News
Sponsorship As a Potent Force in The Journey of Life
In this piece, Chuks Oluigbo reviews Omo-Ojo Ernest Ivie’s The Potent Force of Sponsorship.
In choosing the title of his book, ‘The Potent Force of Sponsorship’, Omo-Ojo Ernest Ivie consciously uses the word ‘potent’ to demonstrate the power, efficacy, potency of the force of sponsorship, which, according to him, is “the very principle that rules the world”.
And the author demonstrates, in six chapters and 86 pages, that “the world runs on sponsorship” – it is there in the businesses/corporate world, entertainment industry, churches or religious organisations, politics, sports, etc. But there are also 15 preliminary pages that include endorsements, dedication and introduction.
The book, a bold attempt to change mindsets, answers the critical questions – Who is a sponsor? Why do we need a sponsor? Can you reach your zenith without a sponsor? Do we confuse a mentor with a sponsor? Does the world run on sponsorship? Is it scriptural and spiritual?
Going through, one cannot miss the nuggets that dominate the entire book, nuggets that essentially speak to the critical place of sponsorship in every phase of human life and career. But beyond these nuggets, the author calls readers to be strategic in positioning themselves to be identified by potential sponsors as, according to him, “Life without a sponsor cannot reach its zenith.”
‘The Potent Force of Sponsorship’ opens with an introduction, where the author emphasises that while having a mentor is good, a sponsor is actually more critical than a mentor. Indeed, he says, sponsorship is “the most useful of the success chains” as “all the coaching and mentoring” would be useless “if you do not have a platform to showcase all you have learnt”.“A mentor is good,” he argues, “but having a good mentor without a sponsor is time and energy wasted.”
The opening chapter, titled “Who is a Sponsor?”, traces the word ‘sponsor’ from its Latin origins and offers various definitions from different sources. Some qualities of a sponsor highlighted in this chapter include that a sponsor announces your arrival to the stage; makes room for you; sponsors are very impatient and very strategic; they are visionary – they see opportunities well ahead; they usually have big egos; they could charge a fee; they could demand rewards; and they do not operate based on emotions.
“Sponsorship does not happen by accident. It is deliberate, thought over, planned and executed. It takes a lot for someone to agree to undertake a sponsorship; it demands responsibility from both partners. Most times the person sponsoring must find value before embarking on the mission.
It does not come cheap, it is expensive and as such you have to earn it, there are no emotions about it, which is why it is not a philanthropic movement,” the author says.
He goes ahead in Chapter Two to clearly distinguish between sponsors and mentors, two distinct roles, he says, people often tend to confuse. While “a mentor is someone inside or outside your organisation who can give advice, feedback and encouragement”, the author defines a sponsor as “someone within or outside your organisation who has positional and political influence to help you move your career or life forward. Sponsors provide leads to advancement and growth”.
Using Biblical examples, the author in the third chapter attempts to show that the world runs and has always run on sponsorship; that even God himself understands this concept and used it.
To illustrate this point, he cites the examples of Jesus and John the Baptist, David and Jonathan,Moses and Pharaoh’s daughter, Naaman and the Jewish maid (2 Kings 5:1-26), Rebecca and Jacob (Gen. 27:5-30), Joseph and the Cupbearer (Gen. 41), Ruth and Naomi (Ruth Chapter 2), Saul, the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 9: 6-20), Jesus at the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6: 1-10), among others.
Arguing that John was the sponsor of Jesus, the author buttresses his argument by pointing out that John announced Jesus’ arrival on stage when he said, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world”, and made room for Jesus when he said, “He will increase and I will decrease”.
The author says, “You can never tell where your next breakthrough would come from as the next person to you may just be the sponsor you have been waiting for; so do not despise small beginnings.”
He adds, “We all need leveraging, don’t despise the power of leveraging, it’s the difference why two people who set out on the same journey same day to the same destination arrive differently.”
In Chapter Four, the author, using contemporary examples, demonstrates that the sponsorship principle is a reality of our time which you ignore or hate at your own peril.
“This principle today defines the essence of politics, government, business, religion, entertainment, sports, etc. It is the single game changer or decider of who gets what, why, where and how. If you hate or fail to recognise and operate in this principle, your chances of succeeding and reaching your zenith are greatly diminished,” he says.
He cites the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa as an example of a sponsor in Pentecostal Christianity, Don King in world boxing, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Nigerian politics, while he also uses immediate past United States President Barack Obama to show a great beneficiary of the sponsorship principle.
“You must strive to get to a position where your sponsor will believe so much in you and would have no alternative to you, which speaks volume about loyalty and trust. This principle is not ‘ojoro’ (deceit), this is how the world operates and your feelings cannot change it. Instead of being frustrated by it, key into this principle,” he admonishes.
In the fifth chapter, the author highlights some qualities one needs to develop in order to attract a sponsor. These include develop your skills (both hard and soft skills); humility to learn; patience; perseverance; loyalty, and trust.
“The path to sponsorship discovery,” he says, “involves a series of steps. Essentially, you must believe in this immutable principle of human existence as it governs the affairs of men. You must realise that life’s success is not only a determinant of the most skilled, most talented and most hardworking, but time and chance happen to men. It takes a lot of effort and focus to tap into this principle.”
In this sixth and final chapter, the author sums up the discussion using some personal examples to show how the sponsorship principle has worked in his life and calls his readers to action.
“My entire life has been about sponsorship; if it worked for me it can for you. Don’t go on this journey of life without a sponsor; the pains and headaches are too much to bear and it is certainly not worth it. Sponsors shorten time, distance, space and generally give you a leveraging advantage,” he says.
For the author, the sponsorship principle is something experiential. And like the author, if we also look very closely at our lives, we may see that the principle the author has espoused in the book is what many of us probably have experienced all along.
At every phase in our lives or career, we have had someone speak on our behalf, recommend us for an assignment, a job or a position.
The only difference is that we may not have given a name to it. And while we may have been thinking sponsorship is accidental, the author says it is not and calls us to be strategic as we go about positioning ourselves to be identified by potential sponsors.
Essentially, what the author has done in ‘The Potent Force of Sponsorship’ is that he has gathered our collective experience, using his personal experience and those of a few others, and given it a potent voice, an expression. It reminds one of what Alexander Pope says in his definition of poetry – or what he calls “true wit”: “What oft was thought but ne’er so well expressed”.
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Fidson Healthcare Plc has commended the Bank of Industry (BoI) for its pivotal role in facilitating concessionary financing that is accelerating the growth of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, following a high-level visit by delegations from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and BoI to the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sango-Ota, Ogun State.
The visit formed part of the implementation of the recently signed €50 million healthcare financing partnership between EIB Global and BoI, designed to strengthen local production of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and other critical healthcare products in Nigeria.
As Nigeria’s leading development finance institution, BoI has championed efforts to unlock long-term capital for strategic sectors, including healthcare manufacturing, in line with national industrialisation and health security objectives.
Speaking on behalf of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Industry, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, Rotimi Akinde, Executive Director, Corporate Finance, Sustainability and Investments, highlighted the Bank’s longstanding support for Fidson and the strategic importance of the healthcare sector.
“Fidson Healthcare Plc is one of Nigeria’s foremost pharmaceutical companies and has maintained a robust relationship with BoI since 2010. Over the years, we have provided concessionary financing to support its expansion plans, and the company has grown significantly as a result of that partnership,” he said.
Akinde noted that healthcare manufacturing remains a key pillar of BoI’s corporate strategy and aligns strongly with Nigeria’s economic development priorities.
The EIB-backed facility is part of broader efforts under the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative to strengthen healthcare manufacturing ecosystems across Africa and reduce dependence on imported medical products.
Speaking on the significance of the intervention, Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, described Fidson as one of the first beneficiaries of the EIB-BoI healthcare financing programme.
“A few months after signing the €50 million health financing agreement with the Bank of Industry, I am pleased to visit one of the first beneficiaries of this credit line, Fidson Healthcare, one of the leading pharmaceutical manufacturers in Nigeria,” Fayolle said.
He noted that the partnership reflects EIB’s commitment to supporting local production capacity, strengthening healthcare resilience and expanding access to affordable, high-quality medicines across the continent.
For Fidson Healthcare, the financing represents another milestone in a growth journey that has been closely supported by BoI over the last decade and a half.
According to Biola Adebayo, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidson Healthcare Plc, the company’s relationship with BoI has been instrumental in transforming it into one of Africa’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturing platforms.
“Our relationship with BoI dates back to 2010 when the Bank recognised our growth aspirations and began providing concessionary funding. Since then, our trajectory has remained firmly upward,” Adebayo said.
“From a workforce of about 250 employees in 2010, we have grown to approximately 1,800 employees today. BoI’s support also made it possible for us to invest in green manufacturing and environmentally friendly production processes.”
Adebayo noted that Fidson now operates one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa and continues to invest aggressively in quality assurance and global standards.
“We are not only home to one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Nigeria but also one of the most advanced in Sub-Saharan Africa. This is the only facility where you will find ten dosage forms in operation, and we are currently undergoing four medicine prequalification processes simultaneously. With EIB and BoI on our side, we believe we can achieve our ambitious vision for healthcare manufacturing and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s health security and industrial development,” he said.
The EIB-BoI healthcare financing programme is expected to provide long-term patient capital to pharmaceutical manufacturers and other healthcare enterprises, enabling them to scale operations, improve quality standards, expand employment, and strengthen domestic value chains.
The facility is aligned with Nigeria’s healthcare and industrialisation priorities, the African Union’s target of producing 60 per cent of vaccines and essential medicines locally by 2040, and broader efforts to position Nigeria as a manufacturing hub for healthcare products across West Africa.
A commission of inquiry set up by the Benue State Government to investigate the state’s income and expenditure between 2015 and 2023 has uncovered N139.8 billion in unaccounted public funds.
Governor Hyacinth Alia
Justice Jubril Idrisu (retd), chairman of the Benue State Income and Expenditure Commission of Inquiry, disclosed this at the weekend 2026 while presenting the commission’s report to Governor Hyacinth Alia at the Government House, Makurdi.
Idrisu said the commission’s findings showed that the state generated more than N826.5 billion in revenue during the period under review, while expenditure stood at about N683.4 billion.
According to him, the records revealed an unaccounted balance of approximately N139.8 billion, which the commission recommended should be recovered from persons found responsible.
“The commission’s findings, contained in two volumes, revealed significant concerns in the management of public finances during the period under review.
“Records showed that the state generated over N826.5 billion in revenue, while expenditure stood at about N683.4 billion, leaving an unaccounted balance of approximately N139.8 billion,” he said.
The retired jurist explained that the commission, inaugurated in June 2025, was mandated to examine the income and expenditure of the immediate past administration and the 23 local government councils between May 29, 2015, and May 28, 2023.
He said the panel also uncovered questionable loan transactions involving some financial institutions and local government councils, including repayments that far exceeded the original loan amounts without adequate documentation.
Idrisu further disclosed that investigators identified irregular transfers of public funds to certain financial institutions without sufficient records or proof of legitimacy, recommending appropriate recoveries where necessary.
He stressed the need for stronger financial controls, including proper authorisation of online transactions by designated officers and an end to the practice of issuing blank pre-signed mandates.
According to him, such practices undermine transparency and accountability in public financial management.
Receiving the report, Alia reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability and institutional reforms.
Represented by his deputy, Dr Sam Ode, Alia commended the panel for their courage and painstaking assignment undertaken in the public interest.
He said Justice Idrisu was selected to head the commission because of his reputation as a fearless jurist and a man of integrity.
He expressed confidence that implementation of the commission’s recommendations would strengthen institutions, curb the misuse of public resources and ensure accountability for those found culpable.
He acknowledged the challenges encountered by the commission, including difficulties in obtaining information and cooperation from some individuals and institutions, but commended members for their resilience and dedication.
He also apologised for logistical difficulties experienced by the commission, noting that the present administration inherited serious institutional and administrative challenges at the inception of its tenure.
He assured the panel that its work would serve as a critical reference point in the state’s efforts to rebuild public confidence and restore accountability in governance.
The governor added that future generations would look back at the report as evidence of the commission’s contribution to strengthening transparency and responsible management of public resources in Benue.
The UK Government has announced the appointment of Mr Peter Vowles as the next British High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mr Vowles succeeds Dr Richard Montgomery CMG and is expected to take up his post in Abuja in September 2026. Dr Montgomery remains in post until that time.
Mr Vowles brings extensive diplomatic and development experience to the role, having served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2023 to 2026 and previously as Ambassador to Myanmar from 2021 to 2022.
He has held senior leadership positions across the FCDO and its predecessor department DFID, including as Transformation Director and Director for Asia, Caribbean and Overseas Territories.
Earlier in his career, Mr Vowles worked in international development across South Asia, Central Africa and East Africa, including postings in Bangladesh, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. He began his career in Zimbabwe, where he worked in education and development.
Peter Vowles said: “I am honoured to be appointed as British High Commissioner to Nigeria. Nigeria is a country of immense importance to the United Kingdom, and I look forward to working closely with Nigerian partners to strengthen our relationship across trade, development and security.”
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