Obinna Uzoh: Mr. Philanthropy goes for senate seat

Every year Barr Obinna Uzoh, a multi billionaire will contest the Governorship of Anambra state but he was never given a chance to showcase what he could offer the state. And it appears he is now tired of the ambition as he has jettisoned the Governorship ambition to Senatorial ambition as captured in this piece below brought to you by www.odogwublog.com

On Sunday, when del­egates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gathered to de­cide, who among the aspirants angling to represent Anambra South at the Senate, one of the things that would occupy their minds is the antecedents of those seeking their man­date. Indeed, they would look at what the aspirants have been able to do for the senato­rial district and Anambra State over the years.

In the contest, the aspirants are: Senator Andy Ubah, incumbent sena­tor representing the zone; his brother, Chief Chris Ubah; former member of the House of Representatives, Chuma Nzeribe and business mogul and phi­lanthropist, Dr. Obinna Uzoh.

Since what the aspirants have done for the senatorial district and the state will count, one person that would be in the minds of the delegates is Dr. Uzoh. This is so because he has, through his magnanimity, touched many lives. Two years ago, for instance, he donated a 110-room ultra modern students hostel at the Holy Family Youth Village, Awka to the Catholic Church. This came barely one year after an impos­ing church complex he built, in Ihiala, was dedicated by the Papal Nuncio in Nigeria.

Uzoh, chairman/CEO, GOCUZ Group Limited, was born on March 17, 1963 to the family of the late Chief and Chief (Mrs.) Obi Uzoh. He attended his primary and secondary schools in Ihiala, where he obtained the First School Leaving Certificate and West African School Certificate. He taught briefly at Girls Secondary School, Okija, Anambra State, before going into private business.

Uzoh has been engaged in philan­thropy across the nation. He has equal­ly built a church, as he promised in his prayer to God. In February last year, the All Saints Catholic Parish complex, in Umunnamehi, Ihiala, which he built single-handed, was dedicated.

In the last 27 years, has been involved in many philanthropic programmes. These include: Award of scholarship to students in primary, secondary, colleges of education, polytechnics and universities across the country: Special scholarship award to indigenes of Anambra State in Medicine, Law, Accountancy and Engineering; building and donation of a 3-storey complex for the Law Faculty of Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State; renovation of schools across the country; construction and equipment of several computer and several laboratories in secondary and tertiary institutions across the country and distribution of text books and instructional materials to schools across Anambra State.

He has also done the following, in the area of philanthropy, among others: Establishment of small scale enter­prises for indigenes of Anambra State; construction and rehabilitation of roads in Anambra State; provision of bore­holes; rural electrification and donation of transformers across the country; contributing to the building of churches across the country; sponsorship/dona­tion of drugs for free medical outreach­es to St. Charle’s Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha for some selected towns in Anambra North senatorial area; spon­sorship of Christians for pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Rome; establishment of special fund for assistance to pregnant women, widows, disabled people and people with heart, kidney, lung, sight and spinal cord problems; assistance to young traders, school leavers and graduates to set up their own business through a revolving loan and involve­ment in sports development through sponsorship of local football competi­tions, track and field events.

Interestingly, Uzoh has not devoted his time to business alone. He also found time to acquire academic laurels. He obtained B.Sc (Business Admin­istration), University of Lagos; M.Sc (Marketing), University of Lagos; LLB, University of Lagos; B.L., Nige­ria Law School and PhD (Economics), Lagos State University.

In business, Uzoh has made a mark, as the seed he planted in 1987, as GO­CUZ Limited, has become a mighty oak tree, known today as GOCUZ Group Limited. His chains of business­es span into oil & gas, engineering, law, construction, finance and agriculture. The companies under GOCUZ Group Limited are: Gocuz Oil Services, Gocuz Engineering, Gocuz Chambers, Gocuz Construction, Gocuz Finance & Security and Gocuz Farms Limited.

To start business was not easy, as Uzoh did not have enough capital. He made do with the little amount his uncle and other members of the family could raise and started off. “My uncle gave me N5,000 and asked me to man­age it and start something for myself. When I got that money, I didn’t know exactly what to do with it. I took it to the church and placed it by the Blessed Sacrament. That day, I made a promise to God that if he prospered me through this money, I would build a house for him,” he said.

It is obvious that Uzoh’s prayer was answered. His little business prospered. On his first major breakthrough, he told a story of how some traders were looking for engineering tools in the market and encountered him. He had promised to get it for them. When they obliged him, he set out to assemble the tools, to make an engineering box.

An apostle of “politics with bit­terness” and politics of consulta­tion and accommodation, Uzoh’s campaign slogan is: Restoration, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Anambra State.

What motivates Uzoh in what he does? He said: “I derive a lot of inspiration from the Bible. The Bible guides me in many things I do. If you also go through the Catholic doctrine, you will see where Jesus told His disciples that the greatest must be the servant of the people. That informs my simple lifestyle. I love mixing with people, especially the downtrod­den. There’s no way I will throw my weight around when I know my humble beginning and back­ground. I know that I am where I am today by the grace of God.”

For all he does, Uzoh has been severally recognised. He had received the following recogni­tions: Fellow, Institute of Cost Management; Fellow, Chartered Institute of Administration; Patron, European Economic Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry (EEIG-NG); Honorary Fellow­ship of the Institute of Internal Auditors of Nigeria; ECOWAS International Award; Hallmark Millennium Award; Ideal Family Star Award by Family Life Or­ganisation; Excellent Performance Award in Commerce, Social and Human Capacity Development in Nigeria by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Anambra State Council; Most Admired Engineer­ing Equipment Dealer of the Year 2000 Award of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Nigeria; Pillar of Development in Anambra State by Anambra State Develop­ment Foundation; Merit Award of Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria, Nnewi Chapter; Distin­guished Friend and Patriot by the Egbu Diocese ( Anglican Commu­nion ), Church of Nigeria; Patron, UNIZIK 94.1 FM; and National Youth Award of the National body of Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria, among others.

He is married and blessed with five children.

This piece was written by Vivian Onyebukwa of the Sun