“OUR MANTRA OUR MACE”
It is with profound humility and gratitude, to God Almighty, that I welcome the esteemed gathering of accomplished men of the DE IMPERIAL PHILANTHROPIC FAMILY, gathered in this auspicious 2 Annual General Meeting (AGM) both physically, in this Octane Auditorium, and those joining us from across the world, the diaspora.
Preparing for this historlc assignment, as president, I took Intentional steps to reflect on our engagements, and visionary navigations, so far
My sincere deductions, therefrom, justify my extending deserving commendations, to
every member of this family, for the much we have been able to accomplish, within tieS
short period of our emergence, through selfless sacrifice, expression of philanthropic and
physical visitations and interventions, across indigent families and locations, in South eastern Nigeria.
Whilst thanking God for the provision of resources, I am enthused by your capacity to
yield to the ideological core of our existence, which is, LIVING FOR HUMANITY
My dear brothers, recall that, our Inaugural Annual General Meeting, In 2021, was richly
eventful, though not without the usual fits and starts, occasioned by structural hiccups
typical of any first experience.
Thankfully, we overcame the turbulence; weathered the storm and erected institutional
pillars, upon which we are set, now, to accelerate
These pillars, being our Standing Committees, have, largely, acquitted themselves, and impressively, leading to the anticipated seamless deliberations that will govern our sessions, at this AGM
Additionally, the DE IMPERIAL PHILANTHROPIC FAMILY assumed surefootedness, by identifying, engaging and unveiling, our very dear, cerebral and dutiful CHANCELLOR, a Silk, of no mean repute.
In the spirit of encouraging, recognizing and rewarding the inimitable indomitable Entrepreneurial acumen of the lgbo man, we conferred our Patron statuses on deserving sons of the Southeast, in the persons of;
I. CHIEF BENSON CHINEDU MADUBUKO (EZEANI CHINAECHENDO 1 OF ADAZI ANI
II. CHIEF DR. INNOCENT CHUKWUMA (IFEDIASO NNEWI), Chairman Innosson Group.
Among several other outcomes of our Inaugural AGM, we were, also, able to return
to the path of historical rectitude, by fittingly, honouring the patriarch of Nigeria’s
Private sector capitalism, Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, KSM, who, during his lifetime,
unburdened his God-bestowed gifting, by making sons and daughters, across Southeast
Nigeria, arguably, some of the richest, through legitimate sectorial inclinations, in the
then, Nigerian Economic Architecture. Indeed, Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, long,
before Us, LIVED FOR HUMANITY.
My dear brothers, permit me to, briefly, share my thoughts on extant Socioeconomic
realities, confronting us, in today’s Nigeria. The times are, indeed, perilous. As
businessmen, we wear “pinchy” shoes, as local and international transactions are
strangulated by outrageously spiraling Exchange Rates. The consequence of this
sobering reality, upon us, is dwindling returns. Yet, on a daily basis, we are buffeted, on
all sides, by requests for one form of Financial and Humanitarian interventions, or the
other.
Regardless, I am persuaded by the title of Robert Schuler’s all-time Best Seller, “Tough
Times Don’t Last, Tough People Do”.
May, 1, therefore, encourage esteemed members of this noble family, to “tarry awhile” I
am hopeful that, the in-coming political dispensation, in 2023, will roundly re-engineer
this country and, God willing, pull us back from imminent, Socio-Economic precipice.
Ours, is to massively commit to executing our part of the social contract, THROUGH
OUR VOTES.
It is my sincere expectation that, the second edition of our AGM, will be dominated
by intelligent, proactive deliverables, capable of galvanizing meaningful, untruncated
growth trajectories for our dear organisation. In this regard, therefore, I humbly appeal
that we process our thoughts, contributions and propositions, during our full house
interactive sessions.
It is expected that, Standing Committees will present their Reports, which, hopefully,
will elicit robust, rancor-free interactions. Our collegial end-result, should be well
chiseled resolutions, pointing us in the direction of future growth, development and
humanitarian accomplishments.
It is noteworthy to reaffirm our Covenant, in regards to, erecting visible and robustly
impactful Humanitarian Structures, across identified Communities, in Southeast Nigeria.
Hitherto, we had embarked on a few Missions, to Orphanages and Homes for the Needy, as an introductory demonstration of this organisation’s Philanthropic Roadmap
However, distinguished members will recall that, at our Extraordinary General M
(EGM), held at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, on the 4th 6th of June, 2022, we rose com
a Resolution to establish a Cottage Industry, as well as Skills Acquisition Centres in at Ou
locations in the Southeast.
Regrettably, the spate of killings, Banditry, kidnappings and, indeed, the worrisome leva
of Insecurity, across the Southeast, have, unquestionably, deterred the commencement
of these laudable Humanitarian Projects.
Personally, I have had cause to express our collective concerns, and resentment, to the
appropriate authorities, about the colossal Socio-Economic ramifications, of these very
unfortunate developments, in our Communities.
Regardless, we should not be discouraged. These times shall, surely, come to pass. We
have put our hands to the plough. Retreating is, certainly, not an option.
I will, therefore, proceed to, in addition to the proposed Cottage Industry and Skills
Acquisition Centres, recommend the establishment, of an Education Endowment Fund
(EEF) to underwrite Secondary to Tertiary Education, for indigent children of South-
Eastern extraction.
This recommendation is predicated on my persuasion that, Education is the inimitable
bastion, upon which, the future of our Region, in terms of Sustained Development,
Global Competition, Security and Prosperity can be guaranteed.
Additionally, in my solemn introspection, my thoughts point me, in the direction of
also, proposing to this esteemed organization, the needful imperative of erecting a
LEGACY INVESTMENT PROJECT (LIP) which, first, will activate an untruncated Revenue
Generation Channel for our family, and then, secondly, assume the status of an
institution that will outlive us, to the benefit of our children. A Holding Conglomerate,
chiseled out of this organization, is a future assured, even as it is sustained by our
Collective Ownership. Thankfully, it will appear that, we have set the tone for these bold
and ambitious transformations, following the Resolution, of our Extraordinary General
Meeting (EGM) for a name change, which, to the glory of God, have been ratified and
unveiled at this Annual General Meeting.
I must commend the Committee that worked, tirelessly, in this regard.
CONCLUSION: OUR MANTRA, OUR MACE
It is common knowledge that, many Organizations, at inception, roll out beautiful
mantras. Shortly after, these Organizations and their mantras” part ways”
DE IMPERIAL PHILANTHROPIC FAMILY
The causative factor, often times, is rooted in the memberships’ lack of confidence and
conviction, in the ideologies that birthed these Mantras.
Ours should not travel that road. In all we do, let us imbibe the culture of reaching out
to the downtrodden, the less privileged and the growing demographic of indigents,
around us, especially, throughout Southeast Nigeria.
To do so, is to ensure that, we do not “part ways” with our Mantra-LIVING WITH
HUMANITY”
May God bless our 2nd AGM, with fruitful deliberations and outcomes, as I formerly
declare it open, to the glory of God.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Signed
HIGH CHIEF (DR) SIR
DARLINGTON NWABUNIKE (KSC), B.SC, MBA, FISMMN, ISMMN, PFD
(Eze Nwakaibeya Ogbabalu Aku N’ Anwu Ojoto)
PRESIDENT, DE IMPERIAL PHILANTHROPIC FAMILY (DIPF)
