FROM THE STREETS OF AGIP HAWKING SACHET WATER AND ICEBLOCK TO THE
CHAIRMAN/CEO OF A MULTI-BILLION NAIRA COMPANY AND NOW, A GUBERNATORIAL
CANDIDATE.
We are inspired by Moses Siloko Siasia's life:
Who
says there is no light at the end of the tunnel? Then, you are yet to
meet with Moses Siloko Siasia, the standard flag bearer of the
gubernatorial race in Bayelsa state under the People's Democratic
Movement (PDM). It was not a smooth ride for Moses, no, not at all. The
road was rocky and thorny but with diligence, determination and focus,
there is always light at the end of every tunnel.
Indeed, dreams do come true.
Moses
lost his dad when he was barely an inchoate child, with his widowed
mother all that he had left, only few would boast of an easier
upbringing. At 11 years of age, he had to sell sachet water and ice
block on the street to assist his mother and his othe siblings to
surmount their predicament at that time. He was virtually a street
vendor.
Moses Siasia was uncomfortable with poverty and in his
determination to change that status; began as a teenage to be
enterprising selling ICE BLOCKS in order to survive and assist his poor
windowed mother. He also indulged in manual jobs and over time has gone
on to build one of Nigeria’s most successful business enterprises-the
MOSILO GROUP.
Moses in a statement said: "I saw poverty but I told myself I wasn’t going to give
myself
to crime. I lived in an environment where we had no food, no toilet. I
almost lost my life but God intervened. I looked after myself. 17 years
ago, I was in the
streets of Port Harcourt hawking oranges and
selling Ice block but, at that time, I told myself I wasn’t going to be
subservient to my situation; I was going to work hard because I believed
there is a deposit of potentials in me."
Could the story be
thesame for every child who grew up in the slums and creeks of the
impoverished Niger Delta region? How many people have had to give up on
their dreams because they were simply asked to be realistic? With real
life stories such as Moses's, lives and lives would be touched for the
better in our state. Moses also stressed that it wasn't an easy ride at
all, not for him or for any other person out there. In his words: "from
that humble background- I washed rugs, planted flowers. Today, the story
is different. I have built a
business of a group of companies, we
have interest in various sectors, and I have employed many persons,
mostly youths. Mosilo Group is a leading name in energy services, real
estate, agriculture, marine services among others". Mind you, all these
was made possible with a lean budget.
Having had his childhood in
the Niger Delta region and experienced firsthand some of the sufferings
of the people in that region, especially the young ones, Siasia was
determined to change it and upgrade the lifestyle of the people,
especially that of the young persons. Driven by this passion to help
upgrade the psyche of the young people and provide a platform for self
expression, Moses Siasia founded the Niger Delta Young Professionals
(NDYP). This group was amongst other thing established to solve the
identity crisis that confronted the young people of
the region through exposure to the global methods of doing things.
The
NDYP became the group to organize the first ever Economic Summit for
young people in Niger Delta region, which was hosted by Governor
Godswill Akpabio in Akwa Ibom State. However, seeing a need to integrate
and provide same opportunity for all Nigerian youths irrespective of
region, Moses Siasia successfully orchestrated the metamorphosis of the
NDYP into what is now known as Nigerian Young Professionals Forum,
(NYPF) to create room for all Nigerian youths to get on board the
platform and benefit from its numerous empowerment ventures.
The
NYPF was founded amongst other things to empower young people, by
creating jobs and encouraging them to take a more active role in
politics and social economic issues. In his own words, Moses stated that
"We started what is called the Nigeria Young Professional Group and, in
two years, we are in 15 countries; we are the only youth group in
Nigeria that is registered in the United States of America and United
Kingdom and we are about finalizing our registrations with the United
Nations." Today, NYPF has successfully established a network of young
professionals from over 13 countries around the globe, with summits held
in London, New York and many other cities. NYPF has a membership of
over Ten Million Nigerian Young Professionals and is open to
everyone from all geo-political zones across Nigeria, including Young Nigerian Professionals living in Diaspora.
In
2014, Moses made a strong statement, he saw the marginalization of the
Nigerian youths in politics, in leadership. They were relegated to the
background and so In Moses words, "I founded the group to give voice to
the youths. Some of the elite are not interested in the youth. They
would not give the younger generation the chance to lead. They would
continue to come up with strategies that would further undermine us and
ensure that the youths do not speak with one voice". when his NYPF
organized an International Youth Conference with the theme, “National
Integration & the Quest for Purposeful Leadership" in Abuja on the
9th of
August 2014, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR), the
Minister of Finance and Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and eight other
Ministers were in attendance.
Moses Siasia, Having being raised
in poverty, has shown tremendous interest in ameliorating the sufferings
and plights of the less privileged. Over the years, in an individual
capacity, Moses Siloko Siasia has provided jobs for numerous young
Nigerian's, especially those from Bayelsa
State.
Siasia has an
ongoing scholarship scheme funded from his private earnings, with the
mandate to help as many a child as possible, who cannot afford the cost
of education, to get an education. Siasia is determined to eradicate
poverty from the lives of any young person he encounters. Moses is of
the opinion that if as an individual he has provided a good life for
numerous young Nigerian's, if entrusted with public resources he will do
much more.
Siasia was in 2014 tipped to become one of Africa’s
Economic Leaders by the Choiseul Institute for International Politics
and Geo-economics, and in September 2015, he is nominated alongside
Champion Igali as the only two individuals from Bayelsa as "People Who
Inspire" by a Spanish Organization.
Having seen the suffering and
heard the cry of Bayelsan's, Moses has decided to bring succour to the
people of his homeland by vying for the position of a Governor in
Bayelsa state. According to moses, "After consulting with my family and
friends, and based upon the tremendous outcry from my home state for
help, I have decided to run for the office of Governor of Bayelsa. For
far too long, my people have suffered from political oppression! Despite
being one of the wealthiest states in Nigeria, with an abundance of
natural resources, Bayelsa has one of the highest unemployment rates in
Nigeria. Our children do not have modern schools or tools to educate
them. Our students abroad are stranded without resources to complete
their education. Our infrastructure has been neglected resulting in
dangerous impassable roads, lack of potable water,
and basic human
hygiene. Our older citizens have been abandoned and left to die in
poverty and poor health. Our young, internationally educated young
men
and women have been denied the opportunity to run for office, and told
that “the office of the Governor is not for boys”. Young citizens of
Bayelsa who today seek change are being threatened and intimidated for
speaking up against the current regime. Fear mongering and intimidation
has no place in Bayelsa and the time has come to end this madness and
take back our state from lying, thieving, self-serving politicians.
Considering his age, Siasia’s achievements are most
humbling.
To think that he grew up in a state of squalor and he is just 35 years
old with so much going for him, is mind-blowing. If the people of
Bayelsa state must begin to experience the dividend of democracy, the
new face of leadership must be embraced and Moses stands as that face of
leadership that will bring about the total liberation of the State from
the claws of bad leaders.
Aluzu Ebikebuna A.
New Media Coordinator, Moses Siasia Campaign Team.
07068639696
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