BY PRINCE UGOCHUKWU NWANJOKU

After many years of staying on the side-line of politics and restricting himself to giving advice and financial support to other people to contest from various offices, Dr. Peter Mbah, the Enugu - born philanthropist and billionaire, has decided to throw his hat into the ring.

Within the political circle in Enugu State and at the national level, Dr. Mbah has been active behind the scenes for many years. He had, however, chosen to carry on quietly, mostly concerning himself with encouraging those whom he identified as having the right attitude to go ahead to contest for positions of their choice. Many politicians who had won election into prominent political offices in Enugu had actually been sponsored either or substantially by the Owo born politician.

On a personal level, he has concentrated on running his chains of businesses as well as establishing a philanthropic foundation to assist as many people in the society as possible. On the two fronts of his businesses and his charity works, Dr. Mbah has recorded tremendous progress.

He testified that he has enjoyed tremendous favour from God, as his businesses have recorded consistent growth and success over the years, bringing him to the present point of reckoning in the business world. His business portfolio covers construction, agriculture, haulage and logistics, oil and gas services and school establishment among others.

Remarkably, while Dr. Mbah was growing his business, he did not lose sight of the need to give back to the society that has in various ways supported him to become the business mogul he has become over time. He could not forget to give back to the society. He says that one of his success tips is to "win with people". According to him, "good people, including family, friends, colleagues and employees have been some of my biggest motivations. I could not have succeeded without them".

For Dr. Mbah who is the chairman/chief executive officer of Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, as well as president of FOCUS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, success in business did not come without a gestation period and numerous initial drawbacks. Hear him, "My life has been a super tale of a man who, like many successful entrepreneurs, failed multiple times at business before success was recorded. I have had my fair share of rejections and disappointments, but one thing I never did was give up. Every time I fell or got knocked down, I found a way to struggle to my feet and every experience I have garnered has helped shape me."

Interestingly, it is in his charity work and provision of welfare assistance to various segments of society that Dr. Mbah has found tremendous public acclaim. Having recorded success in his businesses, Dr. Mbah and his wife established a foundation known as Peter Mbah Foundation, with the primary objective of carrying out philanthropic work in a society where many people need help badly. The foundation did not waste time to begin to touch peoples lives. About 14 years of its existence, the Foundation and its founders have become house hold names in Enugu State, even as their activities have extended beyond the state 

The foundation has undertaken road construction to give access to communities in Nkanu East LGA, Enugu state and some part of Lagos State. It has also carried out rural electrification projects some communities in Enugu State as well as massive financial aid to hundreds of many individuals who are identified to be in need of such assistance to facilitate business development and various economic and social programs.

Indeed, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peter Mbah foundation was a big source of assistance to thousands of persons in Enugu State in terms of provision of medical assistance and food. The foundation became a prime source of palliatives across the state, surpassing even what ordinary people got from government.

The areas of active charity intervention by the Peter Mbah foundation are wide. They intervene in education. In this sector, the foundation has built school blocks with laboratories, computer labs and supporting administrative units for communities. The foundation has also given out scholarships in Enugu, Nigeria and abroad to thousands of students, while supplying books to secondary and primary schools. 

In the area of provision of medical services and healthcare, the foundation has also touched numerous people with it's free medical services programmes and payment of hospital bills of many indigent patients. The foundation is well known for paying for surgery and treatment of severe medical needs.

The provision of food and household needs by the foundation through a programme on food supply has become popular among the ordinary people in Enugu communities.

Therefore, Ndi-Enugu, having tasted for a long time from the large - heartedness and empathy of Dr. Peter Mbah and his foundation, the people of Enugu state have been clamoring for more of his involvement in their affairs. For long, too, Dr. Mbah has resisted getting involved in direct public office, until recently. He said the call has refused to go away and people have continued to give him reasons to seek major political office that will enable him steer the state to a more purposeful direction.

What has finally contributed in getting him to consider running for public service office is the increased division and lack of unity in Enugu State. Enugu has not been like this divided before, and for me, what is needed to lift the state is to bring together the people and try to remove all things that divide the people of the state through initiating policies that will show no discrimination between one section and another. that, I say, is the way Mbah has carried on his private affairs by uniting all that matters. Although it took Dr. Mbah a long time to accept to seek party nomination for governor, Dr. Mbah I know will go about the aspiration with decorum and free spirit. He believes that the numerous people who on their own have been using various forums and opportunities to ask him to run for governor know him and know what he represents. He is coming into the political arena with an expectation that the people know what is in their best interest and their preference will prevail in electing him as their next governor.

What makes Dr. Mbah's entry into the governorship race very interesting is that he had made an impressive mark in the private sector where he distinguished himself as an entrepreneur, industrialist, as well as investopedia. As a result of his broad-mindedness and non partisan role until now, he had not restricted his assistance to people on any matters dear to him. He has followership and goodwill across all parties and across all the local government areas of the state.

His entry into the governorship contest in Enugu State will surely change permutations and alignments in the politics of the state. For Dr. Mbah, it is surely a great advantage that he does not need to introduce himself to the ordinary people and the elite of the state. The challenge now is for him to reassure the people that political office will not change the philanthropist they used to rely on for various interventions.

Indeed, Tomorrow Is Here.