The University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, located in Umuagwo, Imo State has unveiled the ‘Okobi’ Student Club, which is a student-driven innovation in Nigeria.
Okobi, acronym for One Kindred One Business Initiative, is initiated by Governor Hope Uzodimma and is aimed at creating jobs and wealth through structured cooperative It is a grassroots-driven economic development program that encourages kindred (extended family groups, community groups, schools) to establish and operate registered businesses, fostering collective ownership and local economic growth.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony last week Imo State Governor, Uzodimma, who was represented by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof. Victor Nwachukwu, commended the university’s leadership for aligning with the State Government’s vision of economic self-sufficiency and youth empowerment.
The governor in his keynote address described OKOBI as a strategic platform that will redefine how students engage with enterprise and economic participation adding that the state government was committed to investing in entrepreneurial development across Imo’s tertiary institutions.
He said “I commend the management of this institution for aligning with the vision of the Imo State Government, which is aimed at economic self-sufficiency and youth empowerment.
“Governor Uzodimma’s bold initiative is aimed at fostering entrepreneurship, creativity, and self-reliance among Imo people including our undergraduates”, he said.
The Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Professor ChristopherEze expressed profound appreciation to the Governor for his visionary leadership and direct support for the OKOBI Initiative noted that the launch was in response to the Governor’s directive through the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser, coordinated by Mrs. JovitaAgwu and Prof. Kenneth Amaechi, who were both instrumental in interfacing with the university.
He said,”What we have begun here today is not just the inauguration of a club — it is the birth of a culture of enterprise and innovation. Our students will no longer wait for jobs; they will create them. They will not only compete in the labour market but will contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic transformation.”
The VC said the university community, backed by strong support from the Imo State Government, had signaled its determination to harness the energy of young people and turn the university into a beacon of entrepreneurship and sustainable development in the Southeast and beyond.
He highlighted the importance of the initiative noting that it involved staff involvement, capacity-building workshops, research-driven innovation, and inter-institutional collaboration, all geared toward ensuring a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem within the university community.
In his remarks, the Acting Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies, Dr. Desmond Echeta, who presented a road map for the club activities described the centre as a hub of creativity and idea incubation, committed to guiding students from concept to market-ready enterprises.
The event featured thought-provoking testimonials from students who shared their entrepreneurial journeys, highlighted the challenges they had overcome and the support they received through the Centre. These stories energized the audience and solidified the resolve of many to take bold steps toward business development.
