*You have to learn from the old – Bishop Obiora
*The greatness of Africa lies on the youth – Coscharis Boss
*Start with proper planning – Prof Sogbesan
By Theo Rays
Ideas rule the world. And it was a mixture of ideas for the Youth in Onitsha and its environs on how to rule their world with business from notable clergymen, businessmen and academics during a business program tagged Under – 45 CEOs Business and Leadership Summit organised in the commercial city of Onitsha by the Ultimate Destiny Uplifters (UDUF) Foundation. Renowned clergy and Presiding Bishop of Life of Faith Gospel Assembly Bishop E.C Obiora opened the flood gate with word of God emphasising on the need for people plan their life and business with God and with learning from the past and past record and experiences
Bishop Obiora told the youth gathering that the key to his personal success as a clergy and a businessman is his ability to look at the past and learn from records and experiences that available to his disposal noting that nobody can reach a greater height without recourse to old things as there is always something to learn from past records.
Also speaking in his Keynote address President and Chief Executive Officer of Coscharis Group, Dr Cosmas Maduka, said that for Nigeria to move forward, its citizens must repair their broken character telling the to affect a paradigm shift in thinking and acting as the future and greatness of Africa lies in young ones like them. Dr Madura stressed that leadership is not just about skills, but about character, which he described as “the greatest capital one must have and protect jealously.”
According to him, the challenge of raising today’s children stems from the fact that many parents themselves lack character noting that The problem we have in raising our children is not that we have delinquent children, but that we have more delinquent parents. Leadership is not just skill, character is part of it. It is your greatest capital, protect it,”
He warned that no one can build a lasting legacy without honesty, integrity, and trust. He advised Nigerians to stop pursuing money as an end, but instead focus on solving problems.“Stop pursuing money, look for problems to solve and money will follow you. You cannot build something lasting on crooked lines. Integrity may be slow in building your business, but in the long run, you will succeed,” he said.
The Coscharis Boss who cautioned against speaking ill of the country, describing it as a “goldmine.” went further to lamented that leaders in the country have failed to demonstrate stewardship, noting that “power without purpose leads to corruption and success without integrity leads to destruction
In his words, the Director General Onitsha Business School (OBS) Professor Segun Shogbesan harped on proper planning in the first instance not capital noting that “what is more important in business is proper planning with feasibility study not capital. A lot of are thinking the first and important thing is the capital money to take but that’s not true. You don’t capital at first, what you need proper planning and with proper planning you will definitely lay hand on capital to start”
Earlier In his address, the CEO UDUF, Smart Ezuma Chinedu PhD, stated that the dream of UDUF is to build a community of servant leaders and ethical entrepreneurs who understand that leadership is not about taking, but about giving; not about self, but about service and that is why they sacrifice, that is why they work tirelessly – to see you succeed because when you succeed, Africa succeeds.
He said our theme, “LEADERSHIFT – Building a New Mindset for Ethical Leadership,” is not just a phrase—it is a call for a new generation of leaders who will rise with integrity, creativity, and courage to shape Africa’s destiny.
Let me tell you this from my heart: UDUF Africa is real. We are not here for show. We are not here for personal gain. We are here because we believe that the greatness of Africa rests in the hands of her young people. And we are committed – selflessly committed – to making sure that young leaders and entrepreneurs thrive, starting right here from Onitsha, Nigeria.
According to him “This summit is a platform for learning, for connecting, for growing. But beyond today, I want to personally invite you to be part of our journey. Every second Saturday of every month, we host the UDUF Africa Monthly Business Meeting at Onitsha Business School. It is a space where young leaders like you meet to learn, to share, to be mentored, and to build real partnerships. That is where we keep the fire burning – not once a year, but every month”.
He continued “My friends, Africa doesn’t need leaders who will wait for perfect conditions – Africa needs leaders who will act now, with what they have, where they are. You are that leader. You are that entrepreneur. You are that change-maker. So today, I challenge you: don’t just listen – commit. Don’t just dream – build. Don’t just talk about change – be the change. Together, we can uplift destinies, transform communities, and build the Africa we all desire. And it begins right here, right now, with you”
