By Dennis Agbo

The Ihe community in Awgu local government area of Enugu state has among other scholarly prizes awarded doctoral degree scholarship to deserving indigenes of the community.

Conducting its fourth Ihe Development Initiative, IDI, the community also pleaded for legislation that would give legal backing to the establishment of a proposed University of Education in Ihe by Enugu state government.

President of IDI, Mr. Onyekachi Eneonwo stated that the initiative was a human capital development organization with the cardinal objective of encouraging and supporting socio-economic development in Ihe which through the sponsorship of various cadres of education motivates and harnesses the brilliant minds in the community.

Eneonwo disclosed that IDI has directly and in partnership with individuals/families awarded the scholarships and prizes to over two hundred pupils, students and teachers from the primary school level to Doctoral Degrees.

The categories include the Godwin Okolo PhD Scholars award. A one million naira grant given to any PhD student and the Jude Chibuzor Ekoh and Pa Lawrence Enewe Agu Masters Degree Memorial Awards.

Other categories are: the Ma Cecilia Ozoemena Eneonwo Memorial Award given to the overall best candidate in the unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME; Sylvester Ekoh Ogboh Memorial cash award to a candidate admitted to study MBBS, Pharmacy, dentistry or nursing in any Nigerian University; the Pa Joe Udeh Memorial award given to the overall First, second and third students with at least 5 credits including English and Mathematics from Community Secondary School Ihe; and the Denchukwu Memorial (Science) Award, a cash prize given to the first second and third best candidates of the annual IDI science competition.

Other categories include the PGD scholarship fund by Alhaji Ismaila Ugwu family and the Mrs. Mary Uzodimma Ekoh Memorial Teachers Performance Award. IDI equally provides stipends to an engaged PTA mathematics/ science teacher in community secondary school Ihe, which ensures that the school has adequate hands in the teaching of mathematics/science.

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Additionally, IDI is sponsoring an Ihe history project that aims at archiving historical information regarding Ihe. The project when completed will provide future generations with information regarding the history and culture of Ihe people. IDI also recently launched the teacher performance award.

Delivering a paper on ‘the role of education in community development- a centenary celebration of western education in Ihe,’ at the fourth IDI, prominent Catholic priest and indigene of the community, Rev Fr Emeka Udeonu expressed confidence in Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s actualization of the proposed university at Ihe.

The clergy among other indigenes of the community said they were certain that Governor Ugwuanyi had the potential to actualize the rare university of education, but stressed that once the enabling law was passed; all hands would be on deck to fasten the actualization.

“There is no meaningful alternative route to this actualization outside the immediate passage and signing into law of this very noble proposal. The good news is that the Governor himself has given his word that this would be done very urgently,” Udeonu said.

He stated that the community was known for her deep religiosity, resilience, courage, open-mindedness, egalitarianism, creativity, skillfulness, communalism and commitment to enviable progress even before the coming of the colonial masters to the community.

Community leader and Chairman of the function Air Commodore Afam Chukwu (Rtd) noted that IDI has become an institution for development and progress, promoting scholarship and galvanizing the indigenes for promotion of education.

“Soon we will gather to celebrate the efforts of IDI, soon doctors, professors and professionals in all spheres of life will be developed for the society,” Chukwu said.

Vanguard News Nigeria