14082018 - POPULATION GROWTH : Danger looms for Nigeria

80—SATURDAY Vanguard, APRIL 14, 2018
Ikpeazu: Servant leader on
transformation mission
By Clifford Ndujihe, Deputy
Political Editor
DR. Okezie Ikpeazu
mounted the saddle of
leadership in Abia State on May
29, 2015, on a promising note amid
huge expectations.
He had the onerous task of
assuaging some aggrieved sections
of the state, especially Ukwa/Ngwa
and Aba, the commercial and
industry nerve centre of the state
that has been christened God’s
Own State.
Since 1925, the people of the old
Aba Province, populated by the
Ukwa/Ngwa have always sought
for political power. It was a
protracted struggle that took many
dimensions through time. Apart
from being marginalised in terms
of appointments, Aba was also
neglected in terms of infrastructural
maintenance.
Abia political elite, stakeholders
and leaders found a solution to the
Ukwa/Ngwa and Aba Question in
2015 through the Abia Charter of
Equity spear-headed by the
immediate past governor, Senator
Theodore Orji of the Peoples •Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia State governor...elevating Aba to become Nigeria's SME capital
Democratic Party, PDP. The charter
zoned the governorship to Abia
South where Dr. Ikpeazu hails from because narrative. The time is ripe to use the over College of Education Arochukwu; reactivated
Abia North and Abia Central had taken their 110,000 shoemakers and 50,000 garment Aba glass factory; attracted Federal Government
turns in 1999-2007 and 2007-2015 respectively. makers as a launching pad to enable Abia to support for MSMEs at Aba; facilitated
In spite of the charter, the Aba electorate was truly become the undisputed SME capital of thousands of orders from Navy and others for
so aggrieved and peeved with the PDP that Nigeria."
Aba made shoes and uniforms valued at over
they gave Dr. Ikpeazu the least number of votes To actualise these lofty objectives, Ikpeazu N2b; and partnered with Ford Foundation to
on his way to emergence as governor, which had on May 29, 2015, while assuming power, launch international promotion campaigns for
is consistent with provisions of the Charter. anchored his developmental agenda on the Made In Aba brands at zero cost the state.
Thus, on assumption of power, Ikpeazu had five pillars of agriculture, education, Born on October 18, 1964, to the family of late
the option of continuing the ‘abandonment’ of infrastructure, trade, and commerce as well Pa Ishmael and Deaconess Bessie Ikpeazu of
Aba and ‘taking care’ of areas that voted for as oil and gas.
Umuebere in Umuobiakwa village, Isialaukwu
him.
Two and a half years after, has he achieved Mbato Autonomous Community in Obingwa
However, such thinking is light years away this agenda? Is he on the way to achieving it? Local Government Area of Abia State, the
from his ideology and plans for Abia State. Answers to these questions can be got from renowned biochemist, teacher, and administrator
His vision/mission is to transform Abia State the numerous projects he has executed in all is the fourth democratically elected governor of
into a functional
parts of the state in spite of legal distractions Abia State.
private sectorled
economy The time is Since he got to the office, Ikpeazu has only Renowned
from those he trounced at the poll.
creating
had seven months of peace having spent about
opportunities for ripe to use the
biochemist
24 months in court to affirm his mandate. After
citizens, over 110,000 the Election Tribunal affirmed his election, the
improving the
Dr. Ikpeazu attended Amaise Central Primary
Appeal Court annulled it on August 11, 2016.
quality of lives shoemakers
School, Umuobiakwa. In 1973, while in primary
He appealed and did not have a reprieve until
and shaping the
five, he gained admission into Eziama High
and 50,000 the Supreme Court affirmed his election on
state into a
School, Aba and later moved to Ihie High
May 12, 2017.
regional garment
School, Isiala Ngwa, where he took his School
In spite of the distractions, Dr. Ikpeazu has
entrepreneurship
Certificate Examination in 1979. In 1980, at the
makers as a executed numerous people-oriented projects,
hub through
age of 16, he gained admission into the
a reason he is one of Vanguard’s governors
g o o d launching pad
University of Maiduguri, UNIMAID, to study
of the year. He has so unified the state such
governance,
Clinical Biochemistry and graduated with a
that when the appeal court annulled his,
appropriate
to enable Abia
B.Sc. (Hons.) Second Class Upper Division in
stakeholders from the three zones of Abia
developmental
August 1984.
to truly become kicked and pledged their support for him. To
a n d
From August 1984 to August 1985, Dr. Ikpeazu
boost infrastructure, he embarked on
environmentally the undisputed
served as a clinical biochemist in the medical
construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation
sustainable
laboratory of the Rivers State University of
SME capital of of over 70 roads of which about 50 have been
policies.
Science and Technology, RSUST, Port Harcourt,
completed, and he commenced construction
He wants to Nigeria
for his national youth service. He returned to
of the first ever Abia interchange (flyover) at
turn the fortunes
the University of Maiduguri for an M.Sc degree
Aba.
of the state
in Biochemical Toxicology and graduated in
Apart from roads, Dr. Ikpeazu, who is the
around using
1990, and in 1994, at the age of 30, he obtained
ambassador and chief promoter of Made-in-
Aba as the launch pad. In doing that, he must
a doctorate degree, Ph.D., in Biochemical
Aba products, recorded achievements in other
also ensure that no section of Abia is neglected
Pharmacology from the University of Calabar.
sectors. They include: construction of 165,000
so as not to create another crowd of aggrieved
Dr. Ikpeazu served as a Graduate-Assistant
capacity poultry processing plant at Umuosu
citizenry.
in the Department of Science Laboratory
and commenced additional two units for Abia
Ikpeazu said in a recent interview: "Our story
Technology, University of Maiduguri, from 1986
North and South; 300 young Abia farmers
as a people is one of entrepreneurship,
to 1987 while studying for his M.Sc degree.
benefited from N2.5m per person grant as part
resourcefulness, and diligence. This is our
He also taught at the Calabar Polytechnic from
of Farmpreneur project of world bank
pride. We have astounded the world with our
1990 to 1992 during his Ph.D. programme. In
(FADAMA); Abia State maintained first
home-grown technical skills, especially during
1998, Dr. Ikpeazu joined the services of Enugu
position in WAEC and NECO examinations
a period of pervasive adversity, and followed
State University of Science and Technology,
for three consecutive years; renovated 32
it up with our trade and commercial prowess
ESUT as Lecturer in the Department of Applied
schools across the three geopolitical zones;
elevating one of our cities, Aba, into a prominent
Biochemistry, and rose to Head of Department
constructed 15 new water boreholes for schools
commercial hub within the West African region.
in 2001.
reduced school fees at ABSU, Abiapoly and
This historic renown is to become our future