Emegha Ferguson Udochukwu is referred to as Prestige Ferguson. He is the CEO of Prestige Global Community. He is a lawyer, a preacher, a thought leader, an intentional life coach, and a seminar speaker.
In this exclusive interview with Mystory Nigeria, the Afikpo-born lawyer describes his path in community leadership and challenges.
Explain the well-known Prestige Ferguson to us.
Prestige Ferguson, whose real name is Emegha Udochukwu Ferguson, is me.
I founded and serve as president of the Prestige Global Community. Our mission is to develop purposeful leaders for worldwide relevance in all facets of life. It is a community of entrepreneurs and leaders.
Profession and education? I grew up as a pastor and currently practice law. For the past ten years, I have served in the ministry. Later, I was allowed to assume my full leadership role under the direction of Rev. Philip. I went to Federal Government College Okposi and Ebonyi State University to study law. I’m from Ebonyi State’s Afikpo South. In the state capital of Abakiliki, I am currently the lead fellow of a Prestige legal chamber, and the firm is doing well.
How was your upbringing and childhood experience like?
How was my childhood and upbringing? I grew up in Aba, Nigeria, and was the last child in the family. I observed my brothers’ strengths and weaknesses from a distance, so I had to take advantage of their weaknesses and other obstacles in life that they were unable to overcome. I began adjusting and forming friendships, but I had to cut off contact with my family, particularly on visiting days in my high school when people were constantly relying on them parents. Expectations are the source of many disappointments, therefore I didn’t want to start upsetting anyone because I knew how things were at home. I started selling pure waters, newspaper, ice water and petty things at an early age to support my school. It was not really easy, but I thank God that today the story is not the same.
What was your early background in youth coaching?
I began developing my leadership abilities as a result. I started establishing connections and influence. I started reading books, going to seminars, and listening to inspirational leaders because I knew very early in life what I wanted to become. And making connections with professionals in the field. Similar to what Robert Frost discussed in his book “The Road Not Taken,” people are always inclined to choose the easiest route. They would always prefer to adhere to a pre-existing structure. Many things are the way they are because no one wants to question the status quo.
More radical young people are needed to disrupt the system. I’m writing a book about it, which I call disruptive leadership. I occasionally astound myself, and others are curious; nobody in my family has taken a similar action. Until someone chooses to mess with the system, nothing really changed—the same parents, food, and water that we all took.
It all starts with a pattern of thought.
How do you balance your work and family life?
It’s not easy. There are times you wouldn’t have money in your pocket; you would do major events, but there’s no money. You may not even have the money; just have courage, and somehow these things begin to play out. It might be difficult, but it is not impossible.
However, now, after seven years, we are finally balancing things up.
I’m working tirelessly to hand over the leadership of the community to someone else because I believe that the community is bigger than me. I have to bequeath it back to the system.
It is time to step back and start watching from afar.
Don’t you think that it is too early for a handover and to start watching from afar?
Yes, it’s not too early, and it’s not too late as well. I have done a reasonable amount of work, and it’s not like I’m stepping out entirely; I will still be around to guide.
First of all, I know the vision I have, and I also know the limitations there are. So, I want to change the mindset because we are dealing with people.
People are the hardest things to handle. I want people to have the consciousness that this thing is not about Mr. Ferguson but a community that they can leverage on.
Of course the person who is going to become the president would be someone whom we have trained and drilled to the point that he would perform even much more. I would be doing the appointment.
We saw one of your posts with Dr. Linus Okorie, who we observed to also be a force in the industry of raising young people. What can you say concerning your meeting him and your relationship?
I would say Dr. Linus is one big deal in the industry currently. He is the founder of GOTNI, which means Guardian of the Nation Institute, and he focuses primarily on leadership. This year, I wrote down some of my role models whom I would love to have access to, and one of them was Dr. Linus and Dr. Mike Oladipo. There’s also Mr. Aja Excel, and funny enough, I met with all of them this year.
Dr. Linus is someone who has an incredible impact on the lives of young people, and in leadership, as far as business and management are concerned, he has broken through the status quo.
If you see him talk, he is full of passion and the same energy he must have had when he started. It encouraged me to know that this path is the way to go and that certain people share the same story of believing in themselves against all odds. He knew what he wanted to be, and meeting him has been impactful because, in this industry, you have to do a lot of networking.
Because the more you keep beholding, the more you keep becoming.
Are you married, sir?
No, I’m not married, but I have plans for marriage; I just believe that now is the time to set my future straight and change the narratives. I believe God has given me a mandate, and I need someone that can understand that mandate.
Thank you for having me.
