Dr. Ikechukwu Ezugwu, founder of the Ikechukwu Ezugwu Foundation, urged recipients of the foundation’s support to persevere and strive for success during the 11th undergraduates’ empowerment event held at the foundation’s headquarters in Diamond City Estate, Enugu, on November 24, 2023.
Addressing the students, Dr. Ezugwu emphasized the importance of hard work and resilience, drawing on his life experiences to inspire the beneficiaries. He encouraged them never to give up and highlighted the opportunities available to them.
Reflecting on his journey from a challenging upbringing in a polygamous family to becoming a former lawmaker in the Enugu State House of Assembly, he expressed confidence in the potential of the recipients to surpass his achievements.
“As a boy, growing up was not easy for me even though my father was a village chief. This is because I grew up in a polygamous family. My father had 28 children from his different wives, and because of that, he could not train some of us. It was my mother who fought tooth and nail to see that I went to school,” Dr. Ezugwu shared.
Read MoreHe established the foundation as a commitment to empower indigent students, providing them with opportunities he had struggled to obtain during his education. Dr. Ezugwu’s dedication stems from his own challenges, having walked miles to school at certain points in his life.
Prof. Malachy Ukwueze, former Deputy Chief of Staff, Enugu State Government, and a member of the foundation’s board of trustees, underscored the foundation’s focus on human development. He emphasized the significance of human development over other infrastructure, defining it as the core mission of the foundation.
Expressing gratitude, beneficiaries like Mr. Emmanuel Ogechukwu shared their stories, acknowledging the foundation’s timely intervention in their lives. Mr. Ogechukwu, a radiography student at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, expressed profound gratitude, stating, “The foundation came just right in time. Here I am today waiting to become a graduate soonest. It can only be God, and I pray that he keeps blessing the initiators of this program.”
He advised fellow beneficiaries to make wise use of the opportunities presented by the foundation and encouraged them to support it after graduation. Similar sentiments were echoed by Mrs. Stella Odo, representing her nursing daughter, Olivia Odo, who shared her experience of financial hardship after her husband’s death.
Beneficiaries were presented with a cheque of N100,000 each at the conclusion of the event. The gathering included dignitaries such as Rev. Fr. Chris Ifunanya Anieke, Mr. Onyekachi Bishop Ogoo Ezinwa, Mrs. Joy Nebo, and Mrs. Okwy Okeke, all of whom have played pivotal roles in the foundation’s success.
Established in 2013, the Ikechukwu Ezugwu Foundation has evolved beyond supporting indigent students to intervening in various cases to help the less privileged. The foundation’s impact has expanded beyond the southeastern region of Nigeria to include beneficiaries outside the region.
