Former Abia State Governor and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, has marked his 62nd birthday with a lecture on sustainable youth empowerment, advocating a shift from handouts to skills, knowledge and self-reliance.
The lecture, titled “Empowerment Beyond Handouts: Building Responsible, Skilled and Self-Reliant Young People for Sustainable Development,” examined how education, practical training and access to markets can help beneficiaries turn support into lasting economic opportunities.
Delivering the lecture, Professor John Uzoma Ihendindu said empowerment should go beyond the distribution of money and materials to equipping people with the capacity to create value and support others.
“Training people to become trainers of others is the essence of sustainable empowerment,” he said, stressing the need to combine skills development with market access and opportunities for growth.
Ihendindu also highlighted Ikpeazu’s initiatives as governor to promote local artisans and Made-in-Abia products through capacity building, branding, exposure to international markets and efforts to address gaps in technology and infrastructure.
He commended the former governor’s continued interest in youth empowerment, describing his approach as one rooted in service and compassion.
Speaking at the event, Ikpeazu said his goal had always been to move beneficiaries from dependency to capability. He noted that empowerment must also build character, discipline and determination.
“It is not enough to give; we must also build character,” he said, urging beneficiaries to apply the skills they had acquired and remain determined to succeed.
He further advised young people considering migration to acquire relevant skills and pursue training that responds to real needs and opportunities, describing financial assistance as a catalyst for growth rather than an end in itself.
The former governor also announced plans to inaugurate the DOVY Scholars initiative, which he said would bring together brilliant young men and women and provide a ₦10 million seed fund in recognition of outstanding performance. Further details of the selection process and disbursement were not provided in the information available.
Other speakers, including Chuk Igba, Professor Ikechi Mgbeoji, Dr Chinedum Elechi and Professor Kelechi Okonta, commended Ikpeazu’s empowerment efforts and reflected on their perceived impact on young people and local enterprise.
The celebration featured a toast by Raymond Aligha, the cutting of the birthday cake and a gathering of family members, friends and associates from Nigeria and abroad
