DON SYLVESTER NWEKE: Empowering The Youthfor Leadership, Innovation for a Dynamic Future
BY SAMUEL UGWU
Igwe Don Sylvester Nweke is a multiple award-winning filmmaker who is also a traditional ruler in Enugu state. A popular filmmaker and music producer, he is renowned for empowering youth as leaders and innovators for a dynamic future. He has been doing this mostly through his flagship company – Don Sylvester Records, the label known as DSR. The record label, which debuted in 2017 with a commitment to excellence and cutting-edge research, has been ranked among the top 10 in the industry today. This world-class distinction is attributed to the caliber of the DSR’s accomplished progressive support for talented artists who are poised to become the leaders of tomorrow.
Hear Igwe Nweke on this: “Don Sylvester Records is a Record Label known as DSR, for short. It debuted in 2017 and has since blossomed into a brand noted for its Mastery of Production, Mixing and Mastering of Music, Production of Videos, (both Musical and Home Videos), Music distribution, Mixtapes, Video plugging, etc. Our studio is located at the Mainland, No 10 Raji apoyin street Mende Marryland Ikeja Lagos. We offer private and commercial services. Since its debut in 2017, DSR has Signed a number of artists. We are however, willing to sign more artists as long as they are good and /or have sponsors. This is in line with our policy on Youth empowerment.”
DSR’s well-rounded approach to music and video production instills in its artists a drive to grow and become innovators and creative creators. Through its approach, the record label fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, resilience, and creativity, positioning its artists for success in any field of music. This is evident in the accomplishments of its artists, some of who are today known, and rising fast in the industry influencers.
This investment in the future of artistes who are musically curious and possess a global mindset has attracted the interests of young artists on DSR from all over the country, with many tribes and nationalities eyeing the label.
You can’t but admire his outstanding contributions to business, knowledge, his respect for people, process, and procedure. As a businessman, he has been making impressive contributions to national development.
Igwe Nweke is a combination of a good understanding of business, truth, and discipline. Well loaded in wisdom and conduct, he is a reminder to youth that one needs to stay in alignment with your sacred mission. Everything you need, want, and desire will find its way to you.
Nweke holds a Bachelor of Science (Bsc) degree from Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), where he graduated over twenty years ago. A man with strong leadership and business acumen, he knew that in order to compete he had to develop intellect, skills, network, and a value proposal driven by a strong vision. No one is going to give one anything and no one is going to feel sorry for one for being smaller or for coming from a certain place.
These inner resources of his, he developed and went into business. Since then he has been building a strong business and market reputation. No wonder, he has been doing well. This is probably because he is aware of what many of us don’t take seriously. He is very conscious of the fact that growth and change are two things which characterize all things that God has created. He puts this in his reckoning and pursues the best. Of course, everything in this material world is subject to change. The natural world and the social world are constantly changing. As such, we should understand that growth and change are two important things that we must apply in our own lives.
To be successful and effective, we need to make a conscious effort to grow and change to be better than the previous days, previous months, and years. To move forward and achieve great results demands growth and change, and development on our part. Igwe Nweke knows this secret very well by investing much time in the development of his business empire. He knows that success doesn’t come by accident. It comes by taking appropriate actions. It comes by investing in your own growth and development. It also comes by being committed to the growth and development of some others and the society as well.
Nweke represents part of the grace upon Nigeria. He is well an asset to Nigerian youth, and not just to his family, or the people of Nkanu West Local Government of Enugu state alone, where his father, uncles, grandfather have all made enormous imprints on the local scenes. These have also shaped him and his siblings – brothers and sisters who share a unique co-history with him.
Igwe Nweke shared common memories, along with critical childhood experiences and family history. He talks about his background: “My Name is Chief Nweke Sylvester Chinedu, Eze Ndi Igbo of Mende, Maryland Lagos, Ure Avueze II of Ozalla Nkanu West LG Enugu State. I was born by Alhaji Okonkwo Nweke. (Ichie Osinachi) and Princess Christiana Ogbeyeanu Nweke, daughter of Ataida 1 of Igala Land.
I grew up like every other child from a wealthy family. However, I lost my father early in 1991 and was thereafter raised by my Billionaire uncle Chief Nwokafor Nweke (Eze Udo 1 of Nkanu land), Ohamadike of Umudioka Orlu. He started his primary education at Community primary school Iheowerre Nsukka but had to complete it at Community Primary School Amigbo Ishi Ozalla. For his secondary education, he attended the prestigious Boys’ High School Ozalla and again completed his education at St Theresa’s Secondary School Nsukka.
In 1994, he gained admission into Enugu State University of Science and Technology(ESUT) where he obtained a Bsc in Sociology and Anthropology. He attended Revival Christian Academy Bible school where he became the Best graduating student of his set. Hear him talk on this: “In 2010 I took the Supernumerary Police Training at Police College Ikeja Lagos where I also bagged the awards of Best in Academy (Basic Course) and Best in Academy (Refresher Course) subsequently, I became the G1 of my course group and currently, a Deputy Superintendent of Police(DSP).”
Continuous Innovation has been the secret that rolls DSR. By nature, Igwe Nweke is not a static person. He innovates constantly, evolving and searching for new ways to improve, discovering market niches and servicing client needs. His strategy is a combination of being close to the artists and exploiting technology and the digital world, along with a penchant for constant transformation.
Igwe Nweke told PINPOINT Magazine that there is little hierarchy in his company. This gives room for flexibility and innovation in the company with a lot of agility, a huge need to continually defy conventional beliefs, and a voracious appetite for leaving the status quo in the dust.
Apart from music, show business promotions, this Enugu-born business executive, is also a big player within the Nigerian real estate landscape. He also has some other interests. And his companies are based on the culture of fast learning, developing products that are centered on the consumer and creating solid relationships, truth, and reliability.
Here in the real estate sector, he emphasizes a focus on giving better services to the clients and the ability to use technology, product design, and human dignity as pillars for rolling business.
As a result of his good conduct and concerns for others, God continues to enlarge his business empire and achievements. This grace of God was expanded to his was called upon to lead his people last year 2021. Thus he became traditional ruler of Edeniagu Village in Ishiozalla, Enugu State. This multiple talented businessman, his father Edeaniagu the great was the first king in Ozalla and Igwe Don Sylvester was the 2nd king in IshiOzalla and 1st king Edeaniagu Royal Kingdom.
Early this year, the people of Edeniagu Village in Ishiozalla, rolled out the Igwe Sylvester Nweke drums to mark the first-anniversary coronation of Igwe Don Sylvester Nweke and the Edeniagu Day annual celebration.
While speaking at the celebration, Igwe Nweke expressed excitement on his one year on the throne, and promised to ensure his tenure brings development to the community. Equally, the President-General of the Edeniagu Isiozalla, Chief Uchenna Nweke described the occasion as important to every member of the Edeniagu family because “we are celebrating the day we were crowned in Edeniagu kindred.’ While expressing how overwhelmed and elated he is, he is pleased that the community also shares in the joy and merriment.
All these became reality because Igwe Don Silvester Nweke has pursued vision with vigor, building trust as he develops his business empire over the years. Nweke is an accomplished businessman, always blazing new frontiers. But most of all, he represents a window of hope to offer intellectual, moral, and social support to society to the youth, reaffirming our faith more in humanity and the possibilities available to man.
Now as the moment when the Nigerian state needs social innovation to structure solutions that will make the difference in the lives of the citizens, people like Igwe Nweke are the role models to look up to. He is both a business leader and community leader combined.
And he believes that there exist a great task for business leaders who have a less corporatist views and more of a focus on the well-being of their societies, is to engage in innovations and models of citizen empowerment that will avoid the creation of more privileges than opportunities.
When the economy is led by the competences created by opportunities, societies become increasingly fair, enhancing the principles of development for a secure future. And it is essential for the business leadership to Don Sylvester Nweke seek, even for its own survival, and to value social innovations that lift people out of poverty through initiative and competition, scaling them above the fence to jump over poverty into prosperity. This is the message of Igwe.