Why I Enrolled To Become Shoemaker – Abia Governor

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu is set to combine his busy schedule as executive governor of Abia State with skill acquisition in shoemaking. 

The governor recently enrolled himself at a footwear academy in Aba, the commercial nerve center of Abia, to acquire a new skill as a cordwainer. 

Ikpeazu, in a tweet on Saturday night, said he was eager to start learning the skill. 

The governor explained that his decision to enroll at the academy was to further push the made-in-aba campaign and to also encourage Abia youths to “take advantage of the many entrepreneurial opportunities my administration is making possible”. 

He said over 2,000 youths indicated interest in acquiring the skill after his enrollment. 

The governor shared photos of himself taking a clash at the Footwear Academy, Aba, and restated his commitment to the “made-in-aba” campaign. 

He tweeted that he was, “…most fascinated by the quality of shoes and other leather works produced by our people in Aba, products that can compete with [those being produced by] the Chinese and other top nations in the global shoes and leather works industry. 

“That’s why I’ve always donned Made-in-Aba wears, and showed my pride in them by going a step further to enrol at this Footwear Academy.”

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Ikpeazu thanked the Nigerian Railway Corporation and the Nigeria Police Force for patronising manufacturers of leather works in the state. 

He said, “I encourage other corporate and private citizens to toe the same line so as to help grow our economy rather than grow the economy of other nations by patronising their products at the expense of our own. I also encourage our youths to take advantage of the many entrepreneurial opportunities my administration is making possible in Abia State to acquire skills that will help them sustain a meaningful livelihood. It was based on this that I also committed to giving the Footwear Academy the needed government support including provision of land for its expansion in order to be able to take in more students. 

“I’ve also advised the Academy and the Enyimba Automated Shoe Factory to collaborate with each other for greater output.

“I must not fail to commend Mr Bentley Chukwuemeka, founder of The Footwear Academy, for heeding our call to investors to invest at home. This is another example of how our government supports both foreign and local investors for the good of our people. And just like my government sponsored 30 Abia youths to China to hone their shoemaking skills after which they have been transferring the acquired knowledge to others back home, we are committed to continue to educate and train our youths to ensure that, apart from establishing their own investors also have a pool of highly qualified, yet, competitively priced manpower they can tap from.

“Lastly, let me restate my gladness at seeing that the enthusiasm of our youth in shoe making has been rekindled following my enrolment, after which over 2,000 prospective student shoe makers are now on queue to enrol.

“Very soon, Abia State Polytechnic (ABIAPOLY) will commence programmes that will collaborate with The Footwear Academy (TFA) and the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company (ENASCO) (for practicals exposure) that will to the award of Diploma certificates in leather technology, with emphasis on shoe designs and manufacturing! We are poised to remain the leading ecosystem for leather products in Africa!

“Having enrolled at The Footwear Academy, I shall do my best to graduate with distinction and become a shoemaker of choice to people of all classes.”