Ebe Idong

Co-founder, Writer,Digital Transformation& lean six sigma Guru, Social Advocate,Banking &Expense Mgt Expert; #dataiseverything #IfearGod #I❤️Naija #YNWA

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

Now that a new regime has come, it is time to
1. Build a reliable data system for Nigeria. The raw data lie in silos and can be merged into a national system.
2. Appoint an EFCC chairman from the south with at least 15years Banking operations experience. It is a Financial crime

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@Lfc_ola_ Xherdan Shaqiri

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@NEDUszn8 Zinedine Zidane

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

Do you remember when you joined X? I do! #MyXAnniversary

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@vstarbanks 2:1 in favour of Arsenal

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@bod_zsn Hello

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

Gott sagt, er wird sein Wort halten und sich um alle Probleme kümmern. Aber Sie dürfen sich nicht als jemand darstellen, der Gott ausnutzen will.
@_FriedrichMerz @bundeskanzler

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

Herr Mertz, hören Sie das Wort des Herrn: Die Erweckung kommt! Diese Erweckung wird die beunruhigenden Statistiken beseitigen, die der Bundesregierung Sorgen bereiten.
@_FriedrichMerz @bundeskanzler

[Mallam jabir @Mallam_jabeer]

Release @ziter001 now
Release @ziter001 now
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Release @ziter001 now
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Release @ziter001 now
Release @ziter001 now
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[Akin Olaoye @akintollgate]

I first met @paulonwuanibe, Developer of Landmark Center about 7 years ago while attending a Social Media week event in February 2016. I had just began shuttling Atlanta - Lagos every two weeks, to familiarise myself with the business environment while expanding my operations across several cities in Nigeria.

I had recently opened my Silverbird Abuja & Jevinik PH stores and I was looking for the next frontier. With my kiosk at the MMA2 Airport fast becoming a signature business location, I felt another store on the Island with proximity to the elite class will be ideal.

On that fateful morning in February 2016, I left my hotel room at four points to Landmark and as I drove into the complex, I could feel the weight of an ambitious project in front of me with master plans being projected on a huge billboards depicting what was to come. I said to myself "this is incredible!"
I attended a number of sessions at the Event and there was a mixer that evening.
Strolling through the hall was a very unassuming individual in a t-shirt, jeans and facecap who was very focused on details as he walked with his operations staff.
He stopped by a booth to have a chat with a close friend Solo, who immediately introduced me to Paul. A very warm handshake followed by an exchange of what he was doing and how I had become extremely inspired.
The FX market was going through some turbulence at the time and I was in the phase of seeking investments from a few associates in diaspora, as I equally emptied out my retirement accounts to scale the business.

I heard many ugly tales of failed investments and how Nigeria was not a desirable option given the poor handling of the economy by the CBN, poor growth potential and all the factors that makes it undesirable for investors.

People like Paul gave me a lot of hope and aspiration. I said to myself, "if a fellow Nigerian is bold enough to invest over $100m in Nigeria, who am I to have doubts".

With a plushy job as a Manager at KPMG in the U.S making high six figures, the dream of building a renown retail brand with sprawling locations across Nigeria was my focus and projects like Landmark gave me a renewed sense of hope.
I had Landmark as a key location I would be expanding in the future, as I saw the vision of a beach community Paul had on his blueprint as a signature location in Lagos.
Very few ambitious projects live to see the daylight and when many of them do, they often require government or public intervention. This was a wholly 100% private investment effort. I visited often and saw the vision come to fruition and far exceeding expectations.
6 years later, I called Paul and kindly asked if he will be able to fit us into the Landmark property and without hesitation he brought us in and offered a location at the main entrance.
Normally in Nigeria, small busines are often relegated to back corners and the big & corporate entities often get the visible spots, he this was different.

Paul is an amazing guy willing to give others a chance! In a struggling economy, Paul offered terms that made it possible for House of Lunettes to situate at Landmark. We don't attend the same church or speak the same language, but the only language he understood was "hope & inspiration" while offering all the support needed.

The first year was a challenge and I remember having a few conversations were he asked me to be diverse in my outlook and introduce products that complimented the primary business model. We did that and became revenue generating at that location.

When I think of the jobs, memories, hope and joy the Landmark ecosystem offers to many who work and visit, I felt the need to pen this down.
Lots of vendors and young entrepreneurs like Dewunmi (Bankhead) who I met at the early phase of building my brand, equally became a prominent business owner with Truth Beach club on the Landmark property. I saw Dewunmi build his brand and the tireless effort he invested to become what his is today.

Mr Paul bet big on this young entrepreneur and many others while understanding the value of building a small business ecosystem to establish Landmark as a tourism frontier in Nigeria.
I admire men who build for their communities and not just to make a quick profit. Paul is one of these visionaries and he quickly became a mentor, plus someone I could lean on for advice. I pride myself in being a job creator and when I see others who do this on a larger scale, they become a bigger source of inspiration.

Landmark brings uniqueness to the Lagos Landscape and the feeling of an intentional tourism destination with a plethora of options. Today as a parent of young kids and teenagers, the stretch of entertainment and leisure activities at Landmark offers the safest and most friendly atmosphere anyone would desire.

I don't want to focus solely on the tremendous investment as a focal point, but in the absence of any tourism option in Lagos of this magnitude, why would anyone argue that displacing Landmark can be in the interest of the average Nigerian?
Let's focus on the tourism footprint Landmark offers in terms of revenues & positive branding on the local tourism industry, no other establishment across Nigeria comes close.
I am a fan of the ambitious coastal road project and I want everything beautiful about this country to occur in my lifetime and kept preserved for the future generation, but we must reassure Nigerians that we have a Government that is willing to encourage those who are brave enough to bet on Nigeria.
If we are a country that cherishes entrepreneurs like Paul and others like myself, who will leave the comfort of a developed society to invest money, sweat and blood at home, we must be encouraged and empowered with the support of the State.

I won't try to argue why the old plan was revised to a new plan that affects Landmark without all the intricate details, but as a Lagosian and number one advocate of Tourism in Nigeria, this is ill-advised and should be reconsidered.
The federal government can eventually achieve the vision of the coastal highway while sacrificing a few projects like Landmark, but what message does this pass to the next set of entrepreneurs about embarking on a similar quests in the next few years?

This will become a business case in many classrooms to emerging global business leaders from Havard to Oxford, that once again reinforces stereotype that Nigeria is not an ideal destination for investments! I will kindly ask that a review is done with the stakeholders to reach an outcome that is favorable to all.

As much networth as I may have lost choosing to invest in Nigeria, given the harsh economic climate in the past 8 years, I will never demarket a country I love so much and have found myself willing to die for on a few occasions. Growing my business to 12 locations and scaling down to 7 locations with stores in Kano, PH, Lagos and Abuja, I have always kept an optimistic outlook about Nigeria.
I currently own and operate the largest eyewear retail business in West Africa & Nigeria, and I am nowhere close to the vision of my brand. I need this Government to only create an enabling environment with policies that can allow me to thrive as I have equally chosen to be perseverent through this journey.
I speak as a citizen who has travelled far and wide, and understands what local policies can do to attract foreign investments, for the sake of many who love this country so much, we should build up businesses and entrepreneurs, not tear them down!

This long EID break, I will urge you to visit Landmark events center and Beach to explore the amazing line up of attractions and activities that helps us keep our tourism Naira on Nigerian soil. If you have a positive experience or have visited before, kindly lend your voice!
@followlasg @jidesanwoolu @officialabat

Long live Nigeria!

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@CNNAfrica These destructions make no sense. @jidesanwoolu should learn to invite both Contractors and Business owners, whose properties encroach development areas to seek viable solutions. What makes them believe that a 3km under ground tunnel cannot be constructed beneath this asset?

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@aai_austin @yoyodamdam The most shameful aspect of this thing is that these grown ups who ought to be defending the nation are everywhere playing in the sand. Bigotry will not save anyone from inflation or insecurity

Their only proof of adulthood are doc!le posts on X. We really need to do better SMH!

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@renoomokri @amnesty You can see how influencers are being used to undermine the fundamental human rights of Nigerians. @BBCAfrica you should do a documentary on this evil trend.

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@PIDOMNIGERIA @FS_Yusuf_ From all I have read, @FS_Yusuf_ cannot be trusted by anyone. See how X empowers people who lack maturity to deal with issues.

Again, we can see that Nigerians are the problem of Nigeria. While I insist that every dot of dirt must be dealt with, Yusuf has chosen his path… Money

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@adetosage @PO_GrassRootM I am sure that you were still in nursery school when this man began managing Banks as ED and GMD. People will come to X and boldly type rubbish. Tomorrow when your handle is used to deny you positions, you’ll start calling the devil. To you everything is about tribe and/or a joke

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@FavourUgorji7 @novieverest Read the book Emeka by Fredrick Forsyth… I did so over 20 years ago. I believe that the book was published in 1982.

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@Tbam01 @udofiaekpono @TomiArayomi @masterozed Ok Thank you sir

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@udofiaekpono @TomiArayomi @masterozed @udofiaekpono This is all you picked out from the write up and the video clip. Amazing… really amazing.

I want to ask you just a question, which politician will try nonsense where Arc Bishop Benson Idahosa of blessed memory was? Or Apostle Ayo Babalola?

Interesting times ahead

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@Psyche_Albert 😅

[Ebe Idong @uawu]

@SenatorNwoye @OgbajiIfeanyi @PeterObi @ruffydfire @TheSerahIbrahim @YunusaTanko The Senator said that he attracted this to the Community. The first question is, who is the sponsor? This will enable us to give an unbiased assessment of this project. @SenatorNwoye please could you tell us if this is one of your constituency projects?