By Ehis Agadagodo
Dr. Joseph Ohens stands as proof to the transformative power of vision, courage, and compassion. A U.S-based Nigerian philanthropist, Dr. Ohens rose from humble beginnings to become one of Nigeria’s most successful and respected professionals fin the diaspora.
His journey, anchored on hard-work, discipline, determination and integrity has inspired countless others to dream and aim high. But beyond his personal success, it is his relentless commitment to human development, his compassionate heart and his philanthropic outreaches that truly define him
Over the years, Dr. Ohens has sponsored hundreds of indigent students through school, awarded grants to young entrepreneurs, and mentored scores of rising talents. For him, education was the bridge that carried him from scarcity to success, and he has made it his life’s mission to build that bridge for others.
Driven by this conviction, he launched an audacious initiative that has since become a national reference point; the “ACC Rebuild Project.” As an alumnus of Annunciation Catholic College (ACC), Irrua, Dr. Joseph Ohens mobilized fellow old boys of the school to raise ₦3 Billion to rebuild their once dilapidated alma mater into a 21st Century center of excellence for post-primary education in Nigeria.
Nicknamed “Joseph the Dreamer” by his peers for his seemingly impossible ambitions, Dr. Ohens refused to be deterred. With a clear vision, unmatched organizational acumen, and transparent management, he turned the dream into reality. In just five years, ACCIOBA not only met but surpassed its fundraising target, setting a new benchmark in alumni-driven educational revival.
Today, Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua, stands as one of Nigeria’s most outstanding secondary schools. The school boasts of decent classroom blocks and a fully furnished modern library. Its unprecedented transformation includes well-equipped science laboratories, ulta-modern student hostel complex, a 600-seater dining hall, principal’s house, corper’s lodge, an expansive and fully equipped 20-bed medical center, an 8-bedroom medical staff quarters, a beautiful academic staff quarters, a 1000-seater school auditorium, a renovated school chapel, asphalted or concreted road network all lit up with solar light, a beautiful perimeter fence, three access gates, three gate houses, a massive center for entrepreneurship, school poultry and fishpond. The list is endless.
More remarkably, ACCIOBA, under Dr. Ohens’ leadership, hired 15 super-qualified teachers to complete the all-round renaissance of A.C.C.
The alumni association is one of the largest employers of labour in Esanland, with about 52 employees, comprising of teachers, doctors, nurses, lab technologists, cooks, security guards, gardeners, the religious, and administrators.
ACCIOBA instituted an endownment fund to ensure that ACC remains financially supported in perpetuity. The endownment fund is N300 Milion richer today, with a projection that it will become N1Billion in 10 years. The endownment awards full scholarships to indigent and gifted students of ACC.
As part of the association’s innovative programmes, it instituted a Business Promotion Cooperative to financially support old boys with business ideas and plans.
In five years, Dr. Ohens and rhe leadership of ACCIOBA have propelled old boys of rhe school to achieve what successive Nigerian governments have failed to deliver in decades; an educational model rooted in community, accountability, and sustainable vision. His success has sparked a wave of replication across other alumni associations in Nigeria, many now studying the “ACC model” as a practical blueprint for educational reform.
The impact has been immediate and profound. Students of ACC have rediscovered their pride and purpose. Recently, the school emerged overall winner in a state-wide quiz competition, outperforming privileged secondary schools across Edo State, and will represent Edo State at the forthcoming National Quiz Competition on Legislature and Democracy. In sports, the ACC football team was just last week, crowned state champion of the Niger-Delta Development Commission-sponsored Edo State Secondary School Football Tournament, triumphing over rival schools with renewed zeal and confidence.
These achievements are not mere coincidences, they are the harvest of a visionary investment in people, infrastructure, and purpose. The “Joseph Ohens Dream” has transcended its origin, becoming a rallying cry for excellence across Edo State and beyond.
At a time when public education in Nigeria often mirrors decay and neglect, Dr. Ohens has demonstrated what is possible when vision meets commitment. His revolution at ACC is more than a story of rebuilding, it is a rebirth of faith in what Nigerians can achieve through unity, leadership, and a shared sense of purpose.
Indeed, Dr. Joseph Ohens has proven that one man’s dream can awaken a generation’s potential and that, perhaps, is the most powerful legacy of all.
*Ehis Agadagodo, Ph.D. Mass Communication candidate, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, works as Information Officer, Edo State Ministry of Information.
