A birthday gift for Hope Uzodimma at 67

By Oguwike  Nwachuku 

It is another December 12 when we gather to celebrate one of Nigeria’s best and brightest – Senator Hope Odidika Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State. I do not know how many persons have taken the trouble to read his latest book – A Decade of Impactful Progressive Governance in Nigeria – which was unveiled in Owerri, September this year, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, assisted by a galaxy of who is who in Nigeria.

My advice. If you truly love Nigeria, and you are yet to read the book, please do, because there are too many lessons to learn, and too many things to gain therefore.

By the way, this piece is hardly about the book in question, rather about the inert qualities and characteristics of the author. Talk about the enormous capacity associated with Hope Uzodimma who is marking his 67th birthday today, and the gift President Tinubu gave him that coincided with his special day, you will not be wrong.

A friend of mine who is not yet 60 told me recently that it baffles him where and how Governor Uzodimma gets the energy that propels him on daily basis as he goes about discharging his numerous responsibilities at an age not so young. My response to him was that I am also at a loss as to whether my principal knows the actual date he was born going by the incredible energy he exerts.

Depending on the audience you are part of when you encounter Hope Uzodimma, whether as Keynote Speaker at a citadel of learning, security institutions, media fora, or at an event as Chairman, Special Guest of Honour, and what have you, something about his mental, intellectual, spiritual, psychological, and physical disposition must strike your intuition and get you either thinking or conjecturing about the kind of fellow he really is.

But I have come to know for sure that he is a man of many parts.

When, therefore, President Tinubu described him as a “man of great vision, good thinking and highly progressive,” in  his remarks while unveiling ‘A Decade of Impactful Progressive Governance in Nigeria,’ it was not in any way surprising to a lot of people, yours sincerely inclusive.

For those I advised to read the book, let me serve you with more instructive remarks from the President on Hope Uzodimma. Tinubu said: “With this book, Uzodimma has given Nigeria a gift. No nation will forget its own journey and no leader will forget the beauty of stewardship. Nigeria is no longer where it was 10 years ago.”

Perhaps, Mr. President’s only regret was that Hope Uzodimma has done, what he himself, “has not been able to do after years of trial combining active politics with writing,” in his own words.

Like I said earlier, this piece is about Hope Uzodimma’s 67th birthday today, and about the gift he has received from Mr. President almost the same time he turned that age.  

And what is that gift?

On November 25, 2025, the spokesman of the President, Bayo Onanuga, announced the appointment of Governor Hope Uzodimma as the APC Renewed Hope Ambassador ahead of the national launch of the   Federal Government’s Ward Development Programme by President Tinubu.

As ambassador, Uzodimma is expected to double as the Director-General for Party Outreach, Engagement and Mobilisation. The appointment took effect immediately.

Onanuga’s statement read: “With the appointment, which takes immediate effect, Governor Uzodimma will be responsible, in collaboration with the All Progressives Congress leadership and the governors, for evangelising the Tinubu administration’s programme.

“As Renewed Hope Ambassador, Governor Uzodimma, who also chairs the Progressive Governors Forum, will ensure harmony, inclusiveness and strategic coordination across all levels of the party. He will also be involved in mobilising and engaging people.

“He will work with the APC governors, who will also be Ambassadors of Hope.

“President Tinubu expects Governor Uzodimma and his colleagues to promote and disseminate the party’s achievements and milestones since 2023, thereby reinforcing the message of Renewed Hope nationwide.

“President Tinubu took office in May 2023 with a reform agenda that is already yielding positive outcomes for the Nigerian economy.

“Inflation, once a nightmare, eased for the seventh month in a row to 16.05 per cent in October. The exchange rate has stabilised. Foreign Exchange reserves reached over $46 billion this month, up from $32 billion and a net reserve of $4 billion inherited in 2023.

“Investor confidence in the Nigerian economy is back, with both FDI and portfolio investments on the increase, with the oil and gas sector a significant beneficiary. The stock market is enjoying an unprecedented boom. The economy is being diversified, with solid minerals playing a pivotal role. The government’s liberal educational loan policy has enrolled over 700,000 students. Nigerians do not need to wait longer than one week to get a travel passport.

“In a message to the Renewed Hope Ambassador, President Tinubu asked Governor Uzodimma to ensure that Nigerians are aware of and understand the administration’s achievements.”

I take full responsibility for the reasonable digression that aligns with the activities of this uncommon personality we love to honour every year today.

Depending on the angle you are viewing Hope Uzodimma, the APC Renewed Hope evangelist, his good works as a father, friend, husband, uncle, brother, in-law, et al, keep speaking for him.  

In Imo State where he is Governor, his giant strides have confounded both his associates and his political opponents.

As Chairman of the Progressive Governor’s Forum as well as Chairman of South-East Governor’s Forum, Hope Uzodimma has acquitted himself creditably, exhibiting leadership skills only associated with geniuses. A man who is not selfish, greedy or exhibits an air of arrogance, but God-fearing, empathetic, generous to a fault, transparent, and yet firm.  

Those who credit President Tinubu for having the knack to identify people with incredible gift and talent can never be wrong with his choice of Hope Uzodimma for the role he has assigned him.

Truth is that what we are celebrating about Hope Uzodimma on a day like this,  in all its ramifications, is nothing but all round success.

We are celebrating a man who takes calculated risk for the good of humanity, a man who loves fellow humans equally, a passionate man, a kind man, a jolly good friend, and a man who keeps evolving regardless of how foggy, uncertain and unpredictable the circumstances and challenges around him could be.

We are celebrating how Hope Uzodimma has succeeded in turning Imo, a State he met in a deplorable condition in 2020 when he mounted the saddle, into a viable entity that now attracts national and international political and business pacesetters, thereby firmly putting Imo State on the global map.

We are celebrating a key player in the ruling All Progressives Congress whose political/leadership sagacity is instrumental to the winning over of virtually all members of the opposition political Party to his fold.

When President Tinubu recently appointed Hope Uzodimma as APC Renewed Hope Ambassador and Director-General Party Outreach and Engagement, many perceptive Nigerians in his Party in particular, and Nigeria at large, were in agreement that the Imo State Governor symbolises a pragmatic leadership that illuminates the path of unity, progress, and Nigeria’s development.

As a champion of Renewed Hope Agenda himself, all are on the same page that Uzodimma exudes unusual political insight, unparalleled organisational skills and unmatched inspiring dedication to the unity and advancement of the Party he is so passionate and proud to write about after 10 years in power.

It is therefore not out of the ordinary that congratulatory messages and felicitations poured-in ceaselessly at Hope Uzodimma’s Owerri and Abuja offices and homes since President Tinubu named him the APC Renewed Hope evangelist or if you like, generalissimo.

His colleagues, associates and friends are in agreement that the honour is most fitting, and the Governor, well positioned to achieve the desire of the President with them at his back as supporters.

As Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, an English neurologist and middle distance athlete who ran the first sub -4 minutes mile at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, and set a British record in the 1500 metres and finished in the fourth position once said, “the man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.”

Bannister probably had Hope Uzodimma in mind when he made the comment.

Given what Imo looked like in 2020 when Hope Uzodimma became the Governor and what it is looking like today, and given also where the APC is today as against where it was 10 years ago, you can now understand why the Governor, Imo State indigenes and Nigerians are celebrating all round success.

Put differently, for a Hope Uzodimma who   realised early enough that, “the only thing more dangerous than failure is success,” as Don Soderquist, the Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer at Wall-Mart said in his book – The Wall-Mart Way – , your guess can only be as good as mine why his evolution will continue.

Though many reasons abound why indigenes of the State are celebrating Hope Uzodimma at 67, but permit me to identify a few starting with the recently held Imo State Economic Summit that attracted the who is who in the global politics and business.

The magnitude of the Summit in terms of global leadership attendance and quality of attendees obviously diminished any of such events that may have taken place either in Imo or any other part of the country in the past.

Accolades have not stopped coming the direction of Hope Uzodimma over the success of the Summit, particularly when viewed from the angle of the gains that will accrue from the exponential growth across the core sectors of the burgeoning Imo economy with emphasis on oil and gas, power, tourism, agriculture, industries, digital economy, health, education, and more.

At the end of the two-day Summit, President Tinubu (represented by his deputy, Sen. Kassim Shettima), President Joseph Boakai of Liberia, President Amina Akim of Mauritius, Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe, Americo Ramos, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, former United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki- Moon, President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, former Afrexim Bank CEO, Prof Benedict Oramah, Founder of Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Eke, several Governors and other captains of businesses left Owerri with the impression that a new Imo is not just rising but has risen with confidence and purpose.

Imo under Hope Uzodimma’s watch at 67 can proudly claim to have effectively keyed into the global economy with her sustainable transformative infrastructure that can catalyse strategic investment and bring about prosperity in line with the Governor’s 3-R Government of Shared Prosperity anchored on Reconstruction Rehabilitation and Recovery.

As I write, conservatively, over 120 properly built roads, including the major arteries that connect all the three senatorial zones such as Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri today litter the State’s landscape.  

Some of the roads worth mentioning connect Imo with her neighbours in the Country, including those hitherto with problematic bridges but which have now been fixed.  

They include but not limited to the Owerri-Okigwe road, Owerri-Orlu road, Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia road and Orlu-Mgbe-Akokwa- Uga road.  

Work on Owerri-Elele- Port Harcourt road, Owerri-Onitsha road, Owerri -Aba road among others, is progressing speedily.

Under Hope Uzodimma, Imo indigenes are already in high spirit that their State-owned power generation outfit – Orashi Electricity Company – is about to “Light Up Imo.”

The deadline for the first phase of the electricity project being supervised by  

the State-owned electricity generating, distributing and transmitting outfit is this December.

The impact of the health programmes of Hope Uzodimma’s administration on the citizens speaks volume. With three brand new General Hospitals at Ohaji, Omuma and Oguta respectfully, plus his government’s interventions at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu; Federal University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Owerri; Imo State Specialist Hospital Umuguma in Owerri; the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Aboh Mbaise and Orlu as well as the 305 Health Centres at all the Electoral Wards in Imo State, the Governor has secured the health of the citizenry, howbeit, with the novel programme, Imo State Health Insurance Scheme ( ISHIS).

Today in Imo State, under Hope Uzodimma’s watch,   education, both at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels is receiving its pride of place.

Currently, six higher institutions are enjoying the funding of the State government. They include Imo State University, Owerri; KO Mbadiwe University, Ideato, Orlu; University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Umuagwo; Imo State University of Innovation, Science and Technology Omuma, the B.U. Nzeribe Polytechnic Omuma, and the Imo State College of Education, Ihitte Uzoma.

No less than 7000 teachers recently interviewed across the State are waiting to be deployed to our primary and secondary schools in line with the government’s plan to boost effective learning.

The tourism and hospitality potential of Imo State since Hope Uzodimma assumed office in 2020 has continued to improve, but today, it has reached the boom period with the Concorde Hotel ready to open her doors again for business this month, barely three months after the iconic Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Convention Centre, Owerri was commissioned.  

The wonders being wrought around the corridors of the Nworie River in the Owerri capital city, what is now known as Heartland Park Resort, to make the environment one of the highly sought after recreational Centres in the country will, this Yuletide season, be of interest to local and visiting fun seekers, with members of the popular Ome Na Imo Dance Troupe and other entertainment geniuses in our dear State waiting to take to the podium to do what they know how best.

Hope Uzodimma’s 3-R Shared Prosperity government anchored on Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Recovery mantra has not only redefined governance in Imo State but has laid a solid foundation upon which succeeding regimes can serve the people well.

From the outset when Hope Uzodimma assumed the mantle of leadership, he left no one in doubt about the measured risk he was prepared to take with his 3-R slogan going forward. He knew the risks were worth his taking them anyway for the good of the people.

Like Ben Carson, Prof. of neurosurgery, plastic surgery, oncology and pediatrics noted in his book – Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live Acceptable Risk – “I probably do a lot of things that more cautious people would never attempt,”

not many persons would have loved to risk what Hope Uzodimma risked to get Imo State where it is currently given all the challenges that stirred him in the face.

Take the issue of insecurity for instance. If Hope Uzodimma was not ready for the risk he had prepared to take, Imo, today would have been completely over run by criminals. If you describe what he did to contain insecurity in Imo State strategic thinking, I will rather call it as strategic risk taking.

Today, Imo State is competing effectively, if not doing better than her contemporaries in areas such as Information Communications Technology, agriculture, trade and industries, youth and sports development, women/girl child empowerment among others, and in manners never experienced since the Government of late Sam Mbakwe.

We are celebrating a birthday boy who  

has intervened in all facets of human endeavour in government in Imo State – tangible and intangible.

For example, youth empowerment, through the Skill-Up Imo Programme now on its fourth Cohort with more than 300, 000 youths already equipped with digital skills that can guarantee them public/private sector employment or self employment; reform of the State Civil Service through digitization and automation of payment processes that have eliminated ghost workers and stopped corruption in the system; constant payment of salaries; pensions and gratuities; non stop payment of 13th month salary to workers since 2020; and free medical, transportation, purchase of official vehicles for Permanent Secretaries, Judges and Magistrates, constant training for civil servants, among others.

With his properly articulated Imo State 10-year Development Plan (2024-2034) Vision Document, that emphasises  

improved health, education, agriculture/food security, road infrastructure, housing/new cities development, water supply transportation/infrastructure, electricity/power generation, trade/quality assurance, sanitation/waste management, digital economy infrastructure, market access, industrial policy, enabling laws and policies, public finance management, sports development, hospitality/tourism/internationalization, air transportation, security/safety, among others in Imo State, it is therefore obvious that Hope Uzodimma is turning Imo into the industrial hub of the South East, and by extension, Nigeria.

Suffice it to say that with his road/ infrastructure revolution, the dredging of Orashi River to the Atlantic ocean, the ongoing innovation in the oil and gas, power, agriculture, tourism, land transactions and other key sectors, it will be difficult to ignore Imo State in the political and business scheme of things even when Hope Uzodimma is long gone as Governor.

Talk about key infrastructure to the credit of Hope Uzodimma your mind    

will readily go to the Assumpta Cathedral Flyover; the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo runway; the new Exco Chambers, the new Governor’s Lodge, the First Lady’s Complex, the Government House Banquet Hall, the Imo State House of Assembly Complex; the Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Convention Centre; Regional Government House Complex, Orlu; Owerri Modern Abattoir, Naze; the rebuilt Imo Concorde Hotel; Construction of Waste Recycling Plant, Owerri; Cardiovascular Centre and Installation of Oxygen Plant Machines at IMSUTH, Orlu; Construction of 500 capacity Auditorium a University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo, and others too numerous to mention.

The above and more are but a highlight of the difference Hope Uzodimma is making to the lives of Imo citizens which, definitely, will determine the quality of the lives they will lead in the years to come.

As in the years before now since 2020, and as a way of giving back to the people he loves so much while marking his 67th birthday, thousands of Imo residents are currently enjoying a 10-day all expenses paid medical mission at the IMSUTH, Orlu; General Hospital, Omuma, and Specialist Hospital, Umugumma, Owerri. It has become an annual ritual.

For this year, more than 20 doctors from the United States of America in collaboration with their Nigerian counterparts, have been engaged to handle both complex and semi complex medical conditions tormenting the citizens and other Imo residents.

I hope we have not forgotten that Hope Uzodimma has been sponsoring Imo indigenes and other residents on annual pilgrimage to Israel (for Christians) and to Mecca (for Muslims) also in an all expenses paid trip for years now?  

Born Hope Odidika Uzodimma on December 12, 1958, to the royal family of Pa Michael and Ezinne Rose Uzodimma (both of blessed memory) in Ozuh Omuma in present day Oru East local government of Imo State, the Governor was a successful businessman known for his philanthropy before joining partisan politics.  

He served in the Senate for eight years  

( 2011- 2019) representing Imo West (Orlu senatorial zone), from where he threw his hat into the ring for the Imo State governorship election in 2019 which he overwhelmingly won.  

Best wishes on your special day Onwa Oyoko, Onwa Imo, Onwa Nigeria, Onwa Global.

*Nwachuku is Uzodimma’s Chief Press Secretary/Special Adviser Media  

… Globalisation of Imo Economic Summit

In a long while, I have not 

seen any event in Nigeria that witnessed a convergence of high-caliber global political and business leaders like the just concluded Imo Economic Summit 2025, held at Concorde Boulevard, Owerri. The summit which launched Imo State to global horizon had in attendance notable international figures, such as the former United Nations, UN, Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon and former British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

African political leaders in attendance at the two-day event included President Joseph Boakai of Liberia, President Amina Akim of Mauritius and the Prime Minister of Sao Tome and Principe, Americo Ramos. Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, declared the summit open on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.  Lest I forget, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Chief Wale Edun, physically attended the event that attracted several Nigerian state governors.     

The roll call of the global business leaders at the summit included the richest man in Africa and founder of the multi-billion dollar Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, immediate past President of Afreximbank, Professor Benedit Oramah, Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers of leading commercial banks in the country, and other industry leaders. The premium event was hosted by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma.

Themed: “Unlocking Imo’s Economic Potential: Partnership, Investment and Innovation”, Governor Uzodimma used the opportunity to announce the entrance of Imo State into a new era of economic transformation, driven by strategic reforms, massive infrastructure expansion and a pro-business environment designed to attract and protect investment.”

The Uzodimma effect:

Recall that since assuming office on January 15, 2020, Governor Uzodimma has painstakingly pursued his vision of transforming Imo State into a premier economic hub, leveraging its oil and gas reserves, agriculture, strategic location and improved infrastructure. Aligned with national reforms, his vision is geared towards achieving a $1 trillion economy for the state and creating jobs, with focus on energy, digital economy, infrastructure development, agriculture and value chains, as well as security and governance.

Globalisation of Imo Economic Summit:

The Oxford Dictionary defines globalisation as “the process by which businesses or other organisations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.” Judging by this definition, the just concluded Imo Economic Summit 2025, the first of its kind in Eastern Nigeria, exemplifies a strong “consolidated” global platform for political and business leaders to brainstorm on how to take advantage of the massive transformative opportunities in Imo State to engender economic growth and sustainable development in the state and by extension, Nigeria and the African continent.

It is interesting to note that the discussions at the summit did not just centre on how to harness the economic potential of Imo State, but extended to issues of global concern, including climate change and sustainable development. The quest for Artificial Intelligence, AI, driven secure clean and sustainable power for Imo State and the entire Nigeria, Nigeria’s deep historic and cultural ties with Britain, Nigeria’s security, desire for peace, democracy and good governance in Africa, economic roadmap, both for Imo, Nigeria and Africa, and investment opportunities were equally discussed.

For instance, Ban Ki-moon reiterated that Africa holds the solutions to resolving many of the world’s pending challenges, particularly climate change and sustainable development, which the UN Sustainable Goals, SDGs, envisions. The South Korean politician and diplomat, however, made it clear that the world cannot achieve true sustainability without first addressing the unique challenges of the African continent.

Describing the climate crisis as already a lived reality, the former UN scribe urged nations to uphold the Paris Agreement despite recent setbacks. Zeroing in on the African continent, Banki-moon highlighted the injustice faced by African nations, saying “although 54 African countries contribute only four percent of global emissions, they remain among the worst affected by climate disasters.”

In a keynote address, Boris Johnson praised Governor Uzodinma for his push to provide 24-hour electricity in Imo State as part of efforts to drive economic growth. 

The former British Prime Minister suggested that  AI, being the future, would play a critical role in helping the governor realise his plan to secure clean and sustainable power for Imo State and the entire Nigeria.

Johnson recalled that Nigeria and Britain share deep historic and cultural ties, strengthened by continuous exchanges of skilled professionals. Contrary to widespread security concerns about Nigeria, including the latest UK travel advisory, urging Britons to reconsider their need to visit Nigeria, Johnson declared that he felt perfectly safe in the course of his visit.

Bringing the discussion home, President Boakai noted that Imo and Liberia have a lot more in common, beyond occupying geographical space in West Africa, adding that they share a history of resilience, desire for peace, commitment to good governance and the belief that Africa can rise on its terms, through its own efforts. While highlighting Liberia’s recent elevation to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council as an honour for Africa, Boakai looked forward to a fruitful collaboration between Imo and Liberia through regional alliances, focused on development and democratic governance. He expressed confidence that innovation could become the engine that drives the transformation of Imo State.

President Akim of Mauritius and Prime Minister Ramos of Sao Tome and Principe, also acknowledged the promise of Africa as the beacon of hope for the world, urging deeper collaboration to harness the potential of Imo, Nigeria and the African continent at large.

Instant results:

Unlike other economic summits that end in elocutions, the Imo Economic Summit started yielding instant results, with Aliko Dangote challenging Governor Uzodinma to show him where to invest and forget the rest. The President of Dangote Group expressed the readiness of his conglomerate to become the biggest investor in Imo. Dangote urged the Governor to identify priority areas, assuring that his group would make commitments once directed.

Earlier, Vice President Shettima who represented President Tinubu, reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the federal government to the economic development of Imo State and highlighted the summit’s role in fostering and attracting investments through various initiatives.

Conclusion:

By all indications, the Imo Economic Summit yielded the desired benefits. Quoting the Commissioner for Finance and Coordinating Economy in Imo State, Dr. Chuck Chuckuemeka: “Imo State has risen but people do not know it. The summit was an opportunity for people to see the quantum of transformation, innovation and investments that occurred here in the last few years, as clearly articulated in the Governor’s speech. And frankly, the level of investments inquiries in the last few days has been unabated in all sectors, anchored on the post-summit activities and strategies.”

I cannot end without applauding Governor Uzodinma for his foresight in organising the Imo Economic Summit. Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) makes security and welfare of the citizens the primary duty of government. The welfare of the citizens can only be guaranteed by a viable economy.   Taking a cue from the Imo State Government, the states can do a lot in this regard. It is important to note that security and welfare go hand in hand. It is difficult to have either of them without the other.

*Dr Nzomiwu, MNIPR, Director of Media and Publicity, Development Communication Research Association of Nigeria, DECRAN, wrote via: chekmma@yahoo.com

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