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By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
Dr Richie Achukwu is an empowerment and leadership coach, who holds regular, well attended retreats for leaders and corporate executives in Nigeria and South Africa.
He features various programmes broadcast on DSTv and other free-to-air television channels. In this interview, Dr. Achukwu advocated that the NYSC programme should go beyond allowances and drill exercises. Excerpt:
Every year, the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) scheme turns out more unemployed graduates whereas the unemployment rate is 33.3 per cent as determined by the National Bureau of Statistics. How can the country address the timebomb which youth unemployment represents, and thereby give succour to the youths?
The NYSC scheme is fantastic but we are also losing opportunity to transform the youths. Just give me six months with few youth corps members not asking for too much and they are committed to work with me for six months, I will produced youths that will employ other youths and corps members. The one year is an opportunity that is the last chance to transform Nigerian youths. In my opinion, if we can take the national youth service and use it differently, move it from parade and allowances, and create programmes that will focus our young people in a new dimension and change. It is the last chance that you have to change the Nigerian youth. No youths corpsmember wants to be forced; they are willing to take instructions. I am not asking for a year but six months, we can create a new generation of wealth creating youth corpsmembers.
How feasible is this? Please explain how this can be achieved?
The NYSC programme should be designed in such a way that the corps members’ mindset is re-engineered to become job creators by acquiring skills in order to intensify and deepen entrepreneurship. If we motivate them, they would be encouraged and become productive entrepreneurs. To solve the unemployment challenge, we need to strategically position youths to be job creators. The government should review the activities of the NYSC scheme so they can be productive.
I met the president in South Africa. I was one of those who spoke at a conference and I the President and his team that NYSC programme should be designed to be impactful. Instead of the normal parade and drill exercise they engage at the orientation camp, they should be empowered as job creators, not just people collect allowances. Service year should be for re-orientation of the youths within the service year.
It is a time to bring entrepreneurs, to coach and re-educate them to become entrepreneurs. Their mindset needs to be reset. I challenged the NYSC to give me 80 corps members, who will work with me. After one year, you will see how many will employ themselves. We have been losing the pportunity offered by the service year truly reorient youths, think differently as wealth creators and rebuild the society. You bring captain of industry like Aliko Dangote, Pat Utomi, Tony Elumelu, Cosmas Maduka, Ibukun Awosika, Folorunsho Alakija, among others, to impact the new generation.
When you migrated abroad, did you experience a cultural shock? Please share your experience, especially for youths who believe that once they get abroad poverty will end?
Of course, I experienced culture shock.There is no place you will go to in the world that you won’t get cultural shock. It does not matter how you have prepared, you will be faced with things that you are not farmiliar with. That cultural shock would always be there, even if you have visited a country over and over again.
For the youths that want to leave the country, I cannot advise them on their choice but I can only make a suggestion because I am a coach. First, I will find out where the person wants to go. Then I tell the person to get a skill before leaving the country. You should acquire a rare skill. I am talking about a skill that people will pay anything to have you. The skill must be such that a few people possess and many persons are ready to pay anything that you charge for the service your skill produces.
Have you ever struggled to know which direction to take regarding life choices?
I have never really struggled to achieve anything, maybe it’s the grace, mercy and favour of God. As a child I still have pictures of me speaking on stage. From a long time ago, I have always known my life is to influence the way people think. What they do and how they do it. It has always been what runs my life and here I am. Everything I have done towards achieving my life goals has been intentional. That is the way I got to where I am today.
How did COVID-19 affect what you do as a life coach?
COVID-19 didn’t change any thing for me. I wrote a book, “Leading in Digital Times” before the lockdown. In my industry, they call me future risk taker. I became that because I always inquire from God about what is the next move, where I am headed next. And the Lord has actually been able to tell me what will happen before hand. So I wrote in my book that people should get online and create businesses. In fact, before the lockdown I was in Port Harcourt at TREM Port Harcourt where I told the congregation startup online businesses. There were signs that indicated that things were about to change. If you will recollect the story where the prophet said to the king, get on your horse and move because there was a sound of the abundance of rain. When it is taught in church, you talk about prosperity and blessings. But actually, it was an education. God is saying I can give you information that would help you escape the embarrassment that is coming up on people. You need to move before it happens. You need to put up an eagle eyes to know when the storm is coming and rise above it. We are not asking about what tomorrow holds, they just get excited about what someone is telling them.
I already knew and started applying the information to my business. In fact I was using zoom two years before the lockdown.
In a nutshell what is the role of a life coach? What is your view on certification for life coaches?
The bottom line for me is to help people produce better results. It depends on them from where they are. I take you from where you are to where you need to be. I am able to ask questions you cannot ask yourself. I am able to inspire you to take steps and I will hold your hands to move, but I don’t make the decisions for you. That is the power of a coach. It is good to have your certification but your certification would not put food on your table. It is just up to you to develop yourself. Not just for you to produce results, the results will look for you.
How was growing up like and which of your parents is your mentor?
Both my parents were involved with my growing up. They did so much work but my mum did a lot more. I was raised with so much value. My mum said to me if people believe in you, prove them right. My mum equally said people don’t need to like me, but I should be good in whatever I do, they will look for me. My mum said from the beginning to me, don’t do anything for money that can ruin people’s life. My mum said to me one day, if you keep coming to me for solutions, how will you help your kids grow tomorrow when they would need your help. Get up and solve your own problem. So you will develop enough skill to help your children grow. She said I should never blame somebody that helped you. Look at where you didn’t get it right so that you can improve on yourself. Stop looking for someone to blame. She told me that if I stay on the right path I will see the result. It comes with hardwork. She did a lot for me that helped shape my values.
