By Michael Jegede
The third edition of the Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture Series was held on November 18, 2023, at the premises of Start-Rite International School, Abuja, with the theme: ‘Disruption and Transformation: Leadership in Disruptive Times.’
Amaka, late wife of former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, who founded Start-Rite School 15 years ago, died on November 19, 2020, in a ghastly auto crash on her way to attend a burial programme at Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.
In attendance at the 3rd memorial lecture were prominent Nigerians who came to honour the memory of a great woman, silent philanthropist and astute administrator who contributed in no small measure to the growth of humanity and societal advancement while she was alive.
The Special Guest of Honour at the event was the governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu, Nigerian actress and TV host, Linda Osifo, was the Keynote Speaker, while the Chairperson was Mrs Aisha Daggash, wife of erstwhile Minister of National Planning, Mr Sanusi Dagash. Some of the other dignitaries present included former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Mr Bayo Ojo, former Nigerian Ambassador to Venezuela and Belgium, Amb. Maurice Ekpang, Chief Chris Agara, Senator Joy Emordi, Senator Matthew Mbu, House of Representatives members, Rt.Hon. Anefiok Luke and Hon Victor Abang.
In his remark at the commemorative lecture dedicated to the memory of Amaka, the governor of Cross River State, Prince Otu, said he still feels deeply pained in his heart over her departure three years after.
He had said, “I came here today with mixed feelings because deep in my heart, I still feel the pains of that departure of our very disruptive and amazingly loveable lady, Amaka Ndoma-Egba. As an integral member of that family, I know the smile, the shine, the success she brings to the home of my boss – Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba. But on the other hand, I am really honoured and privileged to share this occasion with you because today’s event demonstrates the validity of those values which she lived and died for. And believe you me, no engravings surpass this consistent upholding of the vision the departed stood for. I want to say that the society owes a lot not just to Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, but also to members of the management of the Start-Rite school.”
Continuing, Otu added, “I was looking at today’s theme. It’s a very amazing topic. If I saw it earlier, I think I would have a lot to say about it. Some years back, there was a time our nation was passing through very turbulent, very disruptive trail. And there was the death of a sitting President. And God used Senator Ndoma-Egba, my boss and some other leaders to transit and bridge the gap until Goodluck Jonathan emerge the President. I will leave the details for another day.
“But why I brought this up is because in the later years, I think your better half did same, but in the education sector by giving birth to Start-Rite School. So what Victor did to our nation Nigeria, the wife – Amaka – was able to do to humanity via the less privileged and education. And I believe that history has a place for these lovebirds. And because all of us will go through that door, there will always be a day that Victor and Amaka will meet again and probably with all of us here. And that time will be the time to meet and part no more!
“I bring to you greetings from Cross River State. A place to be this coming December is Cross River – for the 2023 Calabar Carnival. As a matter of fact, almost all the hotels are gone already. But we are going to make enough provisions to ensure we carter for everyone. So we want to see everybody there.
“Please, members, board, management and students of Start-Rite Schools keep the flag flying. We are very proud of you all.”
The elegant chairperson of the occasion, Mrs Daggash, while addressing the gathering, said, “I am always emotional when I stand here because I remember my friend, my sister, Amaka Ndoma-Egba, a beautiful soul.
“Start-Rite was founded by Amaka in 2008. And over 15 years it evolved from a small nursery school with seven pupils in 2008 to a school with over 700 students today. It is a member of the Council of British International Schools. It was formed with a mission of creating an environment where a child is taught to respect the individuality of others, the acquisition of skills, knowledge and fun, the virtues of duty and service to others, the nation and humanity are inculcated. It is a vibrant happy learning community offering value-based education for children and teenagers. Our goal is to develop confident well-rounded students who will possess relevant skills to be actively engaged in tackling the 21st challenges.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, there is an old African proverb that says the wise man is the one that plants a tree under whose shade he knows he will never sit. That is what Amaka did because she was wise, knowledgeable, and endowed with certain unique qualities, that thinking back I realised how blessed and fortunate we all are to have known her. I will like to commend Senator Ndoma-Egba. You keep amazing me with your dedication and commitment. May God bless you. May you remain a shining example to generations to come.
“Our theme this year is leadership in disruptive times. We live an era of constant change and uncertainty where technological advancement and global challenges are reshaping the world as you know it. Leadership in disruptive times requires adaptability and resilience. As leaders, we must be willing to embrace change and navigate through uncertainties. We need to stay agile and be open-minded, constantly seeking new ways to innovate and solve problems. This means being creative, and encouraging our teams to think outside the box, which was essentially what Amaka was about.
“A key aspect of leadership in disruptive times is the ability to inspire and motivate others. As leaders we need to provide a clear vision and purpose helping our teams understand the bigger picture and the importance of contributions. By fostering a sense of purpose and empowering our team members we can unleash their potential and drive them towards success.
“Furthermore, effective leadership in disruptive times requires a strong focus on communication, collaboration. We must create an environment where ideas can be freely shared and diverse perspectives are valued. By fostering a culture of collaboration, we can tap into the collective intelligence of our teams and find innovative solutions to complex problems.
“Lastly, leadership in disruptive times demands a continuous learning mind-set. As leaders we must be committed to our own growth and development and encourage our teams to do the same. We must be curious constantly seeking knowledge and skills to adapt to the ever changing landscape. By being life-long leaners we can stay ahead of the curve and guide our lives towards success. This is a clarion call for all and sundry – parents, teachers and members of the society.”
In her brilliant, incisive and inspiring speech as the Guest Speaker, Linda Osifo, 32-year-old Benin-born talented Nollywood actress and brand model, dwelled extensively about her voyage as a visionary leader in today’s times. The founder of Love And Oneness, LAO, Foundation committed to putting smiles on the faces of the disadvantaged, narrated how she had to return to Nigeria in 2013, when she wasn’t actualizing her vision and dream, after spending about 15 years in Canada.
Osifo, who had demonstrated incredible resilience in the pursuit of her dream and aspiration, tells her story, “At the age of 22, I had a vision. The vision that I had, had no foundation. My vision had no substance. My vision had no support. But there was one thing that my vision had, which was what I called the visionary mind-set, which is the mindset of someone that has bravery, someone that has a dream, someone that has potential, someone that has the spirit of resilience.
“In 2013, I decided to pursue a vision. I asked myself what was the reason for that vision. I can boldly answer that vision today. But 10 years ago, I had no answer. My answer was, oh, I had a passion. I want to be different. I wanted to do something that my generation hasn’t done.
“In 1999, the vision and the image that I knew about my growing up was a disruptive one. It was one that would kill the vision that I have today. It was one that would lose all the hopes and encouragement that I would have. We sought for a better life by migrating to a country called Canada to pursue safety. Safety was what we pursued. Safety to see another day and to see opportunities of life. I knew that was the reason of leaving my country Nigeria. But it wasn’t my choice at the age of eight. I was taken out without my permission. I was given another alternative of life that I didn’t choose. But it chose me for a reason.
“At the age of 22, I decided to come back to a place where I fled and ran from. What was that for? Vision! And the vision was what brought me back. I knew there was something missing in me. What was missing was a complete description of who I am and I wasn’t able to find that where I was. And I had to pursue it. And that comes under the form of leadership. I knew there was something that I had to pursue. I came back to Nigeria to pursue that vision. I would say today that the vision is not about acting. But the vision is to send a message. Forgive me, if I get emotional. Just like the message that we have today from this visionary leader – Amaka Ndoma-Egba. Without the vision I will not be here today.
“The world has changed so fast. And the amazing thing is that some people have no clue that the world has changed. Some people think that things are still the same. Ten years ago, can we define Nigeria the way it is today? It is even amazing that some people have been left behind with a lot of changes that have happened. And I hope that you will not be amongst the ones that will be left behind, especially in a time like this, in a disruptive time that we have.
“What is disruption? Disruption is a process whereby an innovation fundamentally and indelibly changes an industry. In the business terms, we can expand it to be, disruption is the process in which a product becomes popular enough to replace the traditional ones. Disruption would be called a system or a creative idea that change a traditional way of doing things. It’s been shown that disruption is something that would always be constant, just the same way change is constant.”
The award-winning screen diva and philanthropist gave classic examples of innovations that could pass as disruption in the entertainment, transportation and hospitality industry.
She identified self-discovery, self-development and self-mastery as the three key steps to finding one’s purpose in life.
According to her, a great leader in disruptive times must possess visionary leading attributes, invest in researches and development, be an effective communicator and active listener, be transparent and open, inspirational, innovative, strategic and learn from failure.
The words of exhortation at the memorial lecture was given by Reverend Father Bob Etta and taken from the Gospel of Saint John, Chapter 12, Verse 24. According to the clergyman, it reads, “Truly I say to you unless a wheat of grain falls to the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain. But if it dies, it bears much fruits.”
Noting the increase in the number of students from 350 when Amaka died three years ago to 723 today and the expansion work being carried out in Start-Rite School, the man of God said, “We thought Amaka died. I begin to think Amaka didn’t die. Amaka only transformed to become the manure that will take this school to greater height for the children to have fabulous opportunities that ordinarily they wouldn’t have had.”
Giving his Vote of Thanks, Senator Ndoma-Egba, Chairman of the Advisory Board of Start-Rite School, remarked, “Mine is just to say thank you to everybody. First to God, who with time has turned our grief into celebration. The one who lives in the hearts of people never dies. Amaka, a visionary educator and an embodiment of disruptive thinking with a passion for doing things differently, is not dead. She lives. And because she lives, we celebrate her.
“Her life was relatively short. But it is not the length of our lives, but the life in our days. She had life in everyday she spent on earth and that is why we celebrate her today. Our vision is not to be one of the best schools. Our vision is to be the best school. Thank you all for making this ceremony such a fun.
“Unfortunately, my governor, Bassey Otu, has rushed to catch a flight. I would have liked to thank him while he was here, because he shared a special relationship with Amaka and there was no better honour he could have done to her than by showing up here today. May God bless him! The staff, the students, the advisory board, the parents, I don’t know how to thank you all. God will continue to bless you all. Our Guest Speaker, thank you for the insightful speech. Thank you for coming. At least, the children now know who Linda Osifo is.”
Ndoma-Egba explained how the Victor and Amaka Ndoma-Egba Foundation, VANEF, was established to institutionalise and sustain her late wife’s charitable efforts, considering the long list of students she was sponsoring in different schools, which included over 40 abroad that he was not even aware of.
Thanking all those who have supported the Foundation, he disclosed that “The Foundation, VANEF, has received massive support. We have received support from Tony Elumelu. And because of Tony Elumelu we are setting up a robotics laboratory in Start-Rite Schools. We have received support from my friend of 48 years. My friend, my brother, my roommate. I was his best man when he got married, that is Chief Bayo Ojo. He and his wife, Justice Shade Ojo, have supported us massively.
“If you recall last year the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, was in this audience. To support today’s event he has sent a handsome donation to the Foundation. Two days ago, I came to the school to inspect some construction works going on at the early year section of the school. The early year children gave me an envelope for the Foundation containing N120, 000. Those are just tiny kids. So we thank everybody who had supported the Foundation one way or the other. But essentially I thank all of you for keeping Amaka’s memory alive and for upholding her legacy. My promise to you is that Start-Rite will only go up, it will never come down.”
•Jegede, a journalist, lives in and writes from Abuja•
