IBOM IGNITE 2026: GOV ENO CHARGES YOUTHS TO REINVENT SELVES, BECOME OUTSTANDING ENTREPRENEURS

IBOM IGNITE 2026: GOV ENO CHARGES YOUTHS TO REINVENT SELVES, BECOME OUTSTANDING ENTREPRENEURS

… offers to sponsor 100 youths for agric training

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has urged youths in the State to intentionally reinvent, retrain, rediscover and realign themselves in order to sustain entrepreneurial success and become impactful to the society.

Speaking on Tuesday October 27, 2026 at the 9th Edition of Ibom Ignite Conference 2026 held at Ibom Hall, Uyo, Governor Eno encouraged young people to believe in their capabilities and be ready to work smartly and passionately to succeed.

According to the Governor, since the commencement of Ibom Ignite in 2017, vistas of possibilities have been explored by participants, mindsets have been changed, and entrepreneurial spirit and new approaches to doing things have been ignited, with businesses and lives of numerous people in the State transformed for the better.

He specifically mentioned some outstanding beneficiaries of the Ignite programme such as; Idara Adiakpan, David Elisha, Ms. Ikemesit Bassey Awak,
Ms. Uduak Rubin, Mr. Churchill Mfon Monday and Mr. Pius Titus, noting that they were doing well in their respective endeavours.

The Governor said the theme of the conference was apt, as it captured the essence of the gathering .

“The theme of this conference says it all: ‘reinvent, rethink, reimagine, redesign, and become.’ Therefore, our youths must utilize the opportunities offered by this programme to make the best out of their lives.”

He disclosed that what drove him into mentoring and empowering young people was to ensure their self-improvement and how they could live a life of joy, impact, and self-fulfillment.

“My passion has always been to nurture our youths and equip them with both entrepreneurial and leadership skills so that when opportunities present themselves to them, they will be properly equipped, distilled and ready to make tremendous impact as it is done in other climes,” he said.

He reminded the youths that life is an evolving enterprise, stressing that “what seemed cool, great and dandy yesterday may become obsolete today. As a matter of fact, what took you here, may not keep you there.

“Those who are willing to reinvent, rethink, reimagine and redesign always triumph. Those who get buried in conventional wisdom or those who see things from a one-dimensional prism, always get swallowed by the revolving rhythm of life,” he said.

“The world today is defined by the service industry, whether it is the bank, hotel, and even the church. People want to know what differentiates from your competitors in order to patronize you more,” he added.

The Governor who is a seasoned entrepreneur, offered to sponsor 100 youth at the event for an agripreneur training at CSS Global Integrated Farms, a leading, technology driven agribusiness Company that develops full scale mechanized agricultural system through sustainable corporate initiatives programs and global partnerships, located in Nassarawa State and owned by one of the speakers, Prof John Okpara.

He noted that the State under his leadership has trained and supported youths in different areas including training of 2,000 youths at Ibom-LED, with a start-up pack of ₦750,000 given to each of the participants, 2,000 at the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre (DASAC), with a start-up grant ranging from N500, 000 to ₦1 million given to each trainee, as well as building Youth Development Centres in all the 31 local government headquarters of the State.

He challenged young people in the State to embrace the programme and work hard to stand out, assuring them of their sure success and self fulfillment in the end.

Governor Eno lauded Apostle Joshua Selman, Prof. John Kennedy Opara, and other speakers at the event for inspiring the young participants to have better and impactful business lives.

In his keynote address titled: “The Courage to Become, Why Your Next Level Requires a New You, ” Apostle Joshua Selman said there must be a willingness and determination.

He listed essential ingredients for transiting from losers mentality to winner’s mentality to include; awareness/recognition, access to superior information, application and consistent action, courage to endure consequences of approaching life differently, and courage to sacrifice temporary pleasure inorder to become.

Also speaking on the theme, “Beyond Hustle: Turning Your Business into an Enterprise,” Prof John Okpara, the Chief Executive Officer of CSS Global Integrated Farms, identified passion, performance, and possibilities as critical to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

He recalled his early days in agric business adding that CSS Global Integrated Farms currently enjoys global recognition, and urged the youth not to despise little begining.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the Conference Central Planning committee, Pastor Imobasi Jacob, thanked the Governor for his visionary and impactful leadership in the State, and for initiating the Ignite conference.

He described the Conference as the gathering of ideas, ambitions and possibilities, adding that Ibom Ignite was borne out of the conviction that young people deserve more than sympathy where unemployment and limited opportunities faced them head on.

He said only through practical support, relevant skills and meaningful networks and platforms can they connect their potentials to possibilities.

He charged youths to take advantage of the Conference to learn new leadership and entrepreneurial skills to develop their God-given talents.