At a time when there’s a dearth of youthful entrepreneurship in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, it’s encouraging to see young Nigerians who are not only committed to make a difference but are also inspiring a generation. This category represents hope for the prospects of the country and her people into the nearest future.
This is the point of emphasis of this piece – how a certain Christian Okpe Onuh, a pharmacist, trained at the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria, Kaduna state and entrepreneur is turning the tides of youthful productivity and leaving indelible footprints in the development trajectory of his sphere of enterprise.
Born in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, to the family of the late Mr. Francis Onuh, Okpe Onuh started his education at the Nativity Privates School and proceeded for his secondary education at the Mt. St. Gabriel’s Secondary School, Makurdi, graduating in 2002 with flying colours. Thereafter, he was admitted to study pharmacy at ABU, Zaria where he, again, brought his intellectual prowess to bear and graduated in 2008.
His insatiable quest for education had Okpe Onuh enrolled at Benue State University, Makurdi where he bagged a Masters in Health Management in 2014. Not satisfied with all the academic laurels, the young pharmacist took a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Nasarawa State University in 2021 and yet another Masters in Procurement Management in 2023 from same university. Suffice to mention that he’s also a fellow of the prestigious West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacy where he was inducted in 2015
For a young man given to achieving results, Okpe Onuh did not hesitate to bring his wealth of intellectual exposures to entrepreneurship. He founded a public limited liability company in 2012, Famkris Pharmaceutical and Resources Limited, which he has used to make viable inputs to infrastructure development across Nigeria. His company has been involved in bringing to fruition the visions of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state on quality healthcare closer to his people. To his credit, the Specialist Hospitals across each of the three geopolitical zones of Kogi state came to light and the people of the state and elsewhere in Nigeria are happy for the visionary leadership of Governor Bello and Pharmacist Onuh’s determination for excellence.
Delivering the visions of the Kogi state government for the greater benefits of the people has put Pharmacist Onuh at par with a teeming number of youths from the state. His modest influence around the state further endeared him to young people and he has used this leverage to inspire entrepreneurship and mobilised support for the continuity of Governor Bello’s development initiatives.
As Kogi state awaits another dispensation from January 2024, the incoming government of Alhaji Usman Ododo has a viable partner for further consolidation in delivering democratic dividends to the good people of the state. Onuh has become a partner in progress for the state and it’s obvious that he’s determined to put his experience and expertise to good use in this direction.
Another core aspect of Pharmacist Onuh’s character that emerged over the course of recent years is his penchant for philanthropy and disposition towards meeting the needs of young people in enterprise. In this vein, he has supported small business initiatives for a number of youths, including disbursing startup capitals and support funds. He has also assisted a number of students from Kogi and Benue states who are indigent in meeting their financial obligations in their quests for higher education, earning him considerable recognition among young people from diverse walks of life.
As the President Bola Tinubu administration pursues the objective of harnessing the prospects of youthful innovation for national development, Pharmacist Onuh’s intellectual prowess, his glaring capacity to manage resources and strength of his character come handy. The young entrepreneur can serve as a square peg in a square hole at a time the national economy is in dire need of youthful enterprises. The administration should look towards tapping into this potential that is already manifesting.
With young people like Pharmacist Okpe Christian Onuh, there’s hope for the posterity of Nigeria. A glorious future is, indeed, assured.
Abonu, a media entrepreneur and political commentator, writes from Asokoro, Abuja
