From Douglas Blessing, Port Harcourt
A housing and estate investor, My-Ace China has unveiled plans to use branding to make Port Harcourt an investment capital in the coming years.
Mr China, popularly known as Mayor of Housing, said branding could be intensified to sell Port Harcourt as rallying point for the South-South/South East economic boost, claiming that those who made Lagos economy tick are mostly from the eastern part of the country.
The Mayor of Housing who spoke with journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital said the vast infrastructural boost in Port Harcourt is able to support economic investments and attract local and foreign investors going forward.
The 2022 DMOMA award winner said the obsession of his business group is to spread happiness. He revealed his plan for the South/South-East to bridge the dichotomy between Lagos and South-South/South East economic regions.
One of the things his group is keen to execute, he stated, is to bridge the quality and activity gap to tame the gap in business.
According to China, “There seems to be huge dichotomy between here (Port Harcourt) and Lagos. If you get to Lagos, it is a fast-paced fast-moving, highly capitalist and highly independent economy. Ironically, most of the people making these things happen in Lagos are actually from the South-South/South East economic belt.
“It’s not as if people here want to go spend money in Lagos but if they can’t find the kind of quality they find in Lagos, everybody naturally gravitates to Lagos.
“So, we want a kind of efficiency and quality that happen in Lagos to be at least represented here (Port Harcourt) and inspire people to stay here. We want people to know that if it’s possible in Lagos, it’s possible here.
“When people here do not find what is in Lagos, they move to Lagos. Our brand is to make people to patronize here. If it is possible in Lagos, it is possible here. And whatever is possible anywhere is possible here.”
China said the award being overwhelmingly regarded, especially by the youths is a call for his organisation to help the youth more. “It’s a motivation for us and a serious commitment to us because we are in pole position to strive harder.
“Any failure on our side will pull down a lot of people and any success is lifting people. For us, the greatest achievement you can have is not profit but that your profit is lifting others to rise. For us, it’s a huge motivation for us to stay on course and keep rising.”
Explaining the essence of DMOMA Award series, the chief organiser, Mr Chidiebere Okoye, said it is an online media award engineered by over 14 bloggers.
Okoye, who is the Rivers State chairman of bloggers association of Nigeria, said DMOMA award is open to all of Nigeria but is dedicated to promote excellence.
He said: “Nominations for 2023 are already coming in from outside Nigeria such as Kenya and Poland. Its open to the world but Nigeria is the focus, for now. It targets brands and individuals who have achieved uncommon excellence.”
Mr. Okoye said the award series seeks to close the economic gap between regions and to unify regions and people as well as bring focus to Port Harcourt.
He said “the Mayor of Housing represents the new face of branding where you connect with the youths, the entertainment players, and those who want to grow, the startups”.
