Fela Durotoye, Nigeria’s foremost motivational speaker; My-ACE China, the Mayor of Housing; and Brian Reuben, a global leadership coach; have revealed the keys of business and leadership success in Port Harcourt.
Each speaking under ‘Strategic Elevation’ at the DBR Conference in Port Harcourt, the Mayor of Housing gave tips on market positioning while Durotoye spoke on Narrative Authority: Controlling the Story that Shapes Influence. The convener, Reuben dwelt on ‘The Hidden Architecture of Market Leadership’.
The specialized conference mounted in Port Harcourt by the Mayor of Housing to celebrate Reuben’s birthday at Heliconia Park and Hotels, witnessed a filled hall of intermediate and upper middle level business leaders.
A major attraction was the presence and presentation by Durotoye, President of Gem Stone Nation Builders, a leadership development institution that is looking to raise nation builders, people who love their nation, who want the best for their nation and are willing to do their best to see Nigeria become its best.
Speaking to newsmen after the event, Durotoye said: “Our job is to be able to raise nation-builders and then build their ability to do the best that they can with what they have. So that’s who a nation builder is and that’s what I do for a living. Raise nation builders.
“Now, my joy and my greatest delight would be to see where every single person, not only in Rivers State but across Nigeria, can love our state, love our community, love our nation but also be able to develop their leadership ability to deliver a better Nigeria than the one that we were born into. That’s what I want for Rivers State. That’s what I want for your community, for Port Harcourt, for the Garden City and more importantly for our nation, Nigeria.”
On his message on the occasion, he said: “Our message was simple. Find a problem that you can solve, that you are gifted to solve, that you have a passion for and find a way to be able to solve it. Because the Nigeria of our dreams is actually waiting inside you for the problem that you have not yet solved.”
He said there is a better version of Nigeria. “There is a better version of you that the world has not yet seen. And the day you can make sure that everything you are doing is because of what you were born to do, then success will come at you.
“Your success is tied to Nigeria’s success. So let Nigeria succeed because you find a problem and you solve it.
“Oh, it’s so great that we were, you know, today we are gathered because the Mayor of Housing has organised what will be like a birthday seminar for Dr. Brian Rueben.
“I mean, think about it. Dr. Brian Rueben could be anywhere in the world today, but he chose to be here giving of his life on a day that he should have been receiving gifts. That tells you who a true leader is.
“But that’s because he found a partner in the Mayor of Housing and the leadership of that institution. Now, so we know for a certain that these are people who are solving problems. That’s what leadership is all about, solving problems.”
He said both men have found a way to solve, to commit to housing problems. Brian, he stated, has found a way to commit to developing leaders and developing people. “And through his book, ‘The Strategic Elevation’, he’s been able to say, how do you elevate your mind to be able to see things differently so you can get the best out? So I would always say, first and foremost, happy birthday to Dr. Brian, but I also say thank you to the leadership of my leadership of the Mayor of Housing.
“On My-Ace China and the team, I think that they’re doing an amazing job. I don’t think that Port Harcourt will ever be the same from the things that we’ve heard today.”
China reveals motive:
Explaining his angle to newsmen after the event, China, a real estate success strategist, explained that DBR means ‘Dr Brian Reuben’ saying the celebrant and the convener is a global figure and one of the most celebrated authors of books and articles globally.
“He’s a Nigerian based in the UK that has done a lot of work internationally.
You cannot mention business strategy in any sphere in the world without mentioning Dr. Brian Rueben. So when he told me he was nursing the idea of holding a value conference on his birthday to give value back to people, being that marketing River State and Port Harcourt has been the key obsession of our business foray in River State, we volunteered to host the event if only he would bring that value to River’s people and to make it an opportunity for River’s people to glean on his years of experience.
“Bringing this world class conference to the Garden City is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in not only ensuring we give value to the marketplace, but ensuring that we put Port Harcourt and Rivers State back on the map as one of the best destinations not only for businesses but for events.”
He said having somebody like Durotoye grace the occasion as the keynote speaker was as big as it can be in terms of value, personnel, leadership, branding. “So when they came, I knew that we’re going to glean a lot of value.
“You can imagine at the level I am that some people see me as a leader, I was almost like a neonate kindergarten person, listening to the wealth of experience and the teachings they had to give.
“But one of the greatest epiphanies that they left me with is the greatest fallacy that we have been told for generations untold, that we are the leaders of tomorrow. All youth, all children, all Africans should know that that is a fallacy, and I knew that by attending this event today.
“The truth and the light of what I’m living with is that our children, our youth, are not the leaders of tomorrow, they are the leaders of today. We should build them with all the leadership capacities to lead today and give them all the maturity to take full responsibility for leadership today.”
The Mayor of Housing said the summary of his teaching was ‘positioning’.
“Positioning is a concept of two things; who you are and where you are looking from. What you see in the marketplace is your greatest power, because in the same market where some see trash, others see treasure. Your ability to see treasure is a function of the person you have become by programming.
“During today’s programme, we were able to see that we see more than what we are programmed to see than what really is, and the worst programming you can ever have is blaming, complaining, and excuses.
“While the best programming you can ever have is full commitment, full responsibility, and full acceptance of that responsibility. So the summary of my message to Rivers and Port Harcourt people is that the prosperity in River State is not the oil. We are called the treasure base, the prosperity in Rivers State is in the person you see in the mirror.”
He said by the time the treasure in the individuals is brought out, with full commitment, full responsibility, and full delivery, he added, not only would Rivers State work for Rivers people, but Rivers State would work for that person you see in the mirror. “So we are not going to rest in our oars and wait for a Messiah to come and show us Rivers State and show Rivers State to the world. We are taking full responsibility to show ourselves Rivers State and show Rivers State to the world. If you don’t take that responsibility with us, you’ll be left behind.”
Rueben, known as the Executive Chairman of the 16th Council, said the event went on well. “I think it’s been a wonderful event. It’s been an eye-opener to many people. I can see people, the reaction we’re getting from the room clearly shows that people are learning and repositioning their thinking.
“Your results in life depend on your perspective. Your perspective depends on your strategic positioning. So you really cannot go achieve certain things except to reposition.
“So when you notice that it seems effort is bringing in less and less results. Work what before no longer works. Many times, the problem is not market saturation.
Many times, it’s not because the product is not good. Many times, it’s because the vantage point from where you’re looking needs to be changed. You need to reposition yourself.”
He said one needed to look at markets and people differently. “Strategic elevation is about rising above the noise of competition to conceive and perceive markets and people differently. And ask whether you’re a professional or you’re an entrepreneur or whoever it is that you are.
“There comes that point in life when if you don’t elevate, you cannot go further.
Everything according to John Maxwell rises and falls on leadership. Leadership provides the direction that the rest of the people follow.”
Reuben warned against mistaking what leadership meant. “But make no mistakes about it. Leadership is not just something reserved for those in high office. There is a place every one of us must come in.
There’s a place you come in.
“So leadership is taking responsibility from where you are and choosing to realise that if you don’t do it, nobody else may do that. So yes, you have a leadership problem, not just in Africa, but around the world. I mean, I’ve travelled to many places and I can tell you that leadership problem isn’t limited to what we see in Africa or in Nigeria or in Port Harcourt.
“It’s a general thing. But for people in Port Harcourt, this city has the capacity to become a global city if people learn to take responsibility. Imagine when people produce things, goods and services as a response to the challenges they see in society, not just driven by the desire to make money.”
The expert said the things we complain about become opportunities to make a difference. “Those things can be simpler than you can imagine.
“But the way we look is what the problem is. So strategic elevation empowers you to see things differently and then you can have different kinds of results.”
On his message to the youths, he said: “It’s your responsibility as a young person to make a difference in your time. You cannot sacrifice your tomorrow for peanuts because someone is offering you something (money or a position or anything else.
“Realise that your decisions have consequences. And think about the next 10 years. And ask yourself whether you’ll be proud of the decisions you’re making today.”
Reflecting on lessons from the conference, he said one of the most profound messages was that young people should no longer see themselves as leaders of tomorrow but as leaders of today.
“The prosperity of Rivers State is not in oil. The prosperity of Rivers State is in the person you see in the mirror. When individuals embrace responsibility and deliver value, Rivers State will work for everyone”.
Participants:
Participants at the conference said the sessions had inspired them to take responsibility for personal growth and societal development.
Goodluck Esogwai described the conference as transformative, noting that the presentations deepened his understanding of leadership and nation building.
“Leadership is not about authority or position; it’s about influence, responsibility, and making decisive moves for positive change”.
Another participant, Precious Nwokansu, said the event taught her that greatness is achievable regardless of one’s background.
She added that building strategic relationships and learning from people who have achieved desired goals are critical to personal success.
“I’m so grateful to be here. My take home today is that anybody can be great no matter where you are coming from and you have to be strategic in looking for the right relationship that can put you in the position where you are going to”.
The conference concluded with renewed calls for leadership, innovation and active citizenship, as participants pledged to apply lessons learned towards personal growth and community development.
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