How Dr. Anyaso's Alumni Lecture Can Transform a Generation of EBSU Students |WATCH VIDEO
Afnews Editor
Jul 16, 2025
Dr. Chimaobi Anyaso's lecture at EBSU is a masterclass in turning failure into fortune. Discover how his inspiring message challenges students to dream boldly.
[caption id="attachment_192447" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Dr. Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso[/caption]
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"Your result is not your reality. Your grit is your greatest gift." - Dr. Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso
Ebonyi State University was stirred with emotion and purpose as one of its most remarkable alumni, Dr. Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso, returned to deliver the institution's first-ever Distinguished Alumni Lecture, themed "From Classroom to Boardroom - The Power of Education in Shaping Destiny."
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Before an audience of students, lecturers, alumni, and dignitaries-including the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Ugota Awoke-Dr. Anyaso shared not just a lecture, but a life-changing testimony of transformation.
"This is not just a lecture. It is a homecoming. I don't stand before you as a perfect man, but as a living testimony," he began, visibly emotional as he recounted his journey from the lecture halls of EBSU to the leadership of CAADES Group, a conglomerate with footprints in oil and gas, construction, hospitality, and real estate.
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Born in Igbere, raised in Aba, and graduating from EBSU in 2003 with a third-class degree in English and Literature, Anyaso admitted that many wrote him off early. But his message to students was clear:
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"Your degree is a seed, not a shelter. Greatness is not born from accolades but forged in attitude."
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He told his story candidly: how he wrestled with self-doubt, faced rejection, failed, rose again, and built a billion-dollar business empire working with international partners like Vitol, Mobil, and Total. Yet, beyond the boardroom, he discovered a greater purpose-impact.
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As part of his commitment to education, Anyaso founded the Ahuoma Anyaso Education Foundation, a tuition-free school for underprivileged children.
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"Education is not a certificate. It is a tool. A tool that builds you, equips you, and shapes your character beyond grades."
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Entrepreneurship as the New Leadership School
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[caption id="attachment_192454" align="alignnone" width="1366"] Dr. Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso[/caption]
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Dr. Anyaso didn't shy away from criticizing the culture of rewarding political power without proven competence.
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"Nigeria cannot afford to hand its public funds to people who've never managed a payroll or balanced a ledger. Governance is not guesswork. It's financial discipline, accountability, and service."
He challenged students to think beyond classrooms and start building real-world solutions now.
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"Read beyond your curriculum. Collaborate beyond your department. Experiment beyond your fears. You don't need a PhD to make impact-just vision and consistency."
He emphasized six key principles that guided his journey:
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Start where you are.
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Turn knowledge into value.
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Never stop learning.
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Build people, not just profits.
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Give back as you grow.
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Lead with purpose, not just position.
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A Call to Students, Alumni, and the Institution
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To the students, he said:
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"Your future is not written in your grade. It's written in your grit."
To the alumni:
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"We are not just former students-we are stakeholders. Now is the time to return as rainmakers-to water the dreams of the next generation."
To EBSU itself, he urged a bold reimagining:
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Emphasize innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership.
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Integrate soft skills and digital literacy into curricula.
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Make final-year students pitch real-world projects before graduation.
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"Let EBSU be known not just for producing graduates-but for producing game-changers."
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Conclusion: "I Am Possible"
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Dr. Chimaobi Desmond Anyaso ended with a powerful reflection:
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"If a young man from Igbere, with a third-class degree, can build global businesses and influence policy-then so can you. Say to yourself every day: I AM POSSIBLE."
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With that, EBSU witnessed more than a speech-it experienced a spark. A reminder that destiny is not determined by degrees, but by decisions. And that the next generation of African leaders is not waiting in line-but rising from lecture halls across the continent.
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