The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Friday emphasized the importance of education as he announced a personal donation of N100 million to support the educational and empowerment initiatives of the Senator representing Enugu West, Osita Ngwu.
Senator Ngwu had earlier announced a scholarship and bursary award worth N250 million for about 5,000 students from the Enugu West Senatorial District through his Enugu West Academy (EWA).
Akpabio, who attended the program as the special guest at the event held in Enugu State, described himself as a “proud and passionate in-law” of the state.
He said he was impressed by the scale of the Enugu West Academy initiative, which reportedly trains close to 9,000 participants. According to him, programs that invest in education and skill development at the grassroots level are one of the best ways to fight crime and reduce poverty in society.
“I came here thinking that I would leave within an hour to attend another event, but when I saw the magnitude of what is happening here, I told my pilot to stand down,” Akpabio said while addressing the crowd. “This is an uncommon project. While some people give out clay pots and burial materials, suggesting their people should die, Osita is giving out hope and encouraging children to go to school,” he added.
Akpabio also used the opportunity to speak about his family’s long-standing connection with the state. He recalled that his late uncle, Dr. I. U. Akpabio, served as the Minister of Education in the former Eastern Region and played an important role in the establishment of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
He further noted that he holds an honorary doctorate degree from the university and that a hall in the institution is named after his family. Akpabio also acknowledged the role of his wife in the state, noting that she is an indigene of Enugu and was actively preparing for the upcoming visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu.
During his speech, Akpabio also made a lighthearted appeal to the Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly. He suggested that the state legislature should consider passing a “Marriage Account” law that would require prominent sons-in-law of the state, whether in business or politics, to return every year and give an account of how they have contributed to the development of Enugu.
“I come to Enugu every year to give an account of my marriage. Let all our in-laws do the same. We have very good products in Enugu, and they are very marketable. When you pass that law, please include my name as the first person to comply,” he said jokingly, drawing laughter from the audience, including the Deputy Governor of Enugu State.
Akpabio also revealed that he had personally completed several development projects in Enugu, including a 1.6-kilometer asphalted road leading to a monastery, a 1.5-kilometer road project in Opi, Nsukka, and the planned 2025 Delta Water Scheme aimed at providing clean drinking water to several communities in the area.
Speaking about his personal experience, Akpabio said he began his own scholarship program in 1988 immediately after graduating from the university. He encouraged the beneficiaries of the Enugu West Academy program to remember to help others in the future. He shared a story of how a young man he once supported later became a pilot and eventually flew him on a commercial flight.
Senator Ngwu, while speaking at the event, explained that the 2024/2026 scholarship distribution was part of his efforts to improve education and invest in the future of young people in the senatorial district.
He stressed that the most important investment any leader can make is the development of human capacity. According to him, education gives people the ability to think creatively, innovate, and take leadership roles in society.
Ngwu also revealed that in 2024, his academy awarded scholarships worth N81 million to 18 outstanding students studying in different universities across Nigeria.
While congratulating the students who benefited from the scholarship and bursary awards this year, he assured them that he would continue to support his vision of ensuring that no child in Enugu West is left behind in the pursuit of education.