THE MEMOIR
Introducing or describing this fine gentleman is usually a herculean task, owing to the fact that he has his parts into many facets of life, where he has made significant impacts. However, three parts of his life that you cannot take away from him are his priority to Ministry (gospel of the kingdom), his disruptive leadership styles which tend to challenge existing status quos in church leadership/administration, corporate governance, development education & human resource development, and his dedication to his family.
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Jasper Nkem Ikpendu is a passionate minister of the gospel who has been in the ministry as long as his age is today (so to speak). He started private preaching at the age of ten and first appeared into the public scene at the age of twelve, precisely 13th of June, 1986, while in his Primary Six days. Having attended same Secondary School, that time when we used to have staff offices, I was awed by his uncommon boldness to go share and audibly preach the gospel to his teachers, as little as we were in JSS1. I had followed him closely enough to have seen mighty acts of God displayed in his crusade operations in his early years, through tangible healings, notable miracles, undeniable deliverances and most importantly, salvation of souls, all of which still stand today as testimonies and proof of God’s hand upon him. I and one (now Bar Okey) had been his interpreters at some points in his ministerial life around the eastern coast of Nigeria. He was known for wearing his slim fit pair of suits and waist coats. He was a fine dresser, and make-no-mistakes about it, a handsome teen, who spoke the “Queens English” impeccably.
While in our JSS3 in 1989, Evang. Jasper then, though of the Anglican Communion, followed his eldest sister of blessed memory to Living Word Ministries, Aba, which met only on Tuesdays, for a word charismatic fellowship. After we finished our secondary school education in 1992, he independently started attending Living Word Ministries, Aba – Nigeria, under the leadership of Bro Emma Okorie, a veteran apostle. However, still understudying the structure, he still didn’t lose his zeal and passion about his call. Inspired by the background and life of Bro Emma, he decided to dedicate ten years of his life to ministry and missions. Two years after, in September, 1994, he launched Faith On the Rock World Outreach (FORWO), a ministry he eventually submitted to Living Word, end of that year, during which programme he received his first public laying of the hands of the presbytery. He founded and became the President of Nigerian League of Young Gospel Ministers (NILYGOM), which he started, to connect all of us together and give us a structure. He got lots of invitations to speak at many events within Nigeria, Ghana and Togo. His size, appearance, good English and simplicity of the gospel got everyone endeared to him. In fact, he answered to this call when it was not fashionable nor popular for young people to be in ministry. At that time, appearing on posters or handbills was a big deal. It was as if you dug out gold from your domain. But that was a regular for this my friend, pastor & mate. Then he, answered Evangelist Jasper.
Interestingly, prelude to his university days witnessed a boom, after combing the hinter lands for ten years. I could remember his first teaching in 2002, when he returned from his missions, “EDEN, WHAT WENT WRONG?” This caption fascinated every church leader that heard it and called him in to drop similar revelations in their churches, meetings, the Full Gospel BMFI, inclusive. Pastor Jasper, fondly loved and called PJ in the university, started a campus church at the Rivers State University of Science & Technology, Port Harcourt. With the style he discipled us, he started serial practicable topical teachings; it was as if scales dropped off our eyes. We followed suit, heralded it, and were followed by even some lecturers. His fame and influence spiraled trough the nooks and crannies of the entire Christian community, The Joint Christian Campus Fellowship (JCCF) where his short-lived leadership roles were of indelible impact. I followed him, just as my fellow comrade did in his early ages at the secondary school, lived with him, traveled extensively with him and we conquered territories. Academically, he was equally a force to reckon with by the entire department, having spearheaded and pioneered the first published university newspaper and presented to the visiting National Universities Commission (NUC), one other major factor upon which the school’s Mass Communications Department received its full accreditation. He received cash and gift awards from the sitting governor then, the Vice Chancellor, Dean of Students Affairs and the Head of Department. He became a model of both the Christian faith and academic fate. If I write all that he did at the school, ten pages wouldn’t suffice.
He graduated in 2007, published landmark books of national relevance on 17th February, 2007, at Landmark Hotels, Port Harcourt, few months before his final exams. He became the man in the news, bought his first car, two months after graduation and diversified into Market-Place ministry to strategically and tactically create platforms to take the gospel to the bourgeoisies, as he would always quote Evang. Reinhard Bonke then, “Sinners don’t go to church on their own”. He eventually married his heartthrob, Jaquelyne Uchechi Jasper-Ikpendu. Jacky is a beautiful, resourceful and intelligent woman who gave him great support and encouragement to intensify his ministry and other vocations. Their wedding attracted great young ministers of then and afforded us all the opportunity to meet together. Pee Jay finds a balance in all he does. He is a home man and an indefatigable priest of the home that has weathered the storm. They both have shown great resilience in overcoming the common challenges that face every home. Their parenting style is topnotch. They’re blessed with two exceptional pearls in all ramifications, Havilah Chizara Jasper-Ikpendu (13yrs), and Kairos Chizitere Jasper-Ikpendu (11yrs). You may need to know that he has done pastoral and other market-place ministries in Nigeria, England, Scotland, Amsterdam, Liberia, Ghana, Togo, Dublin, on short and long term bases, even to the point of starting churches/ministries, sustaining existing ones & training the workforce of churches, para-churches, kingdom minded businesses and pure corporate citizens.
In another development, Uncle Jasper, after his several trips to the UK, Europe and other African countries over the years, doing trio of contemporaneous ministerial/pastoral work, corporate & human development strategy trainings and “tropicalizable” researches for educational advancement (through participant observation), found the need to build his sustainable index on what he had done in little ways here at our home land. He set up companies and registered them, to have structural bases to contribute his quota to the body of knowledge, nation building and integral human development: Strategic Communication & Development Functions (S-TRAFUN), Abuja – a strategy consulting, strategic education support services & media/corporate/brand development firm; House of Gems International Schools (HOGIS), Aba – a model Nursery/Primary school to experiment disruptive educational dictates, for an envisioned project he has nursed in that sector; BerryzFare Abuja – a culinary servicing & consulting firm; Net-Washing, Enugu – a relationship/advisory based & customized laundry outfit.
Permit me to cap up my super hero this way: Jasper (Uncle Jay or PJ) is a communication expert who has made laudable impacts in media, corporate, educational and human development strategies. As a rounded-up personality in journalistic trainings with his first degree in Mass Communication, other subsequent trainings in the UK (London – England), and double Masters degrees in Modern Teaching Techniques & Methodologies (MTTM non-thes.), and another in Human Resource Management from Learn-to-Live Business School (LLBS UK), Jasper has dispensed his passion for corporate structuralization/structuralism, education, integral human development, building and sustaining corporate/personal brands, art and requisite soft skills in many African and European countries, over twenty five years. These he has done, servicing multinationals, public institutions, international organizations, organized private sectors, political clouts and civil society groups in many capacities such as Research / Planning & Development (RPD), Human Capital Development, Curriculum Design & Evaluation, Administrative Support Services, Event Conceptualization & Facilitation and Publications.
Uncle Jasper has stimulated, monitored, evaluated and produced documented reports on projects that centered on social sustainability, educational development, security advancement, socio-religious inclusions and economic add-ons for federal, state and local governments in Nigeria, government parastatals, embassies and high commissions, leading religious organizations, NGO’s, federal and state legislators, sitting and aspiring governors and some primary/ secondary/ tertiary educational institutions, to say the least. He is a sought-after consulting fellow in representative writing (ghost-writing), editing, publications, public relations, corporate compéré services and human ethology engineering which otherwise is called human capital development. That could spell why he is widely consulted by most leading and thriving corporate citizens, and schools in particular, most of which are on retainer.
Succinctly speaking, in his areas of Corporate Development Strategies, Media Strategy, Education-Support Services, Professional Rapporteuring and Communicative Competencies, Jasper’s operations: few of his participations, writings and documentations can be summarized thus:
❖ Conceptualization & Execution of HUBCODE (Human, Business & Corporate Development); recurrent projects for startups, emerging entrepreneurs, high-flying intrapreneurs, and thriving indigenous & foreign-based organizations, within Nigeria & beyond: 2011 – Date.
❖ Conceptualization & Execution of EMPRO (Education Management & Profiting) – Techniques: a recurrent public function for many “ivy-league” schools in Nigeria, other notable academic institutions in Nigeria and beyond: (Training the educators, school managers, teachers, heads of schools, proprietors &’certificating’ them: 2009 – Date.
❖ Facilitated the BoT, Management Team & entire staff retreat of Shekinah British International School, Owerri – Imo State: Swiss Int’l Beland Hotel, Owerri: August 17 – 19, 2023.
❖ Conceptualized, Facilitated & Produced international standard Yearbooks/Catalogues various leading schools across Nigeria, and handled thier public exhibitions and launches: 2006 – Date.
❖ Strategy & Communications Consultant for the prospective (proposed) Holy Ghost University, Afikpo – Ebonyi State. 2021 – Date.
❖ Rapporteur, Civil Society Strategy Meeting on the Prevention and Accountability for Mass Atrocities Across Nigeria: a coalition of CSO’s in Nigeria facilitated by Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and Global Rights Nigeria (GRN): August, 2018.
❖ Pro tem Secretary for Youth Force Coalition’s (a political advocacy group) Steering Meeting: Wuye – Abuja. March, 2018.
❖ Researcher and contracted Consummate Scripter, “COMMONWEALTH – Social Justice and Equal Opportunity as recipe for Good Governance”, bequeathed to the authorship & publishing rights of Dr. Mike Omotosho/Mike Omotosho Foundations: launched at the Mike Omotosho Annual Lecture, with Mohammed Sanusi II (CON) & H.E. Mr. Donald Duke as the Keynote Speaker and Chairman, respectively. January, 2018.
❖ Rapporteur for African Coalition for Corporate Accountability (ACCA’s) 3rd Steering Committee meeting: Rockview Hotel, Abuja – January, 2017.
❖ Panelist and Group Reporter at the 2nd Africa Peace Conference, organized by the African Centre for Peace Building, Accra – Ghana: African Conference Ctr. Accra-Ghana. Oct., 2015.
❖ Facilitator/Trainer & Reporter, Graduate Internship Scheme of the SURE-P, Ministry of Finance: Bayelsa & Osun States: Dec., 2014.
❖ Trainer, “Educating for Eternity”: Mitcham – London. Feb., 2012.
❖ Sole Facilitator, “Providing the Missing Link”- a training for private school heads & owners, preteen/teen managers, functional mentors and parallel educationists: Croydon – London, England. February, 2012.
❖ Contributor/Keynote speaker: “Youths Involvement to Nation-Building” a short-time small group discussion: Amsterdam – Holland. Feb, 2012.
❖ Lead Discussant: “The Essence of Life” a public talk: Aberdeen – Scotland. March, 2012.
❖ Lead Discussant and Writer: “Head & Heart Connection” a paradigm shift to holistic education: Coventry – England. Sept., 2011.
❖ Secretary / Coordinating Rapporteur for the National Security Summit – South/East Nigeria, organized by the Police Community Relations Committee: Umuahia. Oct., 2011.
❖ Keynote Speaker & Facilitator, Business as a Mission & Market-Place Ministry: Monrovia-Liberia; and Lome –Togo, respectively. Feb., 2009.
❖ Staff Adviser / Trainer for Nigerian International Secondary Schools Model United Nations (NISSMUN): International Conference Centre, Abuja. 2008 & 2009.
❖ Wrote, Authored & Facilitated a public exhibition / launch of the first comprehensive study & reference materials Creative, Craft & Fine Arts for Nigerian Primary Schools (Books 1-5/6): Landmark Hotels, Port Harcourt. Feb., 2007.
❖ Facilitated & Trained Port Harcourt contingents and Reported to the authority, at the National Children Art Festival, Abuja, organized by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) HQ, Abuja: April, 2007.
❖ Facilitated, developed, executed and submitted report on the (i) Relaunch of Choco-Milo (ii) Launch of Maggi-Mashup (iii) Maggi Cooking Competition – South East Zone (iv) Launch of NAN product (v) Special Seminar for Nurses, Doctors & Healthcare Professionals: All events organized for Nestle Nigeria PLC, in South-East & South-South Nigeria. 2005/2006.
Jasper has several publications to his credit; some of which have made national statements and were carried by several conventional media houses. These have been in forms of books, magazines, newspapers, yearbooks, calendars, periodicals, corporate journals, etc. He is an ex-member of British Council Information Centre & the Nigerian Union of Journalists. He was also the Personal & Special Assistant to the Chancellor of Rhema University who doubles as the world President of LWM Int’l, with operations in several parts of Africa, Europe & United States of America. Jasper facilitated the acquisition, inspection and licensing processes of the university’s Rhema Radio. On the Board the Living Word’s education commission, Jasper served in various capacities as Curriculum Evaluation, Quality Assurance & Public Function lead-coordinator for over 15 years. He had served as Secretary to many Academic, Media, Security and NGO Boards, etc., and he consults for several print and electronic media firms as a Consulting Editor.
Today, Jasper leads a group of young professionals in the emerging firm, Strategic Communication & Development Functions (S-TRAFUN), an Abuja-headquartered firm with contempo-offices in the States of Lagos, Abia, Imo, Port Harcourt, Cross River, Enugu, and … Akwa Ibom (i.v), where he serves as the MD/CEO. Similarly, he is the Exec. Dir. of House of Gems Int’l Schools (HOGIS), Aba, an education centre he set up in September, 2022. He is equally the MD/CEO of Berryz Fair, Abuja.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE JAY, AND DO HAVE PROSPEROUS YEARS AHEAD!
(Pst. Ugochukwu Umelo, Aba; Mr. Nnamdi Uzoukwu, PHC; Pst Alex Oyem, PHC; Pst Gabriella Mau Aniemeke, Abj; Anthony Eto, London)
NOTE: Written at different times, different places, by different individuals. Written as standalone but amalgamated
