“Greatest use of life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.”
— Williams James
In the equation of life, other variables can change, but time remains eternally constant. Mortals who grace this universe are not remembered as a result of their longevity here but as hallmark of their impact while walking the face of earth. No wonder there is a popular saying by a school of thought that age of Methuselah cannot be juxtaposed with the wisdom of King Solomon. Age is just a number, what it is used for is what matters.
It is 37th birthday of Gaius Chibueze, famed as Bitcoin Chief. A seasoned entrepreneur, shrewd investor and social crusader, who caught my fancy because of his unalloyed advocacy for socioeconomic renaissance of Igbo nation. He has never hidden his desire to see Southeast take its rightful place not only in Nigeria but in the entire black race.
Chibueze’s strong ideologically-driven campaign for socioeconomic emancipation of Igbo nation, made me to likened him as “Michael Okpara of our generation”. His burning quest to see an economically reinvigorated Eastern region and politically conscious Igbo nation endeared him to the hearts of comrades like me who have been championing Igbo renaissance since the advent of fourth republic in 1999.
Though without holding any political office yet, Gaius Chibueze has demonstrated uncommon passion for southeast development unlike most of politicians of Igbo extraction, as at today. He reminisces Michael Okpara, who was Premier of defunct Eastern Nigeria during the First Republic, from 1959 to 1966. At 39, M. I. Okpara, was the nation’s youngest cum performing premier, who advocated what he called “pragmatic socialism”. He was also a firm believer in agricultural revolution being instrumental in the prosperity of the nation.
Gaius Chibueze’s words are in sync with his actions. He does not only parrot Igbo renaissance, he leads by putting his money where his heart and soul are—southeast. He is an apostle of shared prosperity and paragon of “Aku ruo uno (wealth that gets home). He is not just advocating it but has devoted all his energies to actualization of this hefty ambition.
Despite being a diasporan based in America, the crypto maverick is one of the biggest investors in southeast in the last few years. He does not only invest in the Igbo land for the sake of it, he does it in critical areas where those investments are desperately needed. He mobilizes other Igbos at home and abroad to tow same path of renewed investment inflows in Igbo land.
Gaius Chibueze leads by example. He is hugely investing in ICT via Tech City Africa— an ultramodern tech hub under construction at Ugwogo Nike, Enugu State. He has created Ohaneze Farms—a livestock farm, that has potential to make greater part of Igbo land self-sufficient in livestock development. Oganiru Homes, real estate vehicle, is unraveling potentials in the east as regards real estate. All these he does under the parent company called EAST-SIDE VENTURES.
In the last few years I have consistently followed Gaius Chibueze’s complaints, especially on social media about partial media blackout of southeast. Understanding this abnormalities and lukewarm attitude of majority of Igbo billionaires towards investing in the media to enhance our stories in the proper perspectives, he began his patriotic sojourn into the media by establishing Voice of The East (an NBC-licensed media company).
He also floated KEDU APP, a multi-purpose app exclusively to enhance communication amongst Ndigbo. Chibueze’s keen interest in developing and promoting young talents of southeast extraction inspired him to establish Eastside Music— a music platform to discover and sponsor raw music talents just to give youth avenues to express their potentials, become the best they can be because the only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible, apology to Arthur C. Clarke.
Gaius Chibueze is at the verge of launching one of the biggest transport/logistics companies, Onyeje, plying tro and fro Igbo land. He is coming out fully to change narrative. A young billionaire who has taken it upon himself to raise more millionaires via his philanthropic gestures that support young businesses in southeast. He is keeping his eyes on good governance, holding political leaders in southeast accountable to ensure that public wealth is deployed for public good.
I chose to celebrate Gaius Chibueze’s impactful journey so far on earth on his birthday because of how exemplary he has become via his leadership capacity in raising young entrepreneurs and advocacies for good governance, especially as it effects southeast in particular.
Happy Birthday, sir. May we have more of your likes
