Leaders in the South-East have been urged to emulate the leadership style and development vision of the late Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara, to accelerate the region’s development and restore its economic prosperity.
The call was made at the 3rd Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara Memorial Lecture Series held at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, where speakers highlighted Okpara’s contributions to agriculture, industrialization, infrastructure, education and human capital development.
The event, which attracted government officials, traditional rulers, academics, business leaders and other stakeholders, featured discussions on leveraging technology to promote food security, agro-enterprise and financial inclusion.
In her welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of MOUAU, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, described Okpara as a symbol of purposeful leadership, agricultural transformation and people-centred development.
She noted that the late Premier demonstrated how agriculture could drive economic prosperity, industrial growth, employment generation and social advancement through strategic investments in research, education, rural development and infrastructure.
Akanwa said the university had a responsibility to sustain his legacy by producing quality graduates, conducting relevant research and contributing meaningfully to agricultural development.
Speaking on the lecture theme, Leveraging Technology in Agriculture: Building Digital Rails for Food Security, Agro-Enterprise and Financial Inclusion, the Vice-Chancellor highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence, precision farming, biotechnology, smart irrigation, mechanization and digital agricultural markets to improve productivity and strengthen food security.
She reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, research commercialization, entrepreneurship and partnerships with government, industry and farming communities to transform research findings into practical solutions.
Akanwa also expressed appreciation to Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, for his support in the institution, particularly the transformation of its main entrance, where a statue of the late Okpara was erected.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the University Governing Council, Prof. Fidelis Edeh, said understanding the past was essential to building the future, noting that Okpara’s achievements between 1959 and 1966 demonstrated the impact purposeful leadership could have on the society.
Edeh said the late Premier invested in infrastructure and development across the former Eastern Region, stressing that effective leadership should be measured by its impact rather than the length of time spent in office.
He described Okpara as a leader who promoted solidarity, rejected marginalization and championed the collective welfare of the people.
The Pro-Chancellor also commended Governor Otti for what he described as efforts to reflect the development philosophy associated with the late Premier.
Representing the chairman of the occasion, Prince Arthur Eze, Prince Emeka Eze praised Otti’s leadership, describing him as a contemporary figure whose development approach reflected aspects of Okpara’s legacy.
He recalled the late Premier’s achievements in agriculture and industrialization, noting that his administration transformed the former Eastern Region into a major centre of production and economic activity.
Delivering the lecture, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Payaza Africa Limited, Mr Seyi Ebenezer, called for a fundamental shift in the approach to agriculture, advocating the adoption of technology, increased investment and commercially driven farming.
Ebenezer said Okpara recognized the importance of agriculture to economic development and pursued policies aimed at strengthening the region’s productive capacity rather than waiting for foreign investors to drive development.
He highlighted what he described as Africa’s agro-economic paradox, noting that the continent possesses about 60 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, while Nigeria has an estimated 84 million hectares of arable land.
Despite these resources, he said Nigeria continues to spend billions of dollars annually importing food that could be produced locally.
The guest lecturer also observed that smallholder farmers, who account for a substantial proportion of domestic food production, continue to face poverty, while inadequate storage, transportation and processing facilities contribute to significant post-harvest losses.
He attributed these challenges partly to the treatment of agriculture as a subsistence activity rather than a technology-driven, capital-intensive and commercially viable industry.
Ebenezer called for increased investment in agricultural technology, improved access to capital and the development of efficient systems that would connect farmers to markets, reduce waste and improve profitability.
In his goodwill message, the Executive Director of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Prof. Chiedozie Egesi, said Okpara understood the importance of agriculture as a driver of economic development decades ago.
Egesi noted that modern technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics and drones, could be deployed to improve agricultural production, develop high-yielding crop varieties and strengthen farming systems.
He urged governments to create an enabling environment for agricultural research, innovation and investment to thrive.
In his address titled The Immortality of Good Works, Governor Otti called for a renewed commitment to building a self-reliant economy, drawing lessons from Okpara’s development philosophy.
The Governor identified the late Premier’s agricultural initiatives, including the Ulonna farm settlement scheme, as examples of development models that could be re-examined and modernized through technology.
Otti said his administration was exploring opportunities to identify areas of comparative advantage in agriculture, including crops such as cocoa and cashew, with the aim of increasing production, creating economic opportunities and positioning Abia as a major food exporter.
He stressed the need for a fresh approach to agricultural development that would build on the state’s resources and promote self-sufficiency.
In his vote of thanks, Chief Uzodinma Okpara, the first son of the late Premier, described his father’s commitment to public service and his determination to make the Igbo nation economically self-sufficient as defining aspects of his legacy.
He commended Governor Otti for the development strides recorded in Abia State, expressing appreciation for the administration’s efforts to sustain aspects of his father’s vision.
Also speaking in an interview, the President of Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UCCIMA), Lady Dr Catherine Chika Igbokwe, praised Okpara’s contributions to the economic development of the former Eastern Region.
She noted that his policies strengthened the business environment, encouraged commercial activities and helped establish the region as a major centre of enterprise.
The event also featured the unveiling of the statue of the late Dr Michael Okpara at the university’s entrance, an initiative undertaken with the support of Governor Otti.
Other participants at the event said the memorial lecture provided an opportunity to reflect on Okpara’s development philosophy and the relevance of his investments in agriculture, infrastructure and industrialization to contemporary efforts to strengthen the South-East economy.
