From Prediction To President : Ochuba First-year Words Revisited At Unizik Emerge Confrence 2026
By Ebubechukwu Onyekwelu
Students, entrepreneurs and young professionals gathered at Emerge 2026, a career and leadership summit organised by The Beautiful Network (TBN) in partnership with the Solution Innovation District (SID), on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the ASUU Secretariat Hall, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, where speakers including Giant Comr. Chukwusom Samuel Ochuba, Egbe Francis Emeka, Chinyere Otuonye, Francis Onuorah, Odenigbo Angel, Beauty Nweze and Jidenkwo Jonathan Ikenna shared insights on leadership, networking, entrepreneurship, finance and personal development.
Speaking during a panel session, the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Giant Comr. Chukwusom Samuel Ochuba, said he had started telling people from his first year that he would become the university’s SUG President.
Earlier during the event, the Guest of Honour and Chief Executive Officer of Eaglescomfort & Safety Services, Egbe Francis Emeka, delivered a session on networking, stressing that “your network is your net worth.” He explained that networking created opportunities for growth, helped individuals market themselves, encouraged knowledge sharing through interactions with experts and experienced professionals, increased visibility and enabled people to remain relevant. He further advised participants to always think about what they could offer before asking or receiving, listen more than they spoke, follow up on contacts professionally and remain consistent by regularly checking on their network. Participants also took part in a practical networking exercise where they met two new people, introduced themselves, exchanged contacts and engaged in brief conversations.
Also speaking, Chinyere Otuonye, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sparks Ventures Hub, highlighted several opportunities available to founders and startups to access grants and sponsorships. Among the opportunities she mentioned was the Skill-Up Artisans Programme of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
During the panel session moderated by Ugochukwu Divine, Ochuba, while responding to a question on leadership, recalled that he had begun telling people from his first year that he would become the university’s SUG President. He said he had deliberately prepared himself for leadership by reading books on leadership and public speaking, a habit he noted had transformed the way he communicated and given him the confidence to speak in public. Asked how his role as SUG President had affected his academics, Ochuba dismissed as “a big fat lie” the belief that occupying the office of SUG President automatically boosted one’s CGPA. According to him, student leaders had to study hard to succeed academically, adding that he became more intentional about reading by switching off his phone and laptop to focus on his studies. He noted that student leaders could even be singled out to write examinations and quizzes at the front of the examination hall, making it necessary to remain academically prepared.
Odenigbo Angel emphasised that students should not build a temporary identity around being students while responding to a question from the moderator. She encouraged participants to define themselves by the value they intended to create beyond the university. Asked about students who had dreams but did not know the steps to take, she said success did not begin with having every step figured out but by consistently showing up daily and urged participants to identify their priorities and remain committed to them.
Beauty Nweze stressed that remaining invisible as a student was a mistake while responding to a question from the moderator. She urged students to make themselves visible through meaningful actions, noting that visibility depended on one’s actions. Citing the biblical admonition, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,” she maintained that staying invisible limited opportunities for growth.
Francis Onuorah said dreams were proportional to one’s level of exposure in response to a question from the moderator. He explained that execution began by breaking a dream into smaller, achievable steps, adding that many people dreamed without taking deliberate steps to execute those dreams. Asked what inspired him to convene The Conversation, Onuorah said the initiative stemmed from a burden he developed after an internship, where he observed that many students lacked adequate exposure to opportunities outside the classroom. He said he shared the idea with friends who embraced the vision, leading to the planning of the event. He further stated that the organisation was not fully prepared even while the event was ongoing but stressed that people should not wait for perfection before taking action and encouraged participants to remain open to learning, constructive suggestions and continuous improvement.
Following the panel session, Jidenkwo Jonathan Ikenna delivered a presentation on financial growth, speaking on when students should begin investing, how to invest wisely and how to push themselves beyond their perceived limits. Also, Mrs. Jennifer, representing the Solution Innovation District (SID), introduced the One Million Anambra Digital Tribe, an initiative fully sponsored by the Anambra State Government for students, fresh graduates, graduates and business owners. She encouraged participants to register through the Skills Academy platform, explaining that the programme equipped beneficiaries with high-value, in-demand digital skills while creating opportunities for personal and professional development.
The event concluded with a business pitch session, where selected participants presented their business ideas and received constructive feedback to refine their pitches.
