Former Abia State Governor and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has announced plans to establish the Dovis Scholarship Scheme to support outstanding first-class students who maintain high academic standards.
Ikpeazu made the announcement in Madrid, Spain, during the celebration of his 62nd birthday and the Fifth Okezie Victor Ikpeazu Colloquium.
Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu Former Abia State Governor and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain
The colloquium, themed “Empowerment Beyond Handouts: Building Responsible, Skilled and Self-Reliant Young People for Sustainable Development,” emphasised the need to equip young people with education, practical skills, mentorship and entrepreneurial opportunities.
According to a statement issued on Sunday, Ikpeazu said sustainable empowerment should focus on building capacity and promoting self-reliance rather than merely distributing cash and material items.
He explained that recipients of the proposed scholarship would be expected to sustain excellent academic performance to retain the award.
Reflecting on his administration’s youth empowerment initiatives in Abia, the former governor highlighted poultry clusters established with production facilities, feed stores, veterinary clinics and professional instructors.
He said the programme combined classroom instruction with practical farm management and business training to prepare beneficiaries to establish and manage their own enterprises.
Ikpeazu also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing him ambassador to Spain and acknowledged the support of his family, friends and political associates.
Delivering the keynote lecture virtually, Professor John Uzoma Ihendinihu of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, said empowerment should be assessed by the skills and capabilities beneficiaries acquire rather than the material assistance they receive.
The Professor of Accounting and Taxation advocated an integrated approach to youth development encompassing education, character formation, vocational training, mentorship and access to markets.
He cited the Made-in-Aba campaign, international training for local artisans, the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company and the Enyimba Automated Garment Factory as initiatives under Ikpeazu’s administration aimed at strengthening local production and economic independence.
Ihendinihu urged governments, educational institutions, businesses and community leaders to invest in programmes that generate employment, improve productivity and prepare young people for meaningful contributions to national development.
Earlier, the moderator, Kimiebi Ebienfa, a former spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, described Ikpeazu as a scholar, diplomat and public servant with a strong commitment to education and public service.
He said the annual colloquium had become a platform for examining issues relating to entrepreneurship, economic growth and sustainable empowerment.
Participants, both physically present and online, commended the former governor’s contributions to education, youth development and public service, while the celebration concluded with goodwill messages and birthday tributes.
