Eleme, Rivers State—In a bold call for self-driven development, scholar and innovation advocate Bode Osaro has unveiled a vision aimed at repositioning Eleme youths from job seekers to job creators, despite the heavy industrial presence in the area.
Speaking on his background and motivation, Osaro recalled growing up in Eleme, a community long rooted in agriculture before the arrival of large-scale industrialisation. Today, Eleme hosts some of Nigeria’s most strategic industrial assets, including the Port Harcourt Refinery, Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals, Notore Chemical Company, Daewoo C&E Nigeria Limited, and over 200 multinational firms operating within the Oil and Gas Free Zone.
Yet, according to Osaro, the massive industrial footprint has not translated into widespread prosperity for the host community.
“What I saw was a paradox—immense industrial wealth on one side, and a generation of unemployed youths on the other,” he said, noting that environmental strain and economic exclusion continue to define the lived reality of many young people in the area.
These challenges, he explained, inspired his pursuit of a PhD in frugal innovation, a field focused on developing low-cost, practical solutions to real-world problems. Through this academic journey, Osaro said he arrived at a clear conclusion: Eleme must stop waiting for external intervention and begin building solutions from within.
According to him, youths in the region can create opportunities by developing enterprises that both serve existing industries and address community challenges such as power supply, environmental sustainability and security.
“We don’t have to wait for jobs; we can create them,” Osaro said. “We can raise a new generation of entrepreneurs—people who will deploy solar energy to tackle electricity challenges and build safer, more resilient communities.”
As part of a structured approach, Osaro said his work adopts a design science research framework, which focuses on developing practical tools—referred to as artefacts—that are immediately applicable to community needs.
In collaboration with the Eleme Graduate Forum (EGF), he disclosed that a comprehensive database of graduates has already been developed to identify local talent. The initiative also plans to launch an incubation programme designed to nurture 10 new entrepreneurs annually, with a long-term goal of creating 100 startups within the next decade.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Osaro revealed that efforts are already underway to address insecurity in the area. One such initiative is Alarmix, an AI-powered emergency security system developed for the local government to enhance rapid response and community safety.
Describing the initiative as a model of proactive and frugal innovation, Osaro stressed that the effort is only a starting point and called on more professionals and stakeholders to adopt similar problem-solving approaches.
“This is not just a theory; it is a mission,” he said. “We have the talent, the challenges and the opportunities. What we need now is the will to build our own future.”
With his message resonating strongly among youths and professionals, Osaro’s vision is increasingly seen as a potential blueprint for grassroots-driven development in Eleme and similar industrial host communities across Nigeria.
