I started performing as a drummer at 7yrs – Raymond Okpara

Growing up
I am an indigene of Imo State— born March 19, 1984. I grew up in a Pastor’s home with four brothers and a sister. My upbringing was good. My parents gave  ‘freehand’ to us as children to express our innate abilities. I attended L.A Primary School, and Ajeromi Ifelodun High School, Olodi Apapa, and tertiary education was at Oracle University, USA —via their scholarship programme.
I had the course in their prometric centre in Lagos. I’m  sanguine, and so it was natural that my abilities tended towards the use of the mouth (He smiles). I started performing  as a 7-year-old drummer in my local church at that time, joined the children choir and later in an all-boys a’capella group as a teen.
My career
Since 2004, I have become more of music, wedding and youth-focused events consultant; this is because of my vast experience in various functional units of these event categories). My event company is: weTHINKalike Inc. We handle events from concept-stage to implementation.
Challenges encountered in making a difference
First of all, the challenge has been trying to convince the community that there is actually a problem and it needs urgent attention. As little as this sounds, it’s been a major issue. Only April 1st this year, we ran the REDCARD REVOLUTION (a community march against under-aged prostitution, drug abuse and alcoholism in Ajegunle). It was undoubtedly a huge success; but not until the d-day of the march, we found it hard to get moral support from the community  and the local government to  erase a menace that has eaten  into the moral fabric of the young generation within the community.

RAYMOND OKPARA

There’s this juvenile vices issues confronting community leadership. So, it’s like you try to raise an awareness—and hope that other ‘well-meaning’ leaders will help too so that people will gets their acts right, but they(leaders) just look the other way. More so, there’s the issue of basic funding to ‘power’ continuous publicity for lots of very impactful young-people-focused projects.
Successful young man?
(He laughs) Errmmm…Success for me is a relative term. I believe that it has to do more with the journey than the destination. Progress (as much as success) in life is not determined by speed but by direction. Right now, I’m enjoying my journey by God’s grace and for me that is success! Every person has an assignment from God. Once you finish yours, you’ve succeeded.
My words to Nigerian youths
First things first. Know yourself, like my father would always say. For example, I am an astute entrepreneur, but with a deep-seated penchant for justice and seeing young people live real lives the way God ordained it for them. That is me!  So, my simple advice to young people is, find yourself first; locate your assignment area, where your passion is, then pursue it vigorously. Also, do your best to listen more, speak less (unless you make money by your speaking like myself ) and DO MORE!
Also, don’t always ‘bring money to the table’(as first thing). It’s an idea-killer and a passion-killer. Send your body on an errand, money will catch up with you!
Proudly Nigeria
I absolutely believe in Nigeria. It’s the land of my birth and it’s an interesting place to come from and live-in (if not the most interesting place). I believe this nation holds a strong prospect for all hardworking young persons who want to legally become great and impact others. When they say “the largest room in the world is the room for improvement.” I believe they were referring to Nigeria as that room.
The next five years…
Hmmm…by God’s grace. I should be married to my one and only love (he winks). Seriously, whatever I do between now and then, I want to be able to measure my life’s progress by how much my words, actions and even business is able to impact and change people and make them come into their innate greatness, within Nigeria and beyond. This for me, will be SUCCESS!
YOUNG NIGERIANS MAKING THE DIFFERENCE
ECHENDU A. OBINNA
Echendu A. Obinna fondly called UniQuehnd is an Abstinence advocate, Business Strategist, and an aspiring Entrepreneur. He is passionate about seeing people live a sexually pure life, as he loves to see businesses succeed. He engages in Community projects and economic development.
He is the C.S.O of Unique Media and Advertising Associates (UConcepts), a fellow of Carrington Youth  Fellowship Initiative (CYFI)  and Co-Founder YEC-Academy, just to mention a few.
Echendu is working towards a degree in business administration at the University of the People, Los-Angeles, USA. He’s also aiming at acquiring a B.Sc in (EMS) Entrepreneurship Studies at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria.