According to the book Deuteronomy
chapter 8 verse 18, ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he
that giveth thee power to get wealth...”, Prince Tonye Princewill the man who has redefined the concept of philanthropy in Rivers State by his magnanimity
in assisting the less privileged may have picked his famous statement
articulated in some of his billboards...
in Port Harcourt, “You are blessed to
bless others” from this passage of the Bible which has become the motivating
force behind his drive to better the lots of the less privilege in our society.
One can also state that the Prince of Niger Delta Politics is influenced by his
art of giving by Proverbs 28:27 “He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack;
but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse”.
Before I go into the main treatise,
it is necessary to define what philanthropy means. According to Wikipedia, the
free encyclopaedia, Philanthropy etymologically means "love of
humanity" in the sense of caring for, nourishing, improving and enhancing
the quality of life
or developmental
potential for human
beings. In modern practical
terms, philanthropy specifically refers to the enacting of private initiatives
for the public good, focusing on improving the lives of others
collectively” Philanthropy simply describes the process of giving back to the
less fortunate.
Concomitantly, Henry Ward Beecher
had Princewill in mind when he stated, “In this world it is not what we
take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich” The fact remains that
Prince Tonye Princewill acts is in tandem with Dr. Beecher postulation as one
wonders why a man who has not had any government appointment should take it
upon himself to use his hard earned resources to impact on the lives of both
the youths, women, churches, professionals and less privilege in Nigeria
through one philanthropic activity or the other as has been characterized his
recent acts and actions.
From the foregoing, the aim of this
piece is to critically examine the silent revolution this young man has ignited
in Rivers State
through his donation and training of our rural women in Rivers State
by empowering them through skill acquisition scheme. According to him, Women to
me are the bedrock of every family. Empower the woman and you have empowered
the entire family. I am a believer in the saying don’t give me fish but teach
me on how to fish. By donating skill acquisition equipment to our rural women,
I intend to train them in some special skill that will help them establish and
launch themselves into catering for themselves and their families” the Prince
enthused.
Having said that, Prince exhibition
of his unwavering love and concern for the plight of our rural women in Rivers
State started when he mobilized the women in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
capital on 12th March, 2012 during this year’s International Women
Day and donated a whopping sum of N23M for the upliftment and alleviation of
poverty level of Rivers State women through this scheme.
As according to him, “the welfare
and future of our women is more important to me than playing politics with the
little fund available to me to alleviate and cushion the sorry state of our
rural women who in some cases are the bread winners in their various families.
Though I can’t boast of being rich but with the little that God has blessed me
with, I am ready to give back to the society with hope that other blessed and
rich people will be motivated to assisting the governments to arrest the
poverty level of our people and in doing that arrest the crime wave amongst our
youths and in the populace”
The Prince of Niger Delta Politics
apart from donating the skill Acquisition Tools, he also gave them a 14 seater
air-conditioned bus to the State PPA Women Wing for their use. According to Dr
Mrs. Edith Wele, the PPA Women Leader who received the bus and tools thanked
the Prince on behalf of the women for his exemplary leadership anchored on
touching the less privileged and assured him that the women of Rivers State
will always stand by him in all his endeavours.
After equipping the PPA Secretariat
situated at the ever busy Aba Road in Port Harcourt where the Women leaders
from all the Local Government Areas in the State are trained in various skills,
the Prince mobilised resources and tools to most of these local governments for
actual take off of this innovative revolution aimed at empowering our women in
Rivers State.
The first batch of the skill
acquisition machineries that have arrived was duly distributed to the women in
Asari-Toru, Tai, Obio-Akpor Local Government Areas with hope that the company
commissioned to supply these equipment will supply to the remaining Local
Government Areas before the end of October, 2012.
On 3rd day of October, 2012 the
Prince Tonye Princewill visited Obio Akpor and Tai Local Government Areas under
the auspices of Princewiil’s Trust to commission the Skills Acquisition
Equipment he had procured and distributed to these Local Government Areas in
Rivers State. These equipment will be used to train and empower rural women to
enable them cater for their families and make them financially independent. The
event was indeed electrifying as women, youths, chiefs gathered at the various
centre in the Local Government Areas visited to catch a glimpse of this young
man trying to redefine politics and philanthropy in Rivers State.
At Obio Akpor LGA, he paid a
courtesy call on His Royal Highness, King Prof Raymond Woko the Paramount Ruler
of Rumowha Community and was blessed before he left to join the crowd that came
to welcome him at the PPA Secretariat, Obio Akpor where he commissioned the
skill acquisition equipment for the training of the women in the area.
The sequence of events was repeated
in Tai LGA where His Royal Majesty, King G.N.K. Gininwa OFR, Gbenemene Tua-Tua
Tai, Chairman Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers and Chairman of the
Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers was on hand to receive him to his
palace. Prince Tonye Princewill after briefing the King of his mission in his
Kingdom thanked him for the great reception accorded him and his entourage and
told the King that he truly is at home just as if he is in his father’s house.
He told the King that as a result of his long relationship with the Tai people,
apart from the Skill Acquisition Equipment he has donated to Tai women, he is
also ready to provide a bus for the PPA in the area and offer scholarship to
ten children of Tai to study in any university of their choice in Nigeria. The
elated King prayed and blessed the Prince describing him as a blessing not only
to Tai people but to the entire people of the State.
Hon Emmanuel Owhor the PPA
Coordinator for Obio Akpor and Lady Peace Teeah the PPA. Coordinator for Tai
Local Government Area described Prince Tonye Princewill as a leader of the
common man and that they are ready to sacrifice whatever it will take to
promote the Prince and his Trust fund to the people of their Local Government
Area.
If his visits to Tai and Obio-Akpor
LGAs were electrifying then his visit to his home Local Government, Asari Toru
on 5th October, 2012 to commission their own skill acquisition
training tools was exhilarating and thrilling as it debunked the popular saying
that a prophet is not honoured in his home town as the whole Buguma city the
traditional and political capital of Asari Toru and Kalabari kingdom was shut
and agog as one elderly women described it as home calling of the Prince of the
Kalabari Kingdom!
After the commissioning event, the
Prince took time to meet with cross sections of the community including the
youths, women and other interest groups where the leadership thanked the Prince
for his commitment and concern for the emancipation of his people from the
shackles of poverty in Kalabari kingdom.
In line with his custom and
tradition, he paid a courtesy call on His Royal Majesty, King Prof T. J. T. Princewill,
CFR, the Amanyanabo Kalabari Kingdom and the immediate past Chairman of the
Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, in the palace, with the members of
the Kalabari Council of Chiefs present to assist the King to welcome the august
visitor and their Son Chiefs C.J.T. Princewill, Chief L.G. Princewill, Chief
Yola Batubo, Chief Daa George, Chief Bekinabo Erekeosima, Chief LongJohn and
Chief Norman Wokoma etc were the Chiefs present.
The Prince in his introductory
remarks said, “My King, my father, my friend and my mentor, I am delighted to
stand before the man that shaped me in all the positive things that I am doing.
This is a man who if it is possible I will like him to still father me in the
next world. I am here today to commission the Skill Acquisition training tools
that will assist in empowering our rural women. Instead of giving the women
fish, I want to train them on how to catch fish. I commend the King for the
peace that pervades his domain and urge him not to derail in this aspect as without
peace there can’t be any form of development.
Now that I am at home, I have
assured our PPA Leadership in the Local Government that I will digitalised
their office by providing computers, one Hummer air-conditioned bus to ease out
their transportation challenges and take other steps to reposition the
Secretariat even as I have established a revolving loan scheme for the
emancipation of the women in the Local Government Area”. The Prince concluded
his remarks reminding his audience that it was the Buguma crisis of 2003 that
challenged him to join politics seeing how insecure his people were and the
inability of government to guarantee the safety his people at that timeand
believing that his actions will continue to bring joy to his people and the entire
State in general.
HM King Prof T.J.T. Princewill CFR
in his reaction thanked the Prince and his entourage for the visit and for the
donations made to the women from the Kalabari Kingdom and encouraged him to
continue to be the light of the Kalabari Kingdom to the outside world as he is
proud of all his accomplishments in such a short time in the politics of our
country, the King later on behalf of the Kingdom blessed the Prince and
presented him with a gift.
Hon. Prince Dateme JP the
extraordinary Secretary to the King, Deaconess Mrs. Jimba T.F. Harry, the Women
Leader of Asari-Toru LGA and others that spoke poured encomiums on the Prince
describing him as a shining star of the Kalabari Kingdom.
Other remarkable donations in
varying shape and form, be it scholarship, exposure and promotion of our
youths, succour to the orphans and orphanages in the country have been the main
thrust of the amiable Prince in his quest to breathe life, smile and joy in the
life of the down trodden in the society.
One Odimegwu Onwumere a Poet/Author and Founder, Poet
Against Child Abuse (PACA) based in Port Harcourt in an article titled ‘Tonye
Princewill: Using Serene Capital to Reduce Poverty’ state and I quote,
“There are billionaires in Nigeria who do not know what to do with money again.
They only continue to stockpile more money in different hard currencies as if
they are preparing for a competition of a sort. They hardly participate in
anything that could foster humanity and enliven the many dampened people whom
penury has written all over their body. From oil to politics to other
endeavours these do-nothing with money are there. Against this influence, it is
worthwhile to show gratitude to Prince Tonye Princewill who’s neither one of
the Nigeria’s
acclaimed money-bags, but has decided to lend a hand to humankind with the
little he has.
One Shola Olatunde in an emotional
article he titled “an open letter to my role model described the Prince as the
Prince of Philanthropy. Olatunde recalled some of the great feats by the Prince
in the art of philanthropy. According to him, “The Prince, it may interest you
to know that there are handfuls or many fans of yours who have consistently
followed, monitored and read the humanitarian works that you have been offering
to women, youths (undergraduates and graduates), the media, the less privilege
etc. which to some should have accorded you a place, by way of immortalizing
you while still alive. This is yet to be done by God knows who”.
He went further to state that he is
aware of the Prince’s donation of bus to the National Association of Ijaw
Female Students, donation of computer equipment to media organization such as
the Tide Newspapers, set of computers and undisclosed cash to the Rivers State
Chapter of NUJ, sponsorship of Mr Valentine Ohu in Broadcast Journalism, Miss
Crystabel Goddy in Acting, Mr Telema Senibo in 3D Graphics, Miss Mercy Akudo
also in Acting and Mr Stanley Kotey in 3D Graphics to the Del-York Film Academy
are no longer news but have already been archived for posterity. Besides these,
the reading public are in the known of the various roles you played in creating
awareness for the melancholic plight of the less privileged in our society.
This can be seen in your sponsorship of NNENDA, a Nigerian home video that
highlighted the plight of abandoned children and not too long ago, you
overwhelmingly endeared yourself particularly to me when once again you
identified in no mean measure with the sponsorship of “Melody Shelters Singing
Talent Show” wherein the final events according to one Nwaorgu Faustinus saw
Godswill Orphanage of Kogi State clinching the coveted trophy and the
Championship Prize of N10M while the Runners-up, the Lifetime Orphanage of
Rivers State got the Prize of N5M. Rachael
Homes, Abuja came in third carting home the N3M
prize. Five Hundred Thousand each was given to the other remaining five Homes
as co-champions.
Your contribution in your father’s
scholarship scheme is not only resounding but also unparalleled because it has
given so many indigent youths rare privilege to pursue their educational
careers in higher Institutions. I praise God for bringing forth your type of
person into this world to use what nature has bestowed on you to bless others;
Mr Olatunde concluded.
To over 189 Men of God comprising of
Apostles, General Overseers, Bishops, Pastors that have decided to rally round
the Prince to pray and support him spiritually in his philanthropic activities.
During their recent visit to the Prince, they stated, “We have observed with
happiness your exemplary efforts in affecting the lives of our youths, women,
Journalists etc and we feel that we need to visit you and encourage you in all
that God has put in your hand to use and change the face of politics in our
country and Rivers State in particular. Most importantly, to urge you to
consider one of your famous statements that politics is too important to be
left to politicians and in that regard, to encourage you to play a major role
in the political affairs of Nigeria come 2015 as the danger of sitting on the
fence is dangerous and will no longer be tolerated if the danger ahead of us as
a country because of inept leadership is taking into consideration”.
To Mr. Charles Pokulo the President
of Princewill Support Group and Dr Carl Nosakhare O. Isibor the leader of
South-South Summit Group;” with the type of the Prince’s politics of affecting
and turning around the fortunes of our people which simply demonstrate that we
still have a future in this country. “We have resolved to carry the gospel of
Prince Tonye Princewill to all nooks and crannies of this country and that is
why we are here to assure you that we are with you in your drive to show us the
way politically”.
Mr. Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima the
Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report quoting the gospel of St. Mathew Chapter
5:14-16 profusely described the Prince as the Prince of Charity while Kingsley
Kem Eben a Nigerian Social Critic based in London described the Prince thus,
“not only that you are blessed to bless others, you are a blessing to humanity,
Rivers state & Nigeria! You are the New Nigerian Leadership we believe In!
Your Generosity is immeasurable, unquantifiable NAD God will surely bless you”.
The Prince of Kalabari land denied
any political undertone behind all that he is doing though people are bound to
read politics in whatever you are trying to do. ‘As an individual and as a
young man and as a citizen of the state, what I am interested in doing is
promoting the talents that we have not just finding them, I want to promote the
talents. So the main work begins after discovering them and put them at par
with the Duncan Mighty of this world. Hopefully, we now, can take them to the
next level.
Conclusively, Prince Tonye
Princewill has done so much to solve the problem of his people: a fact aptly
captured by Mr. Dagogo Emmanuel, his Finance Manager, quoting the famous Miriam
Beard, “The results of philanthropy are always beyond calculation” as we have
committed over 550million in our charity activities since January, 2012 and the
unrecorded humanitarian acts of the Prince may even surpass what is recorded.
We hope before the end of this year organize a football completion that will
involve some past football stars based in Port Harcourt, female and under 18
Soccer Tournaments in our drive to continue to give succor to our youths.
Let me conclude this treatise by
quoting Dr. Pearl S. Buck, “The test of a civilization is in the way that it
cares for its helpless members”.
Eze Chukwuemeka Eze is a Media Consultant based in Port Harcourt
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