Nze Marcel Okezue, is the President of Electrical Dealers Association, Alaba, who also doubles as the Vice President Ndigboamaka Progressive Market Association.
In this interview with The Unique Model Magazine, he speaks on his achievements so far, provision of infrastructures, plans to partner with the Lagos state government to remodel Alaba market in an international standard and many more.
Excerpts:
Sir, can you introduce yourself to the Unique Model Magazine?
Well, my name is Nze Marcel Okezue, the President of Electrical Dealers Association, Alaba, and I double as the Vice President Ndigboamaka Progressive Market Association, comprising almost 58 markets in Lagos state.
Since you took the mantle of leadership of the Electrical Dealers Association, Alaba, on March 1, 2022, can we look at some of the achievements you have recorded?
Since March 1st 2022, when I took the mantle of leadership which has not been easy but God being on our side, we have been able to achieve so much. When we came in, we saw some of the challenges that the market was facing, we started tackling them one after the other; the first major one we had to tackle was the issue of light, because we were using only one transformer as big as the market. But, we were able to acquire a new 500 KVA transformer, in a period of six months which is lightening up the market now, and that issue is settled. There was also the issue of flood around block 22 to 23,which we also tackled, and there is no flood again. Before now, whenever it rained, those people around there would cry and complain because at the end of the rain, the flood would enter their shops and destroy their goods. In terms of putting the street lights inside the market, we have also been able to achieve that, by lightening up the market for security purposes, which will help the security men to work. So, there have been a lot of other things that we have been able to achieve and we will continue to achieve more and more as the day progresses.
The achievements could not have been done by only you personally, who are your supporters in achieving these successes?
Actually, I have my executives, I have my stakeholders, and they have been very supportive and some of the people say that whenever we run out of finances in any project we have, we run to them and they would give us assistance, the market has been cooperating this time.
There is no success without challenges, how are you surmounting these challenges and how do you want the government to assist the market?
Well, the challenges are enormous but we have to be able to take them one after the other; to be in a leadership position is not easy because some people are trying to bring the leader down, condemning everything. But you have to move ahead because being a leader, you must have to accept criticisms. Then in the government, you can see our road is not motorable, and because of the bad road, we are losing a lot of customers, instead of them coming to Alaba to buy now they go elsewhere, where they can locate easily. But coming to Alaba, it is difficult, though it has improved because we had to fight last year, we had to clear the road because we were not able to come to our secretariat.
On the security aspect of it, we got them to partner with us. There is rampant robbery and vandalisation of many things by miscreants, so we need security from the government side, and we are trying on our own side to maintain some level of security inside. So there are other things we would like the government to help us with. But, let the government, at least, help us with these ones.
You are the vice president of Ndigboamaka, and since your team took over the leadership of the association, there have been lots of successes under the leadership of Hon. Comrade Ukatu, what have you learnt from him?
My brother, I must give Kudos to our president, Hon. Comrade Chinedu Ukatu, he has been a good leader and I have been learning a lot from him because he is a strong man, I don’t see any situation that he cannot handle. He always overcomes challenges. So, I must give Kudos to him, you were there at Garden Top Hotel, when we launched the products we partnered with a Chinese company, Haitech Company, WorldWide to market some of these products and the other ones. It has been a success story, I give kudos to him because he does things accurately and timely, he always thinks on the way forward. And I have been learning from him, because at least, he prepared me to bring some of his system of doing things to this place. We have to continue working for the people to give our success wherever we find ourselves. So that is it, it hasn’t been easy, but it’s always a success story on whatever we are doing.
What are your future plans and possible legacy to leave behind after your tenure?
Well, when I came in, I knew I wanted to leave a good legacy that people will marvel at, and appreciate our contributions within the period of our tenure, and that somebody created an impact, and that is what I am trying to do. And very soon things will unveil, we are planning with Lagos state to remodel the market to an international standard, which is something that is on pipeline now. Maybe, by next year when you come here you will see how, because the way it is, the structures don’t look international, so we want to put the structure to look international. So, by next year, you will see it physically.
You were among dignitaries present at the dinner/ interaction with Haitech, you are one of those that bought their products, and how has it been in terms of efficiency?
I have not seen such a product of high efficiency, I am a living witness to that, I told you that I have not connected my own that day. Now that I have connected it, it is very marvelous, in short, it’s in my house now working 24/7 light. No darkness in my house, once this one is off, this one automatically switches itself on, so it is something to invest in no matter the amount, I cannot buy fuel again, I know how much I consume in fuel every day, that product is good. I advise everybody to go for it. It is better and it is 15 years lifespan, and three years warrant, that means nothing will happen to the battery for 15 years.
So why not buy it, so in 15 years now, if you calculate how much fuel you are going to buy or buy a substandard battery and all those things. After two years you change it, unlike this one which has a 15 years lifespan. So, I advise everybody who can afford it, to buy even though it is on a high side but the price is worth it. So, I am enjoying it now, my fridge is always open 24 hour, and all electrical gadgets in my house are functioning. It is a new dawn in my house.
What is your relationship with Ojo Local Government Chairman, Hon. Rasulu?
Oh! the man, Hon. Rasulu is a wonderful man, it’s only when you come near him that you will know the kind of person he is, and I was with him recently, all what he is thinking and talking about is how to make Ojo Local Government to be one of the best Local Governments in Lagos. And I know he will achieve it.
He is a good man, we are working with him and I believe by the end of the day, Ojo will be one of the best Local Governments in Lagos State.