imolites, Chief Barrister Obioma Success Akagburuonye counselled the youths to imbibe the value and spirit of humility whenever success comes their way, noting that when some people become successful they lose control.
“The two most difficult things to handle in life is success and freedom. Some people become successful and become uncontrollable and from there they miss it. Some achieve freedom and say I am on my own – nobody can talk to me again,” Akagburuonye stated.
Hope Rising for Imolites, is an empowerment window for the Imo youths and communities funded by Chief Akagburuonye and his foreign partners to assist Imo families through training in skill sets and business enhancement and start-up funding.
The current training programme, which as usual, cuts across all Imo wards, is on solar panels, mini- generators and Artificial intelligence (AI), even as Barr. Akagburuonye tasked the Wards and Zonal Co-ordinators to identify empowerment programmes that are peculiar to their wards.
“If you tell us that please, in this ward we need a motorised borehole that can serve as many people as will have access to it we do it in the name of Hope Rising for Imolites – you are the one taking the credit because you are the one taking us to the grassroot,” Akagburuonye advised.
The New Progressive Imolites praised Akaraugo Mbaise, who they described as a democrat, for his philanthropic spirit and bringing hope to Imolites. The group, which said that its membership cuts across the three zones of Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri, described their presence as Easter solidarity visit, pledging to work assiduously with Barr. Akagburuonye.
“We are solidly behind you and we will work vividly and walk with you into the government house come 2027,” their leader assured.
The group, which signed a memorandum of understanding with Hope Rising for Imolites to work together pledged their support for the incumbent Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma.
Chief Akagburuonye, who is also an Engineer lauded Governor Uzodimma’s leadership style that allows freedom of expression and his outstanding achievements that recently earned him an Award as the Infrastructure Governor of the Year by Vanguard Newspapers.
In an interview with our reporter, the Owerri zonal co-ordinator of New Progressive Imolites, Chief Dr Emeka Iheoma hailed the efforts of Engr. Akagburuonye to engage Imo youths in meaningful skills and take them out of crimes.
“The problem of Nigerian youths is unemployment and since he said he wants to take them out of the street and empower them we pray that God will help him to achieve that because if that happens they won’t engage in kidnapping, banditry and drug abuse because you know that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. As he has this idea of empowering the youths, God will give him the resources to carry it out.”
In the same vein, EziAda Mrs Lauren Ofooegbu, Ward leader of Owerri North, lauded Chief Akagburuonye for empowering the youths, particularly with AI skills, to enable them catch up with the current world technology.
She said: “We are here for our leader – our in-coming Governor. We know that if this man gets into government house Imo State will change. He came here, he wants to empower our youths and stop them from criminal activities. He has trained some of our youths in Owerri North in solar before now so I’m interested in the AI training now so that the youths can compete with those in America.”
Engr. Akagburuonye thanked the two groups for finding time to pay him a visit in solidarity and recognition of his efforts to alleviating the sufferings of Imolites. He requested that they open empowerment and skill acquisition offices in their wards and zones and put the signage of Hope Rising for Imolites for immediate commissioning and action.