By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain and former Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has announced plans to establish the DOVIS Scholarship Scheme for outstanding first-class students, stressing that sustainable empowerment must go beyond the distribution of handouts to include education, skills development and capacity building.
Ikpeazu disclosed this during the celebration of his 62nd birthday and the Fifth Okezie Victor Ikpeazu Colloquium, organized by the Pa Ismael Ikpeazu Library and DOVI Scientific Leadership Centre.
The event, which focused on the theme, “Empowerment Beyond Handouts: Building Responsible, Skilled and Self-Reliant Young People for Sustainable Development,” brought together scholars, public officials, friends and associates of the former governor to discuss sustainable approaches to youth development.
According to Ikpeazu, beneficiaries of the proposed scholarship scheme would be required to maintain outstanding academic performance, warning that the award could be suspended if a student’s academic standing declined.
He argued that meaningful empowerment should focus on developing human capacity through education, skills acquisition, mentorship and enterprise support rather than relying solely on financial assistance and material gifts.
Reflecting on his years in public service, the ambassador said sustainable empowerment required a combination of training, mentorship, practical experience and access to the resources needed to establish viable businesses.
He cited agricultural initiatives implemented during his administration in Abia State, particularly the establishment of poultry clusters designed to equip young people with the knowledge and practical skills required to operate successful businesses.
The programme provided poultry pens, feed stores, veterinary clinics and expert instructors who guided participants through classroom learning, practical farm management and the transition to independent poultry businesses.
According to him, the model helped reduce business failure by ensuring that beneficiaries acquired the necessary knowledge and practical experience before venturing into entrepreneurship.
Ikpeazu also expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing him Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, while commending the President’s economic reforms, which he said, have placed the country on a positive economic trajectory.
He equally appreciated his family, friends and political associates for their support throughout his academic, professional and political journey.
The highlight of the event was a keynote lecture delivered virtually by Professor John Uzoma Ihendinihu, Professor of Accounting and Taxation at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.
Ihendinihu argued that genuine empowerment should be measured not by what is given to beneficiaries but by the capacity developed to enable them to become productive and self-reliant.
He said sustainable youth development required an integrated approach that prioritized character formation, knowledge, competence and self-reliance.
The professor stressed that empowerment programmes should extend beyond cash transfers and material gifts to encompass education, vocational training, mentorship, entrepreneurship support and access to markets.
He described Ikpeazu’s life and career as an example of empowerment through education, discipline and public service, highlighting several youth-focused initiatives implemented during his tenure as governor.
Among the initiatives he cited were the promotion of the Made-in-Aba campaign, sponsorship of local artisans for international training, the establishment of the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company and the Enyimba Automated Garment Factory, as well as efforts to secure institutional markets for products manufactured by Aba-based entrepreneurs.
According to Ihendinihu, the initiatives demonstrated how empowerment could move from consumption-based interventions to sustainable capacity building that creates jobs, increases productivity and promotes self-reliance.
He urged governments, educational institutions, businesses and community leaders to invest in developing responsible, skilled and productive young people capable of driving long-term economic growth and national development.
Earlier, the event’s moderator and former spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, described Ikpeazu as a scholar, statesman, diplomat and accomplished public servant whose career had been defined by scholarship, humility and service.
Ebienfa said the annual colloquium had consistently addressed issues relating to economic development, entrepreneurship and sustainable empowerment.
He noted that the theme of this year’s edition highlighted the need to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and values required to achieve self-reliance.
According to him, discussions at previous editions had evolved from entrepreneurship and economic growth to examining why many empowerment programmes fail, with the current focus on achieving sustainable results through human capital development.
Friends of the celebrant and other guests who attended physically and virtually from different parts of the world paid tribute to Ikpeazu, commending his contributions to public service, youth development, education and community advancement.
The event ended with goodwill messages, birthday tributes and the rendition of a birthday song in honour of the ambassador as family members, friends, associates and well-wishers celebrated his 62nd birthday.
