He pledged the understanding and co-operation of journalists serving in the State even as he prayed for sound health and long life for the Prince of Niger Delta.
The Vice Chairman of the NUJ, Ayo Tamuno in a vote of thanks, appreciated the Prince for his magnanimity and efforts to showcase the Niger Delta indigenous culture in dressing and philanthropy.
Mr. Tamuno also used the opportunity to mention the predicament of the State NUJ council which has been operating without a council secretariat until governor Amaechi graciously undertook to provide one for us; courtesy of the appreciable efforts of the Information Commissioner, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari to which the Prince promised to lend voice to, for a speedy realization.
The Fourth Day 13th June, 2012
The fourth day was used to host the University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association where he graduated some years past as a qualified Engineer. Led by its National President, Prof B.M. Mdimele and Rivers State Chapter President, Sir Engr Samson Ngeribara who expressed his delight on behalf of the Exco in having the Prince as the Chief Launcher of the alumni fund raising. UNIPORT, he stated has come of age to showcase to the world its product, thus the Prince was selected based on merit, stressing the difference between the various contributors and that of the Prince, the latter did theirs whilst they occupied Public offices but the Prince without any public office has demonstrated twice as more than they can imagine. Engr Samson thanked the courage exhibited by Chf Eze .C. Eze who represented the Prince for his speech and pledge made on behalf of the Prince. Finally, the President thanked the Prince and stated he had no doubt in anyway regarding the fulfilment of pledge made, in his words “Tonye Princewill is a Man of Action ,he matches his words with Action” and ascribed on others to emulate the will and determination to support the Alumni.
In his response, Prince Tonye Princewill commended the Association for considering him worthy for such a visit and stated that an Association that has the seating President of Nigeria, Dr Jonathan Goodluck and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi the Chairman of the Governors Forum as alumni should be an example to other sister associations. Stating that his days in UNIPORT were his formative years in Business and how that has transformed him into what he is currently doing. Finally the Prince fulfilled his pledge made to the Association to the tune of N5m.
The Fifth Day 14th June, 2012.
Dr Chris Mbata led the Rivers State Exco of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria to inform him of the plight facing the Association and the need of the Prince partnering with them seeing that his father, King Prof T.J.T. Princewill was one of the key foundation fathers of the Association in Nigeria. The Prince thanked them for the visit and alter donated undisclosed amount to the Association to assist them organise their week.
The Second activity of the day was hosting the Board and Directors of Rivers Music and Arts Project (RIVMAP) which the Prince set up to fish out raw talents from Niger Delta region and to promote the discovered talents to International acceptable standard. According to the Chairman of the Board, Mr Tamunoiminabo Wokoma alias Tams a renowned world Music producer based in France; the vision behind RIVMAP is to fish talents from the region and showcase them to Europe for the great future of the country and thanked the Prince for initiating such an idea that will rewrite the history of entertainment industry in the country. He thanked the Prince for setting aside the sum of N100M in this regard in which the sum of N5M is for the Winner of the Music segment and a recording deal, the champion in the Dancing Group goes home with the sum of N2M and the champion in the Comedy segment goes home with the sum of N1M. The Prince commended Tams and his group for the good job done so far and urged them not to relent until we take the entertainment industry to the next level.
The Prince concluded his day with his meeting with Lady Mina Omunguye, the Coordinator of the Princewill Trust Fund that sponsors the yearly Amachree Scholarship Fund for indigent students from the 23 Local Govt Areas of Rivers State. She briefed the Prince that issuance of cheques to the to the 150 Rivers Indigenes in Higher Institutions in the country for the 2012 Scholarship set will be organised at Buguma the Headquarters of the Kalabarri Kingdom on 30th June, 2012. The Prince later released a cheque of N20M covering both logistic and the fund for the winners for the 2012 session to the Coordinator.
The Sixth Day (15th June, 2012)
The mother of all the events for the week came up in the sixth day when women from all the Local Government Areas in the State including the Hausas, Yorubas, Ndigbo, Akwa/Cross women and the Market women gathered at the PPA Secretariat at Aba Road in what they describe as a ‘thank you solidarity visit on a man that has decided to clothe and wipe out our tears’. In an emotional laden voice, Dr Mrs Edith Wele the PPA Women Leader told the over five thousands women and others in attendance that they cannot thank the Prince enough but that they are ready to support him steadfastly and faithfully until his vision to emancipate the State is achieved. “We are here to thank you the Prince for releasing the sum of 26m for the empowerment of women in Rivers State through the Rivers State Microfinance Agency (RIMA). The women leaders briefed the Prince that they have trained over 500 women in the Skill Acquisition Scheme initiated by him since the inception of the scheme in the State. The Prince in his response donated an 18seater air-conditioned bus, extra N2M and authorised the release of Skill Acquisition Scheme equipment to all the Local Government Areas including other groups like the Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and Akwa Ibom/Cross Rivers Women residing in Rivers State to empower them. He later commissioned the Skill Acquisition Scheme Equipment. The women danced and sang praises to God for giving them the Prince as their own; “Princewill carry us dey go as we are all yours”
The Seventh Day (16th June, 2012),
This extra-ordinary enigma and workaholic concluded this special week with inspection and commissioning of an ultra modern Office Complex in Port Harcourt to serve as a venue for receiving guests and visitors as he has declared every Tuesdays and Thursdays as his visiting days where anybody without appointment can see him without any protocol breached.
Later in the evening he departed to London to witness the birthday of his first, daughter Azaria Princewill, who turned 14 on 17th June, 2012
Conclusion
Apart from the activities carried out within this special week, the Prince has demonstrated his love for his people in many ways in time past. He had within this year furnished and equipped the Cyber Cafe of the Federated Correspondents Chapel, donated computers to Tide Newspaper Corporation based in Port Harcourt.
Spent over N120M to organise the first ever TV Reality Show for Orphanages in Nigeria with Godswill Orphanage of Kogi State clinching the coveted trophy and the Championship Prize of N10M while the Runners-up, the Lifetime Orphanage of Rivers State got the Prize of N5M. Rachael Homes, Abuja came in third carting home the N3M prize. The Princely amount of Five Hundred Thousand each was given to the other remaining five Homes as co-champions and what the Prince called “combined winners”.
On 2nd of May, 2012 he did the impossible by donating an equipped classical Media Centre to his political party, PDP at Abuja for the use of Journalists. During the last Women Day in Rivers State, the Prince instituted a 26 Million Naira Microfinance Fund for Rivers State Rural Women.
With the donation of N25m to the Polo Club recently meant for the construction of a standard pavilion in honour of his father, the donation of the multi-million Naira equipped studio to some youths he sponsored to the Del-York Film Academy, the N100M Endowment Fund to promote and scout for new talents in the Entertainment Industry and the offer of scholarship to over 150 Students in Higher Institutions in the country, Prince Tonye Princewill has proved himself as the new Face of Hope for the people of Rivers State.
Within these meetings, he was meeting with other countless groups and individuals and this is what the Prince said about these meetings. “It has been very engaging and productive168 hours with my people here in Port-Harcourt. I can’t believe I’m smiling; 1-on-1 interaction with over 1000 people in 6 days. Thank God for the unwavering strength that has continued to grow in leaps and bounds.
My take: Based on my continuous interactions and unceasing engagements with Nigerians of diverse socio-cultural orientations, different political backgrounds, various economic status, and religious inclinations; I have come to the full realisation of the fact that the natural factors that bind us far outweigh the man-made challenges that create gulf between us. As such, I have resolved to be more resolute in my involvement in activities that build bridges, rather than engage in issues that burn them. Within my capacity as an impact investor, a staunch advocate of good governance with moderate track record in grassroots politics, development-minded engineer and people-centred policy influencer, I’m increasing the tempo of my renewed efforts at reaching as many as possible to whom my knowledge, expertise, experience and ‘widow’s mite’ would be of certain degree of encouragement. So, let’s come together and forge ahead together. Your enquiries, suggestions and contributions are highly welcome”.
eaps and bounds.
My take: Based on my continuous interactions and unceasing engagements with Nigerians of diverse socio-cultural orientations, different political backgrounds, various economic status, and religious inclinations; I have come to the full realisation of the fact that the natural factors that bind us far outweigh the man-made challenges that create gulf between us. As such, I have resolved to be more resolute in my involvement in activities that build bridges, rather than engaging in issues that burn them. Within my capacity as an impact investor, a staunch advocate of good governance with moderate track record in grassroots politics, development-minded engineer and people-centred policy influencer, I’m increasing the tempo of my renewed efforts at reaching as many as possible to whom my knowledge, expertise, experience and ‘widow’s mite’ would be of certain degree of encouragement.
So, let’s come together and forge ahead together. Your enquiries, suggestions and contributions are highly welcomeIf this is leadership in action then the people of Rivers State are blessed by God with the gift of Prince Tonye Princewill a man redefining what leadership is all about in Nigeria..
Eze Chukwuemeka Eze is a Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt.
By Eze Chukwuemeka Eze
