Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and former Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has announced plans to institute the Dovis Scholarship Scheme for exceptional first-class students, saying the award would be tied to sustained academic excellence.
Ikpeazu made the disclosure during the celebration of his 62nd birthday and the Fifth Okezie Victor Ikpeazu Colloquium held in Madrid, Spain, with the theme: “Empowerment Beyond Handouts: Building Responsible, Skilled and Self-Reliant Young People for Sustainable Development.”
According to him, the most effective form of empowerment is not the distribution of handouts but the deliberate building of human capacity through education, skills acquisition, mentorship and enterprise support.
He said beneficiaries of the proposed scholarship scheme would be required to maintain high academic standards, noting that the award would be suspended if a student’s academic performance declined.
Reflecting on his years in public service, Ikpeazu said sustainable empowerment must combine training, mentorship, practical experience and access to resources.
He cited programmes implemented during his administration in Abia State, particularly in agriculture, where poultry clusters were established to train young people.
The initiative involved providing poultry pens, feed stores, veterinary clinics and expert instructors who guided participants through classroom learning, practical farm management and eventual transition into independent poultry businesses.
According to him, the model significantly reduced business failure rates by equipping beneficiaries with both knowledge and practical experience before they ventured out on their own.
The ambassador also used the occasion to express gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing him Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain and commended the President’s economic reforms, which he said have placed the country on a positive economic trajectory.
He equally thanked 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.
In his presentation, Professor Ihendinihu argued that genuine empowerment should be measured not by what is given to beneficiaries but by the capacity created.
He maintained that sustainable youth development requires an integrated approach that builds character, knowledge, competence and self-reliance.
The scholar emphasised that empowerment must move beyond cash transfers and material gifts to include education, vocational training, mentorship, entrepreneurship support and market access.
He described Ikpeazu’s life and career as a practical example of empowerment through education, discipline and service, highlighting several youth-focused programmes implemented during his tenure as governor.
Among the initiatives cited were the promotion of the Made-in-Aba campaign, sponsorship of local artisans for international training, 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, these interventions demonstrated a shift from consumption-based empowerment to sustainable capacity building aimed at creating jobs, increasing productivity and encouraging self-reliance among young people.
The professor urged governments, educational institutions, businesses and community leaders to focus on developing responsible, skilled and productive youths capable of driving long-term economic growth and national development.
Earlier in his opening remarks, former spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and moderator of the event, Kimiebi Ebienfa, described Ikpeazu as a scholar, statesman, diplomat and accomplished public servant whose career has been defined by scholarship, humility and service.
Ebienfa noted that the annual colloquium has consistently focused on issues of economic development, entrepreneurship and sustainable empowerment, with this year’s theme addressing the need to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and values required for self-reliance.
He said the conversation had evolved from discussing entrepreneurship and economic growth to examining why many empowerment programmes fail, and ultimately how sustainable empowerment can be achieved through human capital development.
Several guests who attended physically and virtually paid tribute to Ikpeazu, commending his contributions to public service, youth development, education and community advancement.
The event concluded 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
