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niEGUARDIAN.~~IO.2012
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SPECIAL REPORT ON NIGERIANS OF REPlJTE
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~EiCliiWESl'I 'Dlar.tRNMENl' HONOURABlETAJUIHN AKINGBOUJ.1liE 1lWRMAN. EKm-WEST l.OCAl. GOVERNMENT EN t.llung a cknot: look;al ~lllies of hiJdl repule who holw nwie ;an ImpioCt In lilt, we conskler SGUlt' body 1Ikt- the Ou.lmY.n, [kitl Wes;llDal C".ooIemmem Council in PftSOO ofHonourab&r1:aludrenAklnidKNu. 80m In ~ 11. 1974 In Mmom.Ek.id to c&1rf Shehu AkJngbotu, the smld Musutumi of Anomolro ;lnd Mrs. M.allit AkingtxHu, he $I;lnrd his schooling ;I( Mwr.ud·(}ft-n Prlnury School. I\ramok,o.[klti .rter which he proceeded to AUmoyr CompnhrnsiV't HiJth School ;llso In the ume town w~ durInx his firwl yeu, fit wu iNde the Senior PrrlKt. He g.lolnrd .todmlsskm InlO the University at llorin (0 study llIw bt!:v.ft1l 1m ~nd lOO].lond wu c.ilIlra to Tht Bouln NlJoverubrrlOQS. Whllr In the UOMrsltyGfJlorin,Akingbolu's Ju.dn"ship trailS m~nl(eslrd gre,illy.loS hroonttstrd "nd won medon toO become the Presidrnt of N.atkxvl Namoto Students t\ssocL.lotion;lnd .loS tM President, M took the' ;lSWCi.Iuon to grr~t ~hts by con· suurung dlr Student Unk>n OUlkilOg of ~ whICh has bern ;I IOUret' Gf URlty lhe rnlll1.' Aufnoko uudenlS ull toda)t Mtrr his all 100 11)t: Bi.r.lond youth st'r'Via. he got. rmpk)yed In Ihr Chlmbtrs of ooal ~wyer, MI. Fernl F.WY whtft he worked before YrfIlurtng Into poiitk'S pitching his lenl with the ActlOfl CongrHs of NI~ria, ACN. He wn Gn the Glmpa!gn tRin of Or. ~yodr f.lo)'ftllf during the roun-ordeRd gtlbr;matONI drctlons ~od Gn eJrokm wy d\owed \(,jkJur bY toInlng his Ic.ldrni to tly 10 stop the ;lnOOUncmM'flt of ct'JC:IkI:(t flgurrs by INEC;lt gre.lot risk to Ihrlr UW:S. Met when the coo«rd figures ~ e'Vt'llIuall~ .nnounced, he wu on the leg.al Wlm tholl worled 10 rrd.ilm Or. F;ayrmi's ,rTWOOaCe. In lOll, GoYnnor F.yrml.loppotntrd him .u the 0u.11'lIIMl. Otizrns RiWt13 Cefl~ in Elatl 5Ule and II WiIi' while still In lhis a!»dty ih.iJ1 hr WilS a iled upon to f;lU oYer the n\;Intlr of Ch.liirman. Wtl west Loc.al Covrmmenl. tJ)t: pcKftlon he occupies tod.1)1. .-\klngbolu's ptllJosoPh~ Indude commitment, hiordwor1c .and lOCus .md thrsegukiln&~naple;lre whal hioV't .lonistrd him In the effective running of the local 8OYfi1\mrnL Be is ;I RWI th.al believes In vision ;lnd pxt leadership whiCh hr Ie;lmt from his rok modds In the pmon 0( Ccwmlor ""'lOde F.lo)'rffil,.nd ~rristrr Feml F;I~na. SA.N. Ther,t'lilV't both hdped in imP"'!ing Imnrndously his poIlticill profile ~nd his pr:r·
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bisis to \mow what thdr ntotds .. ~ and this tw.usistm his oadmlnistr.ltion.1ac. In knowing theyr..mlngs;and ~r.lIions
ofltspeople.. In W iJI"N of .agr1culturf. Ekill WHl under 1M admlnislnlion of Hooour.llble T.liudnn Aklngbolu tas iJcquJ~ 1,000 h«urrs of WId for thiS pu-rpose. Th~ kiu is 10 provide nl for 20.000 U1lft1lPloYrd )OUthli in commercial oil IU~Also.lO rnrourage ~nt Wtnrn,lhcR' w;u dlsa1bution 0( cutlusn, U'Utrd lNiu illld hrrbiddcs 10 olIlIollhrm flftofdwrge. In the .area of Infnstructunl dcwIoplllem. lbr pRSffil adminlur.lliof1 lw bull! .. poller Wltion at 0kmlt'Si Eklli. M.1glSlr.Ile Coun ill !do lie, He.tlth Cmm illlpo1e4kNo. Othert ..~ mWYalJOll of WOtnffi ilnd hulth ~nlre ill £nl~n. InsulLatiOn of mrurormrr in ....r.unolw 4100 Erljl~n and provWoIl of .. moI:oriud bordlolt 0111 lkogosl Hls admlnlsmlion tw .also ~btrd the ~ bralm ~m~ of the goYrmOr In lhe loal government with illl the dckrIy ciliuos Tn olIli lownS bringg!ven bnnded blood tonics whi'r IheR' Is Inc~ awengrOflht Immuni..LItlOn process in .lIloalitles In the kGl
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ComprdlwsiW! HrillLb Crnlre tw had.lo penmrter kner COilsuuctrd round It hr wfrry of pilima .lond hulLb ~rs there. fir Is .lolso crrdllrd w'lIh the rmpowmnrnl of 100 widOWS.loCJ'OSSthe IoaJgoyrrmmrnl Undrr Aklngbolu. t(luatlGn tw.lobo b«n booslld. Ant.lold boxn 1uV't ~n distributed toO 66 pubUc prinvry schoob ~ilr ~I schooh ~Yr ilIso hem re-roofed. f"R:sr11tly, hr Is pbnnlngthedlSCribuoonofrree~ boob IG.loIl studmLS In the IOaI govfflunenlln thr .lore.lo 0( ro.tod conscructiOn, S k.I.Iomet:l!rs 001 ~ has bl!en built ",hUe 7000 rnrues IInr dr.lirwge hU;l1so bren done.. In recognilkm of hiS Ir.todershlpqWlhtlrs,Akingbolu twbren honourfti by INn)' o~nllations.. He wn .lobo con(rnd with the P.lofron .loWou'd thr Ekltl-W6t Cultur.lol Frstiv.lol Commiure In rrcogni n of his contnbuuon toO the ckwlopme:nl Gf the Jonl gowmrnrnl He tw brotn Inducud mtO Lhc loal Govmu nmt, he tw t.alknd his .aivides 10 br In hnr H.toll olF.lomr by the NaltofWl ASsocUdon ofNlgrri.lon Students, with Covrmor Kayode f;lyemi 's elghl point ~gend.lo. NANS .lond also has In his kitty the Mrtit I\wud of Ado EkJti AccOfdlng lG him, the GtlYNnor tw rNdr gove:nuncl! US)' for Lions Oub In recognition of hls contribution toO grassroots the- entlrr chalrmtn In Eidtl Statt' because the rUtht point drw-Iopmrnl In tnr stOlole. Others .tore Merit Awud by ;lgrnd.lo IS ;lII-ftlCOmpusing ;lnd It is whal ;III ch.lorrmen .are Federation of fJciti SUle Stooeflls UniOn, I.AIJTHlt Chlpcrr and Meril I\ward iii' ~ by N.ldonal t\nmoko Students in Eklu \\Itsl loal Gcrvtmment, the 8m step tl'lill was taken ASsoc~tiGn. He also bagged the I\wud Gf &cdlrncr .loS by (he JnStOt iodml nismrion, be wid. Is to elUUre piortk:lpr Ouuunding Ou.lmY.n Gf Ihr Ytar by N.\N5. l.ljL.ldrm is mar· tory ~ncr where town mert.lRgl ;are hdd on rrgubr ried toO Mrs. JWby.ll AklngboIu.
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CHIEF DR. GREGORY AKPOJENE. CHAIRMAN. AKPOJENE FARMS LTD E Gf Ihe frw grut minds In NIgt'rU rwffit I\.u become ~n endorseI'Iltnt Gf sril1eu servlct' to hUn\;lnlty lod.loy Is SirChlef Dr_Grrgof)'Akpoienr "INn of ~ comprtencr,indlAlrgrit)t nut lilt' Chalrm;ln of Akpojene F~rms lid ;and Founder .lond Ct'IiImtlan, noOO boko MultJ.. Purpose Cooprr.I1Jyt Sodrry ud ~ bH:n ;lble to use the resowt~ ;II his dlspo$.l.l foOr lilt brctermeflt of tbe lsoko conlmunlty In p.1rtku~r;and the Ddl.a Stair in ~nrnl Is noc in doubt. bul howthr piotriodcpoliticLJn tw bH:n ;lblr toO .loChleve so much Is what n\;Iny an still 0()( uOOerstOlond.
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the Thlme, G~ Okc,-\lr;pojmr tw uOloYrlled f;lr twn whr11 the p«SOThllity tw chosen to Ii~ ~ IllOdl"St life ;u an ;lgriCultur. ;allSt .lond phll..lonthropisL Born In M.a~ 19n, lhe Drlf;l St;lte Indigene from Isoko Nonh I..oUI Covc:rnnv:nt lvr~ hold his ~k tmnlng In v;a!lOill rdUCilltlGThlI Institutions In Drlf;l Shlr .loftrr which he wocUd as .a (('acher from 1955 to 1971. nle pfO.loClh>r emil"preneur ;lIsa worked ~s ;I transponer brfwt.t'n 1975;1nd 1985,;lnd when he decided toO K't up the Akookne Fums ltd In 1986, not .a ~ people who knew .aboul his hardwork· Ing;lrid dlligem I(";IIIS belirved In his ;lbJlit} to n\;IU il;l succnsfu1 venrure.
From. subslsttnce uno, t\Jrpc)ierw: F.lonns ltd sands lilIl iii' the biggest prl\(,j·ldy owned oil J'IiIlm P~nI;l11on In NIgm.a uxby.lts 20 klJo. fIlt{tr p.llm pl;anf;ltioru ioc.atrd In \(,jrioos pans 0 1 the country iIIft' vtvId ttSU1lKIfI1n of W~tlhr Fums ~W! become toda}t Also, he h;u llOglr-h;lndedly rrcL1lmed over 20 sqWlft' kilometm SWoImpy ~nd ror the cult!· v.lotlon .and production of p.alm tretS. In I"KtIgltluon Gf his Ingenuiry In ..grirullUft'. he wu gI~n .a Merit Awud .as ttit grNttst rannrr rn DeIGl SUlt In 1995.. SimiLirt~ the Golden SUte Untwnl~ o.ld..lond, uUfomli conrerred Gn him ill OOnoufOlory doctorale drgrft In 8uslneuAdmlnistratkwl In 1991. Brought up In theoik1ch NIg~r DrIQ ~n ,
ctUd"AkpOjenr coukl ~Yr tilSlly miIde.lo for·
rune for ninurif by wor1clng as ;I contractor for the oil firms, flut his p.wlon to ;lIWilYS maIer;a dlfTel1.'ncr fTIMk him 10 IOUow.a path
which hu brought him Into limelight. Glvlog his cxplill'\illion on the renom why Nigerl.a hH not brrn .loble to bi.ml!SS lIS potmtliis. thr rwlioN l honours redpknt who Will ronfernd wilh the Member Of thr Order o f the Nlsr;~ MON. ofrerrd thus: -n)C C'OlIntry d~raJl(!(l when 011 wu discOYe'rrd, .nd the oil boom, I".lother than helping toO expand ~nd mrchanlu our ~grlcu ltur;l l On Wtw,1 inspired him to go Into J'IiIlm plIn- ~nd.ll.nd increilSt'ourlevd oflndustrlilI~t ion , the fGrmer Chalnnan, isokG loal tUtion bred Ininrss.lond COrTUplkm. Ouroll Govffnmrnt Yid: -, wn born 1010 om .agr-ui· tcOllOITIy Iuos ch;lIIgrd our .attitUcir to we.ahh ;In Wnily. my f,uht'T W;lS onr of liM' lonimost .lond life INt most Nigtri.l.ru prefer toO In fannen In the communl~ so I an uy that I .loir-condiLioned oftkl!S. Ooly .lo frw bel tilt' WiIi' bapdud Inlo this very e.lorty In life. I 1101- thai SUCCHS un be ach~ through 1'\iIn;i. unt,lr1ly nllrrci ;u ;I trMMr In 1971 ;lnd wor1c .and. discipline. Today, bec;luse this 011 mpgrd myself in tfOlonsport4l1ion. I .am .Iso we.lolth hols not bren ptoperly nvl'\ilg«1. mOSI InYoNed In politics, but I t'IiI~ re;lliud Iml youths who .lore supposed to br ~Infully tht' qUldctst ~nd cht.apest way 10 cre.ale m1p1oytd.art roaming the sUttU With nodi.. em pk)ylTlr:m for the people Is Ihrough .agri- ing to do. This has alsO contributtd (Q crime culture.. Tbr oil wells would dry up one: d.l.y rales. God has blessed us, but our IriIdrn ;lnd IhrGiI srctor C.loO onlyempk)y;l few pro. t'IiIW! not been .able to use our commoOllpie, bul fons 1on,;15 tMworki ft'1N1nS.;lgn· WNlth few the good of the 1m;ori1Y"'_ culrure Will conllnue to thriw. I see ilgrk:ul· run;l5thetilSltst wayollouchlngthe [YeS of OI!Sphe lhest lWlJGrull challenges. t he the people;lnd bulkllng;llt'gKy d'IiIt would Okproblsl of Isoko Land Gplned thaI the Ii\~.ftermr~bour of our p;iSC hrrors would not be In
star.
v.loln Ifboth the leilders;lnd folJow.ersch;ange Ihrlr ;llIltudl: 100 WNhh • .lore rllOf"e p.&trkxk, Imbibe Ihr culture oOf holrdWOf'lC;lnd dillge:nc:e.ln his words:,htore is need for.a senow Thlliorull rrorirntilltlon, Nigt'N Is our common pro;ra .and both the: IeiIMn and t1)t: led must wort tOKffiMor W ffi.loke Ie ill success. We havt lhr resourcrs;lnd wurr inetlllgffIl. but we must: diV'tnlfy our economy. our ~Ith should be used to cultlVolltt' the: IiInd ;and build ITIC)C'e Indusllir$. Wr ilIso nrrd 100 smngthen our Irg;1 I system ;lnd INU JudIcious use of pnlsr iIInd bbme. It Is by doi ng these d'IiIt WI!' wlU I10l INke the I.al:ioun aT our I\WOlowo, ..ulkwr..... unadu BrUo ;lnd otherp.loSt hrroes 10 be in v;llo·. ~nd
rnu~rur, ;I foremost community k.lodrr,;I IOrmrr Prrsklent GmmII of the Isoko ~ment Union ;lnd ~ rotml:r Vice President. N.lotlon;ll A.ssocUtion of (.ooprrOJtl~ Cmlil Union Gf N~ ChkfDl". I.tpojt'nr h.u continued to use his pt'r5OC'IiIl wrilih fGr the ben.ermrmO(hlscommunl~ Apart from employing lhouSilnds of Nlgerbns lhtoU2h hls litnn complexes, the ~ Founc£idon Iw rropoWerrd hundreds Gf 1ess-pnvl1r2rd )OUtJU through bur· g,ry ;and schOUrshrp. .-lis wr.alth of exptneflCe b .lobo bdllJ used lOr n.aUOn building. he WilS the Nlgttl.in dt'fep ttJ enD! INder ro the World Conference of Cooperallve Movemenl ln N.l.lrobl, KrnY;lln 1919.
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