~ Inducted into Rotary International
The Executive Director, Chief Operations and Information Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Sir Stanley Amuchie, has reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to human capital development, particularly in the areas of youth empowerment, healthcare, education, and innovation.
Delivering the keynote address at the high-profile installation ceremony of Mr. Kelechi Anyanwu as Governor of Rotary International District 9142, Amuchie spoke passionately on the theme, “The Beacon of Hope: The Rotarians’ Signature as Shining Lights to Millions in Despair.”
The colourful event, which held over the weekend in Owerri, drew a distinguished audience of over 1,500 Rotarians from the seven states that make up District 9142. It also witnessed the presentation of the Rotary Leadership and Leadership and Humanitarian Award to Sir Amuchie in recognition of his far-reaching contributions to social impact and human development.
In his address, Amuchie declared that Nigeria’s greatest untapped asset is not its crude oil or minerals, but its people.
“Our greatest wealth is our people,” he said, stressing that with over 63% of Nigerians under the age of 25, the country holds a unique advantage in the global marketplace, if properly harnessed.
He commended the global rise of Nigeria’s creative and tech industries, citing names like Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, as well as innovative firms like Flutterwave and Paystack, as evidence of the country’s growing human capital.
“These young Nigerians are not only dominating global charts and markets; they are changing the narrative about Nigeria,” Amuchie noted.
He called on policymakers and Rotarians alike to reimagine national priorities and invest massively in human resources through tech innovation hubs, youth skills acquisition, and enterprise development.
“We must move away from dependency on natural resources and embrace our true strength—our people. Unlike oil, human capital appreciates with investment,” he emphasized.
As part of his proposal, Amuchie advocated for the replication of Lagos’ Yaba tech ecosystem across other regions, with hubs in Owerri, Enugu, Abakaliki, and Calabar, tailored to the specific strengths of each zone.
In his inaugural speech, newly-installed District Governor Rotarian Kelechi Anyanwu echoed Amuchie’s sentiments. He pledged to make health, sanitation, and youth leadership the core of his administration’s Rotary service year.
“Our outreach will focus on tackling preventable diseases and advancing public health in schools and rural communities,” he said, adding that Rotary must continue to serve as a “beacon of hope in uncertain times.”
Chairperson of the occasion, Dr. Nneka Ewenike, delivered a stirring moral call to Nigerians, advocating for a national culture of integrity.
“Rotary believes in character and fairness. If you are a true Rotarian, you won’t steal public funds. Nigeria needs legacy builders, not looters,” she charged.
The ceremony, hosted in Imo State in 25 years, also marked a historic moment as Sir Stanley Amuchie was officially inducted into Rotary International, and Governor Anyanwu formally took the reins as District 9142 Governor
