Prince Mendy Archibong, founder of Prince Archibong Life Foundation.
Abasifreke Effiong
Prince Mendy Archibong, a successful serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and pastor is leading the pack in the race for the Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara federal constituency seat in 2023.
An indigene of Ikpe Mbak Eyop in Obot Akara local government area, Prince Archibong is an industrialist with over 30 years of experience in chemicals, manufacturing, and the oil and gas sector. Archibong sits as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of four business- to -business limited liability companies under the corporate entity known as Good Time Group of Companies, with operational headquarters in Lagos and branches in different states across Nigeria.
Archibong is the founder and sole financier of Prince Archibong Life Foundation, PALF, a humanitarian organisation that has been roundly praised by Akwa Ibom people for its community development services and human capacity development. The mission of the foundation is to help vulnerable communities lagging in basic amenities meet their needs, and lifting the have nots out of extreme poverty. Founded in 2019, PALF played trail-blazing role as the first private organisation to take sensitization on COVID-19 to public schools and rural dwellers in Ikot Ekpene and Obot Akara local government area, when the first index case of the Coronavirus was reported in the state in March 2020.
READ : Foundation restores water to Akwa Ibom community after 11 years
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the foundation donated personal protective equipment to teachers, students and traditional rulers and also sent food items to more than 500 households in Obot Akara, Ikot Ekpene and other local government areas. Its outreach to widows during the COVID-19 lockdown was most thoughtful. PALF has undertaken many interventions in areas of community water supply, sanitation, healthcare, education, agriculture, women and youth empowerment. Archibong, in a magazine published by Prince Archibong Life Foundation says the foundation has invested a little more than N100 million on interventions to communities and households across Ikot Ekpene federal constituency between 2019 and December, 2021.
Born on 5th November 1975, Archibong
attended Army Children School, GRA, Port Harcourt; Community Secondary School, Rumuekpe, Emohua Local Government Area, all in Rivers State. Prince Archibong holds a Diploma in Public Administration from Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Imo State and a Bachelor of Theology, (B.Th) from the Pentecostal International Bible Seminary, PIBS, Rivers State. He is currently studying in the University to acquire further knowledge in Business Management.
Archibong is an active member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and a staunch believer in the ideals of the Party. As a patriotic party man, recently in an interview with Journalists in Abuja, he appealed to Nigerians to vote PDP back to power at the national level, saying that it is the PDP that will wriggle the country’s economy out of the current hyper- inflation, extreme hunger and insecurity that has overwhelmed her citizens. Archibong is a member of the Elders Advisory Council of the PDP in Obot Akara ward 1; he is the patron of PDP People’s Mandate, Akwa Ibom State Chapter as well as trustee of the national executive council of the group.
Archibong has made sterling contributions to the development of his community – these contributions have earned recognitions and awards. He holds the chieftaincy title of Obong Idorenyin Annang, conferred on him by the Akwa Akuku Annang, HRM Obong Cosmos Akpan. A member of Ati Annang, Archibong holds the title of Obong Uwam Ukana West in Essien Udim local government area, patron of Afe Mkparawa Annang, beacon of light by The Apostolic Church Nigeria, Uyo field among other recognitions.
While consulting a cross section of stakeholders of Ikot Ekpene federal constituency recently, Prince Mendy Archibong, said he is bringing his more than 30 years of business experience into politics with the intention of working through the systems and structures of government to create wealth for the people of Ikot Ekpene federal constituency through sustained investments aimed to stimulate commerce and agriculture in rural communities.
“I am bringing 30 years of business experience into politics at a time Nigeria is struggling with a very high index of unemployment. I am coming into the race with a blueprint to create wealth through agriculture and rural commerce. I am coming to further assist our women and youths who are unemployed to start, build and own micro, small and medium scale enterprises. We have helped our people start and grow businesses through Prince Archibong Life Foundation, this is a surety that we can do more. Please trust me with your mandate.”
“I am intentional about reducing poverty among our people; my business experience will come handy in my contributions to legislations and programmes aimed at promoting agriculture, rural commerce, poverty reduction, and meeting basic needs of communities.”
“In the last two years of working with communities through our humanitarian NGO -Prince Archibong Life Foundation -, our people have told me that they want sustainable empowerment, they want businesses that will put money in their pockets and food on their tables in a lifetime, not ’empowerment’ that comes with tonnes of liability.”
“I will be able to raise 150 micro and small businesses a year in Ikot Ekpene federal constituency. Through rural commerce, we shall be able to lift 600 households out of extreme poverty in four years. I am appealing to our stakeholders to give me a chance, please.”
“In my business sojourn, I have worked with people from different states and abroad; networking within government circles to bring back dividends to our people will not be a challenge”, Archibong said.
He said to address the challenge of extreme poverty among widows and youth unemployment, he will be intentional about investing in business mentorship.
Archibong’s aspiration has received tremendous support and yeses from youths and women across the federal constituency. To demonstrate their unwavering support, youth leaders in Obot Akara led thousands of youth in a solidarity “one million man march” for Prince Mendy Archibong. Communities and women who have been major beneficiaries of PALF’s humanitarian outreaches have endorsed his aspiration.
