Maduka University celebrated its founder’s day on Saturday, marking a dual milestone: the birthday of the Chancellor and founder, Chief (Dr.) Samuel Maduka Onyishi, and the university’s one-year anniversary.
In his remarks, Dr. Onyishi attributed his achievements to unwavering confidence and trust in God. He encouraged students to cultivate the fear of God and embrace the spirit of entrepreneurship while taking full advantage of the quality education provided by the university.
“This university places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship because we understand that ideas drive the world, but practical ideas create world-class leaders and entrepreneurs.
“Entrepreneurship isn’t just about becoming a seamstress, running a construction company, or owning multiple shops. It’s fundamentally about attitude,” he stated. “That’s why I often say that before you graduate, I must metaphorically ‘break your head’ to instill the right mindset and knowledge—the transformation you need to grow and succeed as an entrepreneur.”
He continued, “Entrepreneurship is vital. If you graduate as a medical doctor, I want you to become a medical entrepreneur. If you graduate as a lawyer, I want you to be a business-orientated lawyer. Whether you’re a psychologist, teacher, pharmacist, or nurse, I want you to integrate business into your profession. That’s why entrepreneurship is embedded in your program from your first year to your final year.
“For us, entrepreneurship isn’t just a general course—it’s a core course. By the time you leave here, you’ll have effectively attended a business school without paying extra for it,” he declared.
The Chancellor reaffirmed his commitment to providing the university with all necessary support to ensure its continued growth and success. He commended the pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charles Ogbulogo, along with other principal officers and staff, for their dedication and hard work since the university’s establishment on November 23, 2023.
Dr. Onyishi also expressed gratitude to parents for trusting Maduka University with their children’s education, emphasising the institution’s commitment to delivering quality learning experiences.
Earlier, Vice-Chancellor Professor Ogbulogo described Dr. Onyishi as a remarkable figure in history, lauding his dedication to selfless service and humanity. “As we celebrate our Chancellor, a truly great man of history, we also mentor and inspire our students to align with his vision of total independence,” he said.
Professor Ogbulogo highlighted the significance of the university’s first anniversary, noting that it symbolised a foundation for transformative progress. Setting the tone for the symposium themed Enhancing Trans-Generational Business Propensities in the South East, the Vice-Chancellor, in his remarks titled “Planting and Sustaining Evergreen Trees in Business,” raised pivotal questions about the survival of businesses in Nigeria, referencing companies like First Bank, UAC Union Bank, and John Holt, which have thrived across generations despite being established by non-Nigerians.
“We believe that in giving our Chancellor a befitting birthday party, our conversation today would agitate our minds and provoke our thoughts to seek right answers and galvanise our energies towards enhanced trans-generational propensities in entrepreneurship formation. We also believe that the occasion of our first anniversary would send the right for the real transformation,” he stated.
The chairman of the occasion, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna, Executive Secretary of the South East Business Investments Group, praised the staff and students of Maduka University, emphasising their privilege to have someone like Dr. Onyishi as Founder and Chancellor. He described the symposium’s theme as timely, given the challenges businesses in the South East face in sustaining success beyond their founding generation.
“It is unfortunate that many businesses in the South East collapse after their founders. Some of the prominent business names from the 1970s and 1980s have disappeared, largely due to poor entrepreneurial orientation among successors and family-related issues,” Dr. Okwenna noted.
Delivering the keynote lecture, Professor Josaphat Onwumere, Director of the UNN Business School, highlighted the critical challenges of sustaining businesses across generations in the South East.
“Despite the entrepreneurial ingenuity of the Igbo people, many businesses fail or collapse after the founders’ passing, underscoring a lack of trans-generational continuity,” he explained.
Professor Onwumere identified key obstacles such as the absence of succession planning, family conflicts, inadequate leadership, shifting economic realities, and cultural factors. He emphasised the need for decisive action to address these challenges, warning that without such measures, achieving trans-generational business success in the South East would remain elusive.
