Seminars, my story

Hi; welcome once again, to my corner.

What you are about to read is my personal experience about the subject matter-seminar. The writings will be categorized into oops! And the aah! The oops, like our legislative leaders say when they are having a divisional vote, have it

Oops 1

It was promoted as a “Business summit” packaged by a certain SAM & TIMA COMPANY.
As soon as I made payment and walked into the hall to find some guys in dark suits prancing all over place affecting some fake mannerism prompted by maybe, doing something that was foreign to their normal lifestyles, like wearing suits, something told me that I had joined the wrong bus.

To be fair to them, one of them who happen to be the arrow head of the group before embarking on his voyage did ask any one not impress with the arrangement to ask for a refund. Nobody did because we were prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt.

He was introduced as Mr. Sam Ofonwa, the one half of the company organizing the meet. He mounted the podium and while he was yammering about why were are not financially buoyant, we or rather I, noticed that the projector was always displaying intermittently, pictures of suits, and other clothing items which I never for once, linked to the talk.

It was not until the Tima half had taken the stage that it dawned on me that I had actually paid the Sam and Tima, who also are man and wife to advertise their business. When she withdrew, Sam returned to give more perspective to her talk, telling us about buying one for twenty five thousand and then introducing people and climbing a ladder, you know these multi-level stuffs.

Off-course as soon as the summiteers sensed that they had been taking for a ride, they started leaving one after the other.

The most annoying of Sam’s delivery was his repetitious declaration of having done, in his own words “oil and gas” business with his international friends. So, why did he stop? Is clothing business now more lucrative than oil?
It was equally annoying that they did not deem it fit to provide item7 to at least, give back to the community—poor corporate social responsibility.
I told some of the attendees that if that nonsense had happened in Warri, that somebody would have been in the hospital treating cracked skull and broken kneel cap.

Perish the thought if you imagine that it was all oops, nope! Apart from a special representative of Oceanic Bank, Enugu branch manager, Pastor Chiefo, who dealt broadly with the issue of investment in shares—some his statement still rings loud to my hearing (I guess you want to see them then go over to QUOTES FROM THE MASTERS.), the Sam guy also gave some good advice on facing the challenges of life. He, it was who made the statement that anything you struggle so much to have, does not really produce much result.


The seminar or summit was held on the 5th of august,2007@crunchies Enugu.





Oops2.

This one was put together by Delic Solutions owned by Chike Obi, a good looking and very likeable person with an interesting rag to rich personal story.

The get together though free, was suppose to be on forex but turned out to be a publicity gimmick for the main seminar which was to hold on a Saturday, which many doubted could provide much information since trading do not hold on Saturdays.

Trust them. They came with enough material on different aspect of on-line business and yours truly bought the one on web designing which I only very recently played, only to discover that the CD that was originally, a foreign video, had been converted into an audio, making it use difficult as one cannot easily follow what the tutor is demonstrating.
The seminar was held @ the auditorium of the National Museum, Enugu.

Oops 3.
This particular seminar must rank amongst the most publicized of all the seminars advertised during the period it held; the popular Cosmo FM, radio Nigeria, EBS were all engaged. Francis Ojukwu of church health consult once said in one of his seminar presentation that the more cheap an item, the higher the gloss.

It was on shares and kingly priced. It was put together by Wealth Ways Consults and Micro Media Computer ltd. Other than giving a list of some promising stocks, it remains doubtful, though from the perspective of a Business graduate, if the seminar actually offered value for money and time.

The main resource person had mounted the podium to harp on P/E ratio which he had explained repeatedly with many still at sea. I think that the best way to explain it would have been to simply say that it the pay back period of an investment; the numbers of years, if they, the company maintains the same earnings, to recoup or recover, better still, get back all the money you invested in such company, all things, as the economics would say, been equal. I doubt if there any other serious matter that was treated on that day other than P/E and it comparison with the market average.
The seminar was held on the 20th of October, 2007 @ 18 seconds, Enugu.


Aahs 1 AFRIHUB LLC SEMINAR

Theme: Overcoming the Challenges of the Labour Market. Date: 10th February, 2007, Venue: White House, UNEC.


Lecturers:

• The Hon. Chief (Mrs.) A.J Offiah SAN, former Attorney-General, Enugu state, spoke on the topic, Career Planning and Development. Her admonitions: Always aim for forward momentum in your career; remain permanently marketable by enhancing your net worth.



• Prof. Manny Aniebonam, President, Afrihub worldwide, spoke on Employers’ expectations of a job seeker at interviews and resume; upon which he gave a template on cover letters and CVs.

• Mrs. Ikhareba, from the United States, a Software Engineer and President, CEO: Kareba Software consulting, Ohio, a Nigerian who has worked as a computer programmer with the U.S Army. She spoke on the theme: Job search and Networking.

• There was also Mr. Nelson Ozoduru, a career counsellor with Afrihub who gave verbal enlargement to resumes and cover letter writing.

This was one seminar that was worth all the cash that was invested in it.


Aah 2 THE YOKE FELLOWS SEMINAR

Theme
Date: 4th may, 2007

Venue: Hotel Cordial, Enugu.

Resource Persons:

• Mr. Chiefo, the Branch Manager, Oceanic Bank; Enugu: Making the most of the workshop Chiefo talked about the importance of first introducing yourselves when meeting somebody for the first time. Reasons: you may be meeting your competitor without knowing it and revealing your strategies; the other person might be the most needed asset in your life. He illustrated the truth of this assertion with his missed opportunity with a former leader of the country with whom he had been fortunate to board same flight with but failed to introduce him self due to indecision about the reception he might receive.
Advice: in life, aim to be the best at something, and make sure it is known to every body. He illustrated with his secondary school days where he had determined to go home with a prize. He won a prize in history.



• Mr. Nkado Uche of the IEC Career Investment Ltd- Techniques of Passing Employment Test and CV Writing. Mr. Nkado signed off with this memorable statement: be the best you could possibly be – not by chance but by well articulated programs.



• Mrs. Wuraola K. Adeuja, Human Resources, MTN, Lagos-Purpose, Values and Passion

• Mr. K. Adeuja, Human Resources, Nigeria Breweries Plc. – Securing a blue chip job Mr. Adeuja amongst his many revelations advised that you cannot change people completely but you can modify your behaviour in order to accommodate people

Aah 3 THE AMOUR LEADERSHIP CONGRESS

Theme: Hallmarks of Exemplary leadership
Date: 11th august, 2007
Venue: Crunches Chicken Plaza
Resource Persons:

• Francis Ojukwu, Church health consult;-Self Exploration in Leadership. Ojukwu’s opening remark- an army of sheep led by a lion can overcome an army of lion led by a sheep. THINGS YOU ARE KNOWN FOR: BY OJUKWU:
1. what we want most
2. How we use our money
3. What and whom we admire
4. What we laugh at
5. The company we keep
6. What we think about and
7. How we spend our leisure time

THREE THINGS YOU NEED IN LIFE:
1. The right people;
2. The right place and;
3. The right plan.


Ojukwu’s advice:
• Don’t stay with people who blame others for their state.
• Nothing is yet at it finest state. There is always an improvement that is needed on already existing products.
• The things that get you angry on earth are a clue to what you have been called to do on earth.





• Mr. Divine Adeola, controller, MTN, Enugu- Values in Leadership.

Host: Charles Ugwu, CEO, Caspian Ind. Ltd


There was also the September series titled: 21st Century Ideas for Leaders.
If there is any public speaker that compares favorably to Dr. Mensal Otabil, that person must be Ojukwu.

Aahs 4 OTHERS:
There are also others that I still faintly remember. I have misplaced the materials where such were recorded. Like the ones I attended as a rotaract and as a member of NDFC. By the way, I was the pro tem and first elected secretary of the NDLEA powered club in UNEC.

There are also the ones organized by the University authority for staff and students. One that readily comes to mind is the one addressed by the Chairman of Intercontinental Bank Plc. Dr. Raymond Obieri, on investment.

Some had the following personages as the centre of gravity: Mrs. Miriam Babangida, Mrs. Beatrice Ekwueme. Actually, one of the gains of attending an Ivy university is the opportunity of meeting the leaders of your country; name them- Gen. Babangida, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Dr. Chris Ngige, Gov. Peter Obi, Dr. Nnamani, Dr. Peter Odili, Pastor Okotie, Prof. Soludo, Festus Keyamo, and Prof. Okereke of the NSE amongst many others.

Heard of Prof. Peter Nwangwu? Well he is the head of the University of Nigeria Research and Economic Development Foundation (UNRED). Doubt if there is any Nigerian in the United States with his kind of intimidating CV; that is when you remove Prof. Philip Emeawali. He is, to my mind, a professor’s professor.

As an appetizer, check this out-He has received many honors including biographical listing in over 20 reference books such as, “men of Achievement” “world book of honor”. “Who is who in the world”, “the international WHO IS WHO contemporary Achievement”, “personalities of America”, “ community leaders of America”,” international who is who of intellectuals”, 5000 personalities of the world”, “ international book of honour”, “ the directory of distinguished Americans”, “two thousands notable American”,” oxford’s who’s who”, international who’s who of professionals” amongst many other recognitions like “businessman of the yeear2005”, by the United States Business Advisory Council, Washington D.C.( excerpt from the UNRED launch program manual)


Aahs 1
Winners Campus Fellowship four sessions of “Ideas to reality” training workshop held @ Elsie’s restaurant between the 26th -29th of July, 2007 is one workshop that I’ll always remember for the broadness and depth of information that was made available to the participants by the resource person, Mrs. Chinyere Dike of the Solidroc Human Potentials Development, Enugu.

For four days, this graduate of IMT and the SADC, held her audience spell bound with ideas covering virtually every field of human endeavor, like she was involved with the gestation of those fields.

Not done, she launched into business plan writing covering vital aspects of it and finally giving address of some personality that could be consulted with challenges in their areas of specialization.
Her admonition: do not wait to have an original idea before you start making money, copy from others intelligently.
Yours truly bought the MP3 of the four day workshop and I’m glad I did

• Aahs 2

House on the Rock, theme: Too Late to Be Poor, date: Friday 29th- 1st July, 2007, venue: Cinema hall, Hotel Presidential, Enugu. Guest speakers:
• Fela Durotoye, is Nigeria’s most visible and celebrated motivational speaker and therefore, nothing less could have come from him but the best of motivation and how to
• There was also Pastor Israel from London.



Aahs 3

Young Experts Forum, theme: Operating in the Knowledge Economy, date: 23rd march, 2007, venue: Top Rank Hotel, Enugu.

This is one seminar that I came away with a healthy respect for the people of my generation, from the packaging to the choice of venue, gathered, IEEE, an international institute for young engineers was involved as an affiliate.
The resource persons comprising Mr. Hamza Moghal from UNEC, Mr.Funso Adebayo from Transcorp and Mr. Rex Abitogun of Afrihub institute, Awka; all gave a good account of themselves and not forgetting the co-coordinator, Mr. Gbenga of Afrihub who spoke about the transformation of the club from young engineers’ forum to experts.

Mr.Adebayo had during his presentation, pointed out that one of the demerits of the new economic system, that is, the knowledge economy was too many ideas flying around and the resultant confusion as to which to pursue. He gave time, space and ideas as the things needed, to develop ones’ self. He also distinguished between the knowledge and material economy stating that while in the former, there is free transfer of information in the later, there is information hoarding.
He had earlier; called for a minute silence in honour of late Mrs. Clementine saduwa aged 29, Chairperson, Women in Engineering, Region 8.

The second speaker, Mr. Hamzal spoke on the digital divide in the 21st century.
In his submission, he had made it clear that the more knowledge you have, the more your value. He also, made some startling disclosure that as at 1999, 80% of the world population had never heard the dialing tone of the telephone a whooping 85% of the world population has no access to the internet as yet.
He rounded his presentation with the following remarks-we have talked the talk now lets work the talk.


• The third resource person, Mr. Rex Ayodeji Abitogun spoke on the topic: Building Skills and Competence in the Knowledge Economy.

He had asserted that what were most needed in the new economy were the skills needed to transform what was already on ground stating that the new economy was going to be internet and education driven and therefore, to excel one needed to acquire the right skill& tool, even if it required re-tooling.
According to him, the driving forces in the 21st century included
•
• Globalization
• Information and knowledge
• • Computer networking and connectivity.
Why certify? In his opinion, it adds credibility to your CV and increases your competitive edge.

Discussing skills which he described as ability usually learned or acquired through training to perform actions which achieve a desired outcome. On types of skill, he gave
I. Academic skill under which he listed the following
• Reading
• Logic
• Critical reasoning
II. Inter-personal communication
• Speech, listening and talking;
• Non-verbal communication
• Literary, writing and reading
111. Motor skills
• Walking, arts crafts and sport
• Information and communication technology.
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