Peter Mbah’s N420 billion vision: Sujimoto joins Enugu’s transformation with 260 smart schools

“About eight months ago, an uncommon Agro-Industrial vision took us to the captivating City of Coal where the Rolling hills of Udi and the Miliken valleys of economic progress intertwines with a remarkable culture of people who are addicted to the ideal value of education”.

Our initial mission was to advance the Sujimoto Farm Project into the hinterlands of Enugu, where we intend to cultivate 20,000 hectares of arable land to develop the nation’s largest Rice farm estate, aimed at eradicating hunger through affordable food production for Nigerians. Yet, as we immersed ourselves in this endeavour, an unexpected and iconic project revealed itself, inviting us to contribute and be a part of something truly monumental.

The political entrepreneur Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah reached out to us with the goal of establishing Nigeria’s first-of-its-kind, one-of-a-kind Enugu Smart School project, a groundbreaking initiative and the best forward-thinking educational centres to be developed across Enugu’s 260 wards, facilitating Experiential Learning and innovation, and setting a new benchmark in education.

From being labelled as a “silent achiever” to emerging as a paragon of dedication in both human and physical infrastructure, the Executive Governor’s remarkable commitment is unmistakable. His administration—which prioritizes nurturing smart human capital, upskilling the workforce, and cultivating future leaders for the Fourth Industrial Revolution while ambitiously aiming for a zero-percent poverty rate—has already set a groundbreaking precedent. Dr. Mbah’s vision for Enugu, laden with promise, was what caught our attention and ignited our passion to contribute to what is destined to become the best public school in Nigeria.

He unveiled an ambitious desire to nurture future global leaders and an empowered populace ready to make their mark on the world stage, driven by his conviction that education is the ultimate antidote for poverty. To bring this vision to life, he is investing in the construction of 260 state-of-the-art schools across Enugu’s 17 local governments, each with a substantial budget of about N1.6 billion, totaling nearly half a trillion Naira. In this monumental endeavor, he sought to enlist Sujimoto Constructions as a key partner in shaping this transformative educational revolution in South-Eastern Nigeria.

Enugu, once a shadow of its former self with the sombre looks of a dingy landscape begging for sociopolitical and economic emancipation, seemed like a forgotten gem with its potential buried deep beneath layers of neglect. Yet, under Governor Mbah’s dynamic leadership, the state is witnessing an overnight revival, led by an apostle of groundbreaking initiatives signposting him with profound commitment to lifting the state out of the doldrums of ignorance and igniting its journey towards a brighter tomorrow.

The governor’s ambition was nothing short of revolutionary; he aimed to redefine education in Enugu State not just for the next four years but for the next 400 years. Energized by this audacious vision, I swiftly assembled a team of dynamic, forward-thinking professionals eager to play a pivotal role in Sujimoto’s landmark projects. We enlisted the most exceptional engineers and architects, handpicked for their unparalleled skill and dedication, to bring this iconic project and initiative to life.

Firmly believing that education has the transformative power to alter a child’s destiny, I’ve dedicated myself to weekly journeys to Enugu to personally monitor the project’s progress. Now that I have my own home in Enugu, I find myself deeply immersed in the communities. This new chapter will allow me to not only project manage our sprawling 20,000-hectare Rice Farm Estate, along with its industrial city, but also to lay the groundwork for SHotel on Independent Layout—the Enugu equivalent of Ikoyi. Here, we will offer an unparalleled luxury experience with 250 exquisitely designed hotel rooms, setting a new standard for opulence in the region.

This close involvement has afforded me the privilege of witnessing firsthand the governor’s extraordinary foresight. His relentless pursuit of innovation and his unyielding commitment to pushing the boundaries of possibility are reshaping not just the present but also laying the foundation for an enduring legacy.

While my world has been one of opulence, Sujimoto has catered to the top 1% of the 1% in Nigeria for the past decade with an unprecedented experience of luxury. From the iconic Giuliano Townhouses, the Most Gossiped-About Tallest and Most Sophisticated Residential Building in Banana Island—LucreziaBySujimoto—to the upcoming LeonardoBySujimoto, poised to be the Highest and Most Luxurious building in Sub-Saharan Africa—I have embraced this new bold challenge with a vision that goes far beyond mere luxury. Fueled by the persistent desire to pioneer something truly groundbreaking, we have embarked on a mission to weave together our tradition of elite living with a groundbreaking educational initiative, aiming to forge a new legacy for our dear nation.

For the first time, I witnessed firsthand Enugu’s extreme education culture. Delving deeper into the hinterland villages of Ezeagu, Nsukka, and Oji River, I saw an uncommon people deeply committed to learning. It struck me that this land was not only perfect for nurturing crops but also for cultivating future leaders. My mission has since evolved beyond merely satisfying hunger of the stomach but also that of the mind.

Within his first year in office, Governor Mbah has stamped his imprimatur of seriousness on the state, as his achievements are well reflected in his Jenga of accolades, including the 2024 Distinguished Award for Infrastructure at the Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service. While he aimed for a five-month completion of the Enugu Smart School project, with our signature culture and the DO IT NOW philosophy, Sujimoto shall deliver this project even earlier than that, and by the close of the year, we should have a fleet of fully functional smart schools in Enugu.

It is not for nothing that Peter Mbah, the forward-thinking and futuristic governor of Enugu State, is making bold moves to implant his paradigmatic approach to leadership into the modus operandi of Enugu Plc. True to his campaign pledge of constructing 10,000 roads within eight years, he has shattered records by completing over 732 roads in just sixteen months—a feat unmatched by any predecessor. In a groundbreaking move, Dr. Mbah has also inaugurated the first-ever state-owned mega asphalt production plant, a testament to his administration’s commitment to infrastructural excellence and rapid development.

He also touched on the signing of the electricity bill into law and setting up the electricity regulatory commission with investment in agriculture, transportation, and human capital development, with training of 40,000 Enugu youths in ICT skills and another 10,000 in vocational skills, a five-star, first-of-its-kind convention Centre that can sit 20,000 people, alongside a host of other transformative initiatives.

The Enugu Smart Schools project, which will be paved alongside a suite of high-tech facilities and cutting-edge equipment, will become a dynamic training and retraining center. Here, educators will be immersed in digital innovation, mechatronics, artificial intelligence, and robotics, equipping them with the skills needed to excel in the state’s 260 smart schools and transform the educational landscape.

Although I’m from the south-western part of Nigeria and the governor hails from the south-east—crisscrossed by a long list of major differences in ethnicity—I can categorically tell you that for the past eleven years we have not gotten a single project from the south-west, even as little as N1. This goes to show that “Capability supersedes Tribe, Religion, and Gender.” Indeed, it is a lesson to all entrepreneurs in this great nation that it doesn’t matter where you are from; so long as you are good at what you do, favour will always find you from every corner of this nation.

For us, this project represents a commitment to giving back to society, moving from luxury architecture to building a structure that the common man can thrive in. This school is envisioned as a timeless legacy, where future generations—from children to great-grandparents—can all share the unique experience of learning in the same hallowed halls.

We’re not just building a school; we’re forging a monument that will endure for over a millennium, a place where countless generations will make lasting memories and watch as it stands as a beacon of progress and unity for 1,000 years and beyond. – Dr. Sijibomi Ogundele LLB.

When the forebears and great industrialists like Sheikh AL Maktoum and Lee Kuan Yew conceived the models of Dubai and Singapore a few decades ago, they began to sow their future like a tiny seed, as we are doing now. Today, those countries have become models of the wondrous depth of human capacity.

Just as these visionaries laid the groundwork for the iconic success of Dubai and Singapore, we are laying the foundation for Enugu’s transformation. Our goal is clear: to make Enugu Nigeria’s Learning capital, mirroring the economic prosperity seen in Singapore and the UAE. With unwavering determination, we are committed to realizing this vision, ushering in a new era of growth and innovation for Enugu and beyond.

We are setting a new standard by going above and beyond to create something truly exceptional, standing out amidst global competition not just for its stunning design but for its role in nurturing the next generation of leaders. Our aim is to cultivate a cadre of young visionaries who will become invaluable assets to their communities and drive local development forward.

This project has been a crowning achievement, and I am overjoyed to reveal that, upon its completion, we shall award lifetime scholarships to a select cohort of students, from primary through tertiary education. This initiative will serve as a powerful testament to my steadfast commitment to the people of Enugu and Nigeria, embodying our vision of nurturing the next generation of leaders and innovators.

Dr. Sijibomi Ogundele is the Group Managing Director of Sujimoto Holdings, the Czar of Luxury Real Estate Development, and the mastermind developer behind the renowned Giuliano. Our other audacious projects, such as the most sophisticated building in Banana Island, LucreziaBySujimoto, the grandiose Sujimoto Twin Tower, the tallest twin towers in Africa; the regal Queen Amina by Sujimoto, a monument to royal affluence; the magnificent high-rise LeonardoBySujimoto; the Sujimoto Farm; an advanced farm estate system that incorporates housing, farm hospitals, hotels, and markets within an ecosystem, creating opportunities for agro-tourism and affordable housing., among other projects that have etched an indelible imprint on Nigeria’s skylines, a testament to Sujimoto’s unrivalled mastery of modern-day engineering.