By Promise Adiele
There is an unpronounced but subliminal consensus around Nigeria that social corridors suffer from leadership and personality deficits. Millions of people across the country believe it is difficult to find people with integrity, honesty, dedication to the common good, and sincere temperament to community development. Given the manner many public officers disingenuously conduct themselves in society, Nigerians continue to yearn for hardworking, selfless, and genuine citizens in love with humanity.
Of course, such people abound in many parts of Nigeria, but it is difficult to locate them because they are usually humble. When they are located, publicizing their good works should ultimately follow. While we identify public officers with opportunistic and avaricious tendencies, excoriating their myriad invidious engagements, we must also applaud people deserving of honour and recognition. In the annual procession of many public officers into the hall of infamy, it is indeed exciting to find someone different in character, career, and public engagement.
One such person who has distinguished himself in public service and demonstrated commitment to social progress is Sir Stanley Amuchie. Those who know me well and my pedigree in social commentary can affirm I don’t praise people. Not because I don’t like praising people but because there are hardly public or government officials to praise. However, when a conspicuous personality transcends the limiting vagaries of our contemporary reality to emerge as a positive force in any part of the country, then such persons deserve to be commended and praised.
Sir Stanley Amuchie is indeed an icon, an exceptional personality who continues to defy all odds in pointing the way to an egalitarian social order whether in the corporate world or any social space he finds himself. It is incontrovertible that he is one of the most distinguished personalities in Imo State and can easily stake a claim as one of the best personalities to emerge from Mbaise, his place of birth. As a modest humble philanthropist, he shuns the limelight but quietly allows hard work to announce his commitment.
In his community, he has emerged as an illustrious son of the soil, contributing to the development of almost all facets of Mbaise, and gradually extending his tentacles to other parts of Imo State. To say that he is selfless is to put it mildly. He has consistently pursued a social renewal policy in Imo State and Mbaise, encouraging people collectively and individually to be positive and embrace change. His spirit of munificence, generosity, and kindness are legendary. Indeed, it is not all doom and gloom for Nigeria. His personality testifies to the Biblical submission that “the gods have come down to us in the likeness of men”.
Sir Stanley Amuchie obtained his first degree in Industrial Chemistry (First-class) from the University of Benin. He emerged as the best graduating student in his class in 1993. In his pursuit of academic excellence, he proceeded to Leeds Beckett University in the United Kingdom, obtaining a post-graduate degree MSc in Corporate Governance. He also attended INSEAD Business School in France and Harvard Business School in the USA for Leadership courses. His upbringing was rooted in hard work, discipline, respect for constituted authorities, and veneration for the elderly. His parents were both teachers and through a combination of strict church doctrine and educational discipline, they instilled moral values in their children.
He has attained tremendous success in his career in the financial sector, especially the banking segment. He is a Fellow (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and an Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB). He started his career in the Financial Sector of the Audit and Business Advisory Group of Arthur Andersen (now KPMG Professional Services) in 1995. While there, he worked on various Audit and Business advisory assignments for various Banks and Financial Services Operators in Nigeria and other West African Countries. He joined the Financial Control and Strategic Planning Department of Zenith Bank Plc in 2000 and rose to become the Director of Finance/CFO where he coordinated the Bank’s Foreign Subsidiaries’ Operations. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer/Executive Director of Fidelity Bank Nigeria Plc.
In recognition of his unrelenting humanitarian selfless service in the vineyard of God, he was admitted to the Order of Knighthood of St Christopher (KSC) in 2007 by the Anglican Diocese of Mbaise. To pursue his humanitarian objectives adequately, he founded the Goodlight Foundation using it to reach many people, pulling them out of poverty, and touching their lives positively. In appreciation of his wonderful strides in the community, the church, and Imo State, he was conferred with many honours and awards. A few of them are Award by Imo State Police Command for support to community policing, Human Capital Development Award by Imo Network Group, Grand Patron/Trustee, Imo Development Towns Association Lagos, Pillar of Holy Cross Parish CWO Emii, Owerri, Ezinwa of all Saints Catholic Church Uvuru Mbaise, and the Arc Bearer of St Stevens Anglican Church, Emekuku Owerri among other numerous awards and honours.
To serve the people of Imo State better, he decided to step into politics. The argument was that if he could, on a personal level, positively affect the state and his immediate community, he would serve Imo State honestly and restore the lost glory days for which the state became famous across Nigeria. Some people also argued that Sir Stanley Amuchie is too clean and untainted to play Nigerian politics. Well, towards the 2019 elections, he obtained the governorship nomination form of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). He played straight and honest politics, refusing to compromise the process or induce delegates. At last, he failed to scale through the party primaries.
The people wanted to protest against what they thought was broad daylight robbery, insisting that the process was compromised. But in his characteristic manner, he appealed for calm, advising that leadership is not a do-or-die affair. His peaceful disposition following the APGA primaries endeared millions of people to him. He toured Imo State, assuaging millions of his supporters across party lines who were ready to give him all the support to become the Chief Executive Officer of the state.
Today, Sir Stanley Amuchie is seen by millions of people in Imo State as a leading light who embodies the hope of renewal and a new Imo State. In his community in Umudinka, Oke-Ovoro in Aboh Mbaise local government area, he has carried the challenges of the people on his shoulders, instilling hope and confidence in the people. He has taken care of the educational needs of many youths in his community and neighbouring towns. The people of Mbaise are blessed to have him as a son.
Imo State citizens are glad to be identified with this son of impeccable character. He has never held a public office. He has never benefitted from political largesse. He has never been involved in any scandal. He is too good to be real. His name is Sir Stanley Amuchie, success personified, humanity inspired, and love of God motivated. He is married to the beautiful and elegant Lady Ifeyinwa Amuchie and they are blessed with wonderful children.
- Source: Promise Adiele PhD, Mountain Top University. Promee01@yahoo.com
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