A Glimpse into Linus Okorie’s Life: Africa’s Leadership Luminary
BY ADEYEMO, JESUTOFUNMI
On 10th November, 2023 I and some vision carriers entered the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. We had come to see a man. For two months, we gleaned from his wealth of knowledge, we aspired to toil his path, to implement more than his has for we have heard of him, the finest of Africa’s thought leader on leadership. Out of over a hundred youths who desired to emerge his mentee, these few travellers were chosen as his mentees. We were optimised from the Optimised Mentorship with Dr. Linus Okorie.
White bearded with smile across his face, I wondered how a man supposed to have just returned from an official trip from Nigeria’s East, the same day, could enter a room filled with youths yearning to hear him speak, appear tireless. Little did I know that he had a purpose for waking and we, the travellers were his reason.
The following day, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center, Abuja was filled with youths ready to learn from elites who mounted the stage gracefully at intervals sharing from their wealth of knowledge. This is the life, this is what he lives for.
Dr. Linus Okorie MFR Africa’s foremost leadership consultant, founder and president of Guardians of the Nation International, a leadership development non-profit organisation. He is the managing consultant of New Vision Consults, a company in the business of developing institution leaders. He is a conference speaker and a regular guest in many print media, radio, and television platforms across Nigeria. He is the radio host of “The Leadership Clinic.”
“If a man does not have a purpose for waking, sleeping becomes interesting”.
It was not always like this, he has a story.
He is from the family of nine children. He grew up in Cameroon, where he completed his academics at primary seven. At the verge of moving into the secondary school, he was mandated to move to Owerri, Nigeria. Since he desired to attend a model school in Owerri, he pleaded with his parents to take him to school where his sister was, even if it meant that he had to repeat primary six (in Nigeria), having completed primary seven in Cameroon.
Upon completion of primary six in Owerri, he applied to be admitted as a secondary school student at Government Secondary School Owerri, he got a spot in the school and gained admission into the school.
On arrival at the school, he realised that majority of the students at the school were persons from privileged homes. He was from a poor home of nine children with parents who were small traders. Well, he did not allow his background put him to the ground. So, he chose to act as who he believes he is, it reflected in his attitude. He never played the poor child, begging from other students. He walked like his thought and acted as he envisioned.
Three years later, tragedy struck. His father had crossed to the other side of life, leaving his mother to care for the nine children they had. The pain and pity in the heart of the boy, Linus Okorie made him resolve not to perturb his mother for finance.
“Good afternoon fellow students, may I announce to you that I will be your Senior Prefect.” This was the echo of a dreamer tinkling the ears of the students. That dreamer was the boy, Linus Okorie. The students went silent. Boom! Like a spark to reality, there was an outburst of laughter, it sound flowed into the dreamer’s body through his ears, filled his soul like water would fill a can. Was he wrong to have made such statement?
The dreamer felt shame. With heads laid to his desk, his mind wandered. He felt the euphoria of being crowned Senior Prefect. The first time, he told the class, he was scorned. Again, his mind picturesd, there must be a reason…. In Senior Secondary, Class Two (SS 2), the dreamer became the Senior Prefect.
This was beginning of one of Africa’s most respected leadership experts. It is important that I tell you about his place of purpose, how he found a reason for waking and what his reason for waking is.
Just before he got into the university, he attended The Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI) in Owerri. Among the many courses taught at the institute was Understanding Divine Direction. The course opened his eyes to the Biblical Nehemiah, Nehemiah – Jewish leader who supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem in the mid-5th century bce after his release from captivity by the Persian king Artaxerxes I. He also instituted extensive moral and liturgical reforms in rededicating the Jews to Yahweh.
Having read the book of Nehemiah, the youth, Linus Okorie began to cry. He shed tears because he could not find leaders in the political space of the country, Nigeria with the leadership charisma of the Biblical Nehemiah. The youth, Linus Okorie, cried for days and asked God to give him a vision for life, he desired to raise leaders for Nigeria and Africa.
Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI) was born a few days after at the residence of the then Imo State Broadcasting Incorporation, Managing Director.
The youth, Linus Okorie became the first Student Union Presidential at Imo State University. He began to seek necessary knowledge to build his dream of birthing sustainable leaders in Nigeria and Africa. He has learnt under great leaders like Myles Monroe, John Maxwell, Brian Tracy and many others.
Today, he is Nigeria’s most sought after expert on leadership, he has the most organised leadership institute in Nigeria, he has commence the process of building a seven-star Leadership University in Nigeria, West Africa. He has been recognised by the Nigeria presidency as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), a rare title for a distinguished citizen.
His mantra is, “If a man does not have a purpose for waking, sleeping becomes interesting.” Indeed, Dr. Linus Okorie MFR has found a purpose for waking.
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