The last time I talked about education, na Commissioner of Police dem use chase me, so I had decided to move away from that sector. If Nigerians like, they can be using their money to spray expired strippers in the Las Vegas strip instead of putting it into a sector that is all but comatose will no longer concern me. Afterall is it my money?
Then I saw a clip of my favourite banker, Herbert Wigwe. Someone had sent it to me with a caption, “see your guy.” In the clip, he was trying to do a Wike as he spoke very clearly completely with fingers waving in the air, like Wike o. The head resemble, the posturing resembled and then something went wrong.
As Herbert was speaking – this is your project- he proclaimed to the youths, “You will protect it with your lives,” music broke, the crowd went into a frenzy and the drums rent the air. Kai. Herbert just stood, dey look. The Wike in him had left. Kai, Wike would break into his monkey dance, bend his ‘yansh’ one kind, grab his imaginary sword and run towards the band as those ones will go crazy with ‘Wike pepper dem.’
But Herbert, the ever-serious banker that he is, waited for all the noise to go down to continue with his speech. He had a vision in his hands and didn’t want to be distracted. He wants to build “a university that would create a new generation of fearless leaders and also be one of the best universities in the continent.”
I believe him. Herbert is today one of the most fearless of financial leaders. Superintending the monstrous growth of the Access Bank Group from a mere commercial bank straight to a continental financial behemoth on its way to global recognition.
His foray into education tickles me to no end. What with the ‘death’ in the sector leading to Nigerians spending billions of scarce forex in search of credible educational opportunities.
The Wigwe University which is to be cited in his hometown Isiokpo, Rivers State would have a 60% local and 40% expatriate faculty population, with about 200 buildings spread over 400 hectares of land. The very exciting thing is the announcement that students of the university would spend one year abroad getting international exposure.
I also found out that there would be great infrastructural development in and around Isiokpo as a result of this huge project. This would in a very big way open up not only that region but the whole of South-south to international attention.
As I watched a clip of Herbert speaking at the event announcing the school, I heard him mention his ‘brother’ Aigboje and how they had built Access Bank from nothing to one of the biggest institutions in Africa, I felt my heart swell with pride. These are Nigerians doing big and great things. I wish Herbert very well and I remain eternally optimistic that this project would impact thousands of our youths, creating employment for thousands more and much more importantly driving the pride in our nation that seems to have been lost.
Well done bro. Well done. Please make me honorary warden of the female hostel, I get experience. Trust.
-Thisday
