By Jerome-Mario Utomi

Barrister Chiedu Ebie, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), was not physically present at the colourful event, but his presence was powerfully felt via the flowery effusive praises lavished on him by stakeholders, participants and various speakers. He was almost the main item of discourse of speeches and of commendation at the event. And why? His name was a recurring refrain of praises and adulation on many lips because of the unprecedented contributions to the socio-economic, infrastructural and human capital development of the Niger Delta, his Ika nation inclusive!

For the records, Barrister Ebie enjoys respect and adoration by his people, the Ika ancient nation. His  steadfast love and selfless service to the people are undiluted.

The people, in turn, have never been tired of voicing their heartfelt appreciation to Ebie. At every juncture, they let it known to the world that their illustrious son is selfless, a pathfinder, an achiever and goal-oriented whose public service trajectory bears testimony to John Mason’s timeless postulation: “The world is divided into people who do things and people who talk about doing things.”

At the event, Ebie was fervently praised by Ika youths for his unprecedented infrastructure and human capital development attracted to the area, describing his leadership style as inclusive and people focused.

The event was the 2025 International Youth Day celebration and venue was the Trinity Event Centre, Owa Ekei Road, Boji-Boji Urban, Ika North-East local government area of Delta State. The venue was decorated to impress, and it did impress. The participants were corporately kitted: Youths drawn from all segments of the Ika nation. Gaily dressed in corporate apparels and looking resplendent in them, they could easily be mistaken for fresh law graduates being called to the Nigerian Bar or shareholders at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) but NO! The participants were youths, brimming with positive energy,  burning with zeal and passion, and desirous of making something positively out of life through skill and tech. And indeed, they listened with rapt attention as various speakers spoke ambition and success into their hearts.

The 2025 International Youth Day celebration, which had as a theme, Youth Advancement and Cooperation Through Technology and Partnership, was powered by the NDDC and it exposed the youths to the beautiful realities of skill and tech in today’s world. As expected, the event featured well-researched and outlined topics for discussion and the youths were made to understand that future wealth generator, future goldmine is skill, tech and innovative digital ideas and skills.

Just as stakeholders, speakers and participants were generous with effusive praises for Ebie, so were they also for the NDDC. They commended the management and board of the commission for preparing the region’s youths for the future through various youth initiatives. They also harped on the need for the region’s youths to embrace technology, skills acquisition, and innovation as pathways to sustainable development and social transformation.

Welcoming participants to the event, the NDDC’s Executive Director for Finance, Mrs Josephine Ejereye, disclosed that the Youth Day celebration was aimed at advancing multilateral cooperation through technology and partnership.

She urged the youths to apply lessons from the engagement to impact their world positively, noting that the Commission was committed to creating opportunities for young people across the region.

Also speaking, the United Nations Peace Ambassador and Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Talent Development, Mr Ugagaoghene Ogheneyole, was full of praises for the NDDC board chair for bringing vitality and value to the commission, describing the current leadership as “a truly interventionist body delivering quality, people-oriented, and immensely important infrastructure across the region.” He called  on young people to embrace digital skills as tools for problem-solving and regional growth.

Mr Ogheneyole noted that the present era is one of digitalization, where technology is indispensable for addressing human needs, listing computer literacy, artificial intelligence, data science, coding, audiovisual design, UI/UX, and digital marketing as skills in high demand across industries.

He emphasized the need for the NDDC to move beyond physical infrastructure to continue to invest in human capital through digital incubation centres, grants, and venture capital for youth-driven innovations.

“The Silicon Valley did not grow into an over a trillion-dollar industrial ecosystem because of great ideas alone. Its major driving force was conscious investment in youth ideas through grants, sponsorship deals, and venture capital. If the NDDC and other stakeholders can intentionally invest in the dreams of young people carrying laptops around with big visions, the Niger Delta will reap the benefits of job creation, improved GDP, and capital market growth,” he said.

Pledging his personal commitment to the process, Mr Ogheneyole said he was willing to volunteer to work with the NDDC for free to design a roadmap for youth-driven innovation. “As a youth of Niger Delta, I am pledging to volunteer, to work with the NDDC to develop a realistic initiative to drive this process. Let us become the change we want to see,” he told the gathering.

In his presentation titled Youth as Frontiers of Positive Change in the Niger Delta, the Executive Director of the Centre for Core Values, Leadership and Orientation, Abuja, Mr Eugene Uzum, described Niger Delta youths as critical drivers of sustainable development, explaining that with more than 54 percent of Delta State’s estimated 5.9 million population falling within the youth bracket, the demographic advantage could stimulate massive growth if given the right opportunities.

Uzum, a former Director-General of the Delta State Orientation Bureau, identified four pillars for meaningful youth contribution empowerment, innovation, community engagement, and sustainable development. He stressed that empowerment through education, mindset reorientation, and access to financial and technical resources was “primus in the scheme of determinants” for change.

He noted that many young people in the region were already leveraging technology, entrepreneurship, and creative solutions to tackle local challenges. According to him, initiatives in environmental conservation, renewable energy, entrepreneurship, and civic responsibility could reposition the region for growth.

“Youth-led initiatives are already driving positive change in the Niger Delta, promoting sustainable development and good governance,” he said.

While acknowledging challenges such as insecurity, corruption, and limited resources, Mr Uzum insisted that with proper support, young people could transform the region. He urged youths to take personal responsibility for their progress, admonishing that “going far in life is not determined by where you start from, or even whether you start at all. Life is actually what you put into it. Nobody owes you a living”.

The event was organised by the NDDC in partnership with the Noble Hope Empowerment Foundation.

Speaking during the celebration which brought together youths from across Delta State to discuss opportunities in technology, leadership, and partnership as a pathway for growth and cooperation, Mr Ikechukwu Sylvester, youth leader in Ika North-East Local Government Area, lauded  Barrister Ebie’s  unwavering commitment toward the infrastructure provision and sustainable  development of Ika nation and immense  contributions of the current Board and Management of NDDC to the Niger Delta’s development.

He said: “The man, Chiedu Ebie, has done well. Things like this have never been done here before. All the street lights you are seeing in Ika today were put in place by this man. We thank God for him, and we also pray that God will continue to strengthen President Tinubu, who gave us this kind of person in the Niger Delta.”

Egime Juliet, another participant, expressed delight at being part of the programme, describing Ebie, the NDDC Board Chairman who was variously Delta state Commissioner for Higher Education and Secretary to the State Government (SSG) as God sent and a gift to Niger Delta, especially the Ika nation.

According to her, “the NDDC chairman is doing well, he is a gift to us from God, he is God sent, a precious gift from God to the Niger Delta people, particularly the Ika nation. This programme is really for the youths and I never expected it. This is the first time I have attended such a programme, and I am happy to be part of it. Whatever we have been taught today, I will put into practice. May God bless the man for us.”

While eulogizing Mr Ebie for the programme, Alika Clement, a participant concurred with previous speakers, noting that the initiative had brought visible changes to communities. His words: “Everything my brother has said is correct. Nobody expected that somebody like this could do all these things. Some of the street lights we are seeing today were put in place by this man. The Commission has existed but we never saw things like this physically before. Now people can gather together and benefit. We pray God continues to strengthen him.”

Recall that on Friday, February 28, 2025, the NDDC Board Chairman inspected some NDDC funded critical projects he attracted to the Ika Federal Constituency for the benefits of the people, assuring that the Commission will prioritize the people’s requests.

Some of these projects include: the ICT centre at the Faculty of Law, University of Delta (UNIDEL), Agbor, with modern computers and state of the art infotech equipment; the inspection of construction project at the first phase of the failed portion of Umunede/Umutu Road by Pan Ocean Flow station, at Owa-Alidinma, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, among others.

Under NDDC’s Light Up Niger Delta Programme, Barrister Ebie also attracted thousands of solar street lights  and 16 transformers to Ika Federal constituency thereby boosting economic and social activities which make life and living easier for the communities.

Earlier in April 2024, during the second Founders Day celebration and fundraising for Ika Language and Cultural Research Centre of the University of Delta, Ebie instituted a yearly award for the best graduating medical student at the University. According to him, the award by the family which would be reviewed after five years, is in honour of his father, the pioneer Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Benin Teaching Hospitals (UBTH), late Professor John Ebie.

Utomi, a Media Specialist writes from Lagos, Nigeria. He can be reached via Jeromeutomi@yahoo.com or 08032725374.

By Timi Olubiyi, PhD

In Lagos, Nigeria, like other African cities, Johannesburg, Cairo, and Nairobi, among others, the pressure to appear rich has reached disturbing heights. Amid a backdrop of rapid urbanization and economic uncertainty, social media platforms have only intensified this pressure, making it feel as though success is synonymous with material wealth.

From sleek cars on the streets of Lekki, Victoria Island, or Ikejaand flashy social media posts make it hard to ignore the overwhelming desire to flaunt wealth in Lagos Nigeria.

In recent time, the extravagant parties and designer clothes, the pursuit of outwardly projecting affluence has become an obsession, leaving many trapped in a cycle of debt and despair. The unfortunate paradox here is that it’s difficult for a broke person to keep up the appearance of affluence for long, while a rich person, paradoxically, can play broke every day of the week without breaking a sweat.

But the problem runs much deeper than just appearances; it has become a silent epidemic that has wreaked havoc on the mental and physical well-being of countless individuals. This pressure to appear wealthy, fueled by the desire for social validation, has now crossed dangerous thresholds, often leading to extreme consequences.

With Nigeria facing one of its highest inflation rates in decades, the economic landscape has made it increasingly difficult for many people to simply make ends meet. A devalued Naira, skyrocketing prices of goods, and unpredictable economic policies are forcing individuals to make impossible choices. For the young, the hungry, and the vulnerable, social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter have become breeding grounds for comparison, feeding into the illusion that wealth is easily attainable.

What most people fail to see, however, is that the “rich” lifestyle they covet is often unattainable for anyone not already possessing considerable resources. The consequence? A generation of individuals who feel forced to live beyond their means, often going into debt or risking their lives to maintain a false image of success.

Even worse, the financial pressure to appear rich can often spiral into even darker consequences. In recent years, Lagos, Ilorin and many parts of Nigeria have seen a surge in ritual killings, kidnapping, and other terrible crimes often linked to the dangerous desire to accumulate wealth, or at least the appearance of it.

These violent crimes are often perpetrated by those who, due to lack of opportunities, have found themselves cornered by an economic system that rewards only those with visible wealth, no matter the means.

This disturbing trend feeds directly into the cycle of social media glorification, where a brazen display of wealth often gathers admiration, and in some cases, even envy. This desire to appear rich without any meaningful livelihood has led to a breeding ground for criminality and social vices.

Young people, especially, are finding themselves caught in this dangerous web, where they feel the need to flaunt wealth they do not have in order to gain respect and social media validation. The pressure is unbearable, and the consequences can be life-altering. As inflation continues to rise, the temptation to adopt a fake life becomes even more pronounced, with people willing to do anything whether fraudulent or violent to escape the crushing grip of financial instability.

Those who truly understand the value of money often prefer simplicity, investing in long-term growth rather than short-term gratification. It’s a lesson that the majority in Lagos and other Nigerian cities need to learn: living within your means, focusing on long-term financial growth, and avoiding the temptation to project affluence for approval will lead to more sustainable happiness.

Financial stability does not come from showing off; it comes from sound financial decisions, investments, and the ability to live within one’s means. Instead of chasing a lifestyle that is unattainable for most, focus on building something that lasts. Seek opportunities to learn about personal finance, invest in skills, and explore sustainable business ideas.

Consider putting money into assets that appreciate over time, such as real estate, stocks, or even a side hustle that offers long-term returns. Building a meaningful life also means finding value beyond material possessions. Pursue personal growth, invest in relationships, prioritize health, and learn to appreciate the things that truly bring happiness family, knowledge, experiences, and personal fulfillment.

In conclusion, while Lagos and other Nigerian cities continue to be hotbeds for the illusion of wealth, it is crucial that we shift the narrative. Let’s break the cycle, resist the pressures to conform, and begin making thoughtful, sustainable choices that can lead to true success, one built on a life of purpose. Only then can we break free from the chains of societal expectation and find lasting happiness, without risking everything in the pursuit of a fake life. The key to navigating this period is by adopting a meaningful private life and investing in things that matter, not in what the world sees. Good Luck!

How may you obtain advice or further information on the article? 

Dr Timi Olubiyi is an Entrepreneurship and Business Management expert with a PhD in Business Administration from Babcock University, Nigeria. He is a prolific investment coach, columnist, author, adviser, seasoned scholar, Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), a member of the Institute of Directors, and a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-registered capital market operator. He can be reached on the Twitter handle @drtimiolubiyi and via email: drtimiolubiyi@gmail.com, for any questions, reactions, and comments.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, Dr. Timi Olubiyi and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of others.

By Atiklit Atnafu Naramo

Ethiopia, a nation with over 3,000 years of civilisation and home to more than 80 ethnic groups, is set to host the second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) from September 8 to 10,2025, in its capital, Addis Ababa.

The country, often referred to as the Land of Origin owing to its status as the cradle of human ancestry, and as the second most populous and geostrategic nation in Africa, plays a significant role on the continent.

Addis Ababa is emerging as an important diplomatic hub, frequently hosting various international conferences and summits. This trend is enhancing the city’s reputation as a centre for global dialogue and collaboration.

In recent years, the growing concern over climate trends and their potential impacts on both the environment and the socio-economic fabric of societies has positioned climate change as a critical topic of global discourse. Before delving into the causes, evidence, potential impacts, and adaptations related to climate change, it is essential to first understand what climate change entails.

Climate change is a pervasive global threat that has been unfolding over an extended period, with its manifestations posing significant risks to the stability of societies, as well as to natural and managed ecosystems. The rise in ambient temperatures and the alteration of related environmental processes are directly linked to increasing concentrations of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere.

While climate change can result from natural internal processes or external forces, its persistent anthropogenic influences have become increasingly evident. In the 21st century, issues such as migration, terrorism, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction have emerged as critical challenges that transcend national borders. Among these, climate change stands out as one of the most formidable challenges humanity faces in its relationship with nature. The complexity of climate issues necessitates a collective global response, emphasizing the urgent need for international collaboration and action to address this pressing crisis.

As a nation committed to addressing the pressing of climate change, Ethiopia has aligned its efforts with the Paris Agreement’s goals of limiting the global average temperature increase to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, and striving to limit the increase to 1.5 °C. The Ethiopian government recognizes the devastating impacts of climate change on its people, environment, and economy, and is committed to taking immediate global action to enhance climate resilience and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Ethiopia’s long-term low emissions development strategy (LT-LEDS) aims for net-zero emissions by 2050, setting an ambitious example for others to follow. This strategy complements Ethiopia’s Climate Resilience and Green Economy strategy, which was outlined in the Ten-Year Development Plan: A Pathway to Prosperity (2021-2030). This plan aims for an annual economic growth rate of 10.2% while prioritizing the establishment of a climate-resilient green economy. It includes specific targets to enhance Ethiopia’s capacity for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from 92.7 MtCO2e to 162.3 MtCO2e by 2030.

Despite these ambitious goals, current projections indicate that emissions may rise to between 197-220 MtCO2e by 2030, representing a 62-81% increase compared to 2010 levels. In response to this challenge, Ethiopia has taken significant steps under leadership of PM Abiy Ahimed (PhD) such as green legacy initiatives planting billion of trees every year, a large-scale reforestation program targeting 700 million trees in 2025.  banning the import of all internal combustion engine vehicles in 2024, becoming the first country to do so. Additionally, policies have been introduced to incentivize electric vehicle (EV) adoption, including tax exemptions and reduced import tariffs for locally assembled EVs.

The forthcoming ACS2 will be co-convened by the Ethiopian government and the African Union Commission under the theme “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development.” The summit will showcase Africa-led climate solutions and focus on unlocking climate finance, positioning the continent as a key player in the global climate response.

The urgency of the climate crisis cannot be overstated; 2024 is projected to be the hottest year on record, with 2025 likely to surpass it. African nations, despite contributing less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, are disproportionately affected by climate change, often spending over 5% of their GDP on climate-related responses. This diverts critical resources from essential development sectors such as health and education.

The ACS2 aims to bring together 45+ African heads of state, policy makers, scholars and different stake holders, to spotlight Africa’s leadership and innovation in combating the climate crisis. It seeks to establish a united African voice ahead of COP30, emphasizing principles of multilateralism, equity, and respect for international rights frameworks. The summit will champion partnerships that promote nature-centred investments, innovative solutions, and sustainable practices.

Ethiopia calls upon the international community to support Africa in creating green energy solutions and building climate-resilient economies. The ACS2 will serve as a platform for mobilizing political and financial action to address the climate crisis, advocating for reforms in the global financial system that reflect Africa’s realities and priorities, particularly in renewable energy access and climate adaptation.

In conclusion, the ACS2 represents a pivotal opportunity for African nations to assert their leadership in global climate governance, fostering a future that prioritizes sustainability, resilience, and equitable development.

 ACS2 will also deepen South–South cooperation and foster a new era of global partnerships rooted in equity, innovation, and African-led solutions. The long-term impact will be a strengthened continental position that not only influences COP30 but alsoinstitutionalizes Africa’s leadership in global climate governance, through collective efforts and international support, Africa can catalyse transformative change in the global response to climate change.

Climate change has no borders our solution should not either.

Atiklit Atnafu Naramo is the Second Secretary at the Ethiopia Embassy in New Delhi