Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain and former Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has announced plans to establish the Dovis Scholarship Scheme for exceptional first-class students, with beneficiaries required to sustain outstanding academic performance to retain the award.
Ikpeazu disclosed this during the celebration of his 62nd birthday and the Fifth Okezie Victor Ikpeazu Colloquium, organised by the Pa Ismael Ikpeazu Library and DOVI Scientific Leadership Centre.
The event, themed, “Empowerment Beyond Handouts: Building Responsible, Skilled and Self-Reliant Young People for Sustainable Development,” focused on sustainable approaches to youth empowerment and human capital development.
Ikpeazu said genuine empowerment went beyond distributing money and material gifts, stressing the need to invest in education, skills acquisition, mentorship and enterprise support.
He explained that students benefiting from the proposed scholarship would be expected to maintain high academic standards, adding that the award would be suspended if their academic performance declined.
Reflecting on his years in public service, the ambassador emphasised that sustainable empowerment required a combination of training, practical experience, mentorship and access to resources.
He cited agricultural initiatives implemented during his administration in Abia State, particularly poultry clusters established to equip young people with the skills to operate independent businesses.
According to him, the initiative provided poultry pens, feed stores, veterinary clinics and expert instructors who guided participants through classroom instruction and practical farm management before transitioning into independent poultry enterprises.
He said the model helped reduce business failure by ensuring beneficiaries acquired the necessary knowledge and practical experience before establishing their businesses.
Ikpeazu also expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing him Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain, commending the President’s economic reforms, which he said had placed the country on a positive economic trajectory.
Delivering the keynote lecture virtually, Professor John Uzoma Ihendinihu of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, said the success of empowerment programmes should be measured by the capacity created rather than the benefits distributed.
He called for an integrated approach to youth development encompassing education, vocational training, entrepreneurship support, mentorship and access to markets.
Ihendinihu highlighted initiatives introduced during Ikpeazu’s tenure as governor, including the Made-in-Aba campaign, international training for local artisans, the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company and the Enyimba Automated Garment Factory.
He also cited efforts to secure institutional markets for products manufactured by Aba-based entrepreneurs, describing the interventions as examples of capacity building aimed at creating jobs, boosting productivity and promoting self-reliance.
The professor urged governments, educational institutions, businesses and community leaders to prioritise the development of responsible, skilled and productive young people capable of driving sustainable economic growth.
Earlier, the event’s moderator and former Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Kimiebi Ebienfa, described Ikpeazu as a scholar, statesman, diplomat and public servant whose career had been marked by scholarship, humility and service.
The colloquium attracted guests physically and virtually from different parts of the world, who paid tribute to the former governor for his contributions to public service, education, youth development and community advancement. The event ended with goodwill messages and birthday tributes in honour of the ambassador.
Leave a Reply