By Steve Oko

UMUAHIA – Highest scorer in Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exam, UMTE, from Abia State, is to receive N500,000 scholarship,  courtesy of the late Uche J. Ukpabi Legacy Foundation.

The gesture which begins with the current 2025 UMTE session, will remain an annual ritual according to the family of the late  Ukpabi.

First daughter of the family, Mrs Nnenna Okonkwo, who announced this during the inauguration of the foundation in Umuahia, said the beneficiary must have a letter of admission offer from a Nigerian University and must study engineering.

She also announced N250,000 cash award for the Best candidate in Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, SSCE, from Comprehensive Secondary School, Okoko Item, the ancestral home of the late Ukpabi.

Similarly, Best SS2 student of Truevine Schools and Academy Umuahia, for 2024/2025 academic session, “is to receive: Tuition for SS3, registration for WAEC,  NECO, and JAMB exams”, Mrs Okonkwo announced.

Other categories of the scholarship awards include top five SSCE students from Item ancient kingdom; and best five students of Okoko Item Comprehensive Secondary School who would have N20,000 cash awards each per annum.

Mrs Okonkwo who said the gesture which was in memory of their late father, was a way the family wanted to give back to society and sustain the legacies of their late father.

Meanwhile, the winner, runners -up and participants in a quiz competition held at the event also went home with cash and consolation prizes.

The 85-year-old late Mechanical Engineer who died in 2024 was the Head of  Biafran refinery during the civil war, but retired as a Permanent Secretary in the Abia State civil service.

In an interview, son of the late Ukpabi and the incumbent Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands and Housing, Abia State, Mr Ukaeje Ukpabi, said their late father stood for “integrity and hard work.”

“We gave scholarship to indigenous students who are doing well so that they can do better. This initiative was conceived obviously after he died and the idea was to keep the memory alive and also to endeavour to replicate some of those leadership qualities he stood for – mentorship and people development, hardwork, and positive mindedness.”

The Perm Sec urged parents to “always model what they want their children to be”, saying their father was a good role model for them.

Delivering a lecture titled:”Leadership Legacy: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. The Light Path to Enduring Impact”,  Eleke Ukpabi, also an Engineer, identified  character,  competence, and trust as the cornerstone of any leadership.

He said the late Ukpabi treasured integrity, diligence and passion for others, legacies for which he would be remembered.

Reacting to a question on the sustainability of the foundation, he said it was a product of deep thought and planning, assuring it will be done in perpetuity to immortalise the late Ukpabi.

Former Executive Director, National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, and the only surviving sibling of the deceased, Professor Ukpabi Joseph Ukpabi, said the scholarship was restricted to prospective engineering students because his brother loved engineering to the core.

He encouraged the beneficiaries to remain focused and reciprocate the gesture with excellent performance.

The inauguration also featured dialogue on ‘Leadership in Service, Innovation and Culture”.