— Says youth-led formula is key to South East transformation
By Jungle Journalist Media Limited
Chairman of Ranent Industries Limited and founder of Rojenny Sports Village, Oba Anambra State, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing into law the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and appointing a brilliant young technocrat, Mark Okoye, as its Chief Executive Officer.
Speaking after a town hall meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, where Okoye was hosted by the Igbo community, Chief Ezeonwuka described the move as “a sign of hope for transformation” in the region, saying Tinubu’s action had earned renewed trust among Igbo people.
He said the SEDC’s creation would help tackle insecurity, youth unemployment, education, and sports — the very issues for which it was designed — and praised the president for identifying a capable young hand to drive the vision.
“The formula for solving problems is the miracle people talk about, and that formula lies mostly in the youths,” he said. “Okoye should therefore appoint more cerebral young people into the Commission to sustain the vision.”
Drawing a personal link to that vision, Chief Ezeonwuka said most great achievers reach their peak in their youth, recalling that he himself attained prominence early in life.
“Rojenny, as I am now, became a household name when I was in my youth. That was when I reached my zenith,” he said. “Mark Okoye is walking that same path of youthful achievement that produces lasting impact.”
Chief Ezeonwuka’s reflections also touched on the historic role of Chief Godwin Ubaka Okeke (GUO), the businessman and former leader of the Onitsha Main Market Amalgamated Traders Association (OMATA), whom he credited with introducing Anambra’s most effective community-security formula.
He recalled that during GUO’s tenure as OMATA president, the association formed market-based vigilante groups that collaborated with state authorities to restore peace and were later integrated into the Anambra State Security Advisory Council. Scholarly research supports this account, noting that market associations such as OMATA “operated security outfits that helped provide safety for residents in Onitsha and surrounding areas,” forming one of Nigeria’s earliest models of community policing.
“When that security structure later broke down, I went to him and said the formula must be rediscovered,” Chief Ezeonwuka said. “Today, that same formula — rooted in youth energy and creativity — must guide the SEDC.”
He lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for entrusting the region’s new development agency to Okoye, saying:
“For Jagaban (President Tinubu) to have appointed Mark Okoye as Executive Director of SEDC shows he understands that the miracle of progress lies with the youths.”
The South East Development Commission, established under the South-East Development Commission (Establishment) Act 2024, is mandated to reconstruct and develop infrastructure across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States. It will drive industrialization, ecological management, youth empowerment, and regional integration, targeting the expansion of the South East economy from roughly US $40 billion to US $200 billion by 2035 (Source: The Cable).
Chief Ezeonwuka said Okoye’s selection to head the Commission perfectly fits that mission. At 39, Okoye has served as Anambra State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning and later as Managing Director of the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA). A graduate of Finance from The George Washington University, he also studied Public Policy and Development Economics at Harvard University, and was named The Future Awards Africa Young Person of the Year in 2016 — a record that, Chief Ezeonwuka said, mirrors his own early achievements.
“The miracle that makes things turn around is simply the formula,” he emphasized. “That formula — the secret of success — is in talent. When the government discovers and empowers young talents with the right formula, miracles happen.”
He urged the new SEDC boss to harness youth potential in governance, innovation, and community security to drive lasting peace and prosperity.
“It’s the youths that are the miracle we are talking about,” he said. “When their potential is tapped, the South East will witness true transformation.”
Guests at the town hall meeting included Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, Mark Okoye, HRM Igwe Azuka Ngoddy, Ik Ofoje, Pat Okpala (Obisambala), and Dr. Larry Ozor Ezeugo.
Photo Caption: Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka commends President Tinubu for signing the SEDC Act and appointing Mark Okoye as CEO, urging youth-driven transformation in the South East.
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Internal Link: Read more stories on Jungle Journalist Media Limited
External Link: The Cable – South East Development Commission targets $200bn regional economy in 10 years
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