Exactly 13 months ago, precisely on May 29, 2015, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu
PhD, an unassuming academic and erudite scholar with the gift of
administrative excellence assumed the mantle of leadership of Abia state
as its chief executive officer. Ikpeazu’s ascendency to power was
climaxed by his commencement of the implementation of his government’s
five point agenda which are: education, agriculture, oil and gas,
infrastructure and trade and commerce.Consequently, these five point agenda fired and in fact underlined the significance of his revolution in virtually all sectors of the economy as road infrastructure became the pivotal sub sector the administration visited its magic wand on shortly after taking office. Within days of assumption of office rehabilitation of over 27 roads in Aba and Umuahia commenced while electricity and pipe borne water whose conspicuous absence was disturbing became part of Abia infrastructural menu.
The city of Aba, one of Africa’s fledging industrial and commercial hub had a blueprint for a turnaround as the Ikpeazu’s government, in an effort to make it the final destination of trade, commerce and industrial in sub Saharan Africa, established the Aba Urban Renewal Agency. The aim is to give the agency the legal authority to reinvent and make the city attractive for local and foreign investments; hence the present remodeling of Enyimba city as a centre of industrial and commercial excellence.
Actually, this paradigm of Ikpeazu’s government being pursued at a period of austerity has given a boost to the Aba economy as investors are beginning to see the need to invest in this God’s own State. However, one year on, the administration has had a number of quality projects to showcase for its one year stewardship. With 70 roads being constructed or rehabilitated in various parts of the state, 32 of which have already been completed, as well as the establishment of many investment friendly policies, the Ikpeazu administration has indeed joined the superhighway of Abia industrial, commercial and economic Eldorado.
Reeling the policies/initiatives out should be the assignment for another day, but suffice it to say that public restructuring, domestic management, acceptance of Made in Aba Goods, enhancement of quality education through the Friends of Abia Schools Adoption Initiative (FASAI) and the Abia Primary School Lunch etc are the expectations of the electorate that have been met by the Okezie Ikpeazu administration.
This quantum leap in infrastructure in Abia state has resulted in the influx of investors. The list is inexhaustible, but suffice it to name the few this space could accommodate. They include: Crown Realities PLC of Nigeria, (free trade/industrial), Kunwon Construction Coy Ltd, South Korea, (mini industrial park), Afropoland Group/Pilgrim Ranch Ltd of Poland (agriculture/goat farming), Kings Corporation Group of USA (refinery, power plant, sea port/air port), Geonel Group of Israel (new city development).
Others are: Benchmark Consortium of UAE (agriculture/cassava processing/oil palm), Fresno Solution of Nigeria (Lottery), Samthonia Reality Investments LLC of USA (Real Estate), Dunnel Worldwide Ltd of Poland (Real Estate), HJ Trust and Investment Ltd of Nigeria (agriculture/palm oil, AG Homes Ltd of Nigeria (real estate) and Epcot Crenshaw of UK which is investing in waste management amongst many other investors.
As a classroom man, an academic and a scholar, Okezie Ikpeazu PhD has not hidden his desire to promote scholarly excellence and impart quality learning to pupils and students in the state, particularly in his field of study, Biochemical Pharmacology. On Friday, June 10, 2016, the Abia chief executive made good his pledge to hold a monthly lecture series for undergraduate students of the Department of Biochemistry at the Abia State University, Uturu.
Despite his tight official schedule, Gov Ikpeazu was able to visit the institution for the lecture that began this June. He was received on arrival by some traditional rulers, members of the governing council of the university as well as its management team led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Uche Ikonne.
Displaying his academic and teaching prowess during the lecture, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu who lectured fourth year students of the Department of Biochemistry on BCM 452 Pharmaceutical Biochemistry emphasized the need for continuous scientific research as a prerequisite for more scientific discovery and growth.
The lecture brought out the best in him as a university teacher and administrator par excellence. It should be recalled that before his assumption of office as the fourth executive of Abia state, Ikpeazu had lectured and acted as visiting lecturer in many Ivory Towers across the country, chief among them are: the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State University of Technology, Ebonyi State University as well as the Polytechnic, Calabar.
Not only did he serve as senior lecturer in some of these institutions, Ikpeazu was the Head of Department of Biochemistry at the Enugu State University of Technology before the call for higher duty brought him to Abia state where he served as the Transition Chairman, Obingwa local government area in 2002.
He was also a Masters Degree External Examiner to the Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He once said his life-long ambition is to become a professor of Biochemistry; a desire that is being manifested by his enormous desire and love for teaching and research in his field of specialisation even now that he serves as Abia chief executive.
Really, Okezie Ikpeazu is the first governor in the history of Nigeria that will take time off their busy schedules to impart and lecture students in the (governors’) area training or specialization without necessarily infringing on the business and operations of governance.
The Gov Ikpeazu has assured that the arrangement of lecturing the fourth year students of ABSU (BCM 452 – Pharmaceutical Biochemistry) monthly will be a permanent one, saying that the lecture series rather than impinge on the activities of governance will spur him to perform optimally and even do exploits in all sectors of the Abia economy, particularly in the education sector.
While welcoming the Gov Ikpeazu who is also the Visitor of the university to the institution, with some traditional rulers and leaders of thought from Uturu community, Prof E Uche Ikonne explained that it was the first time a sitting governor would take time off his ever busy official duties to lecture students in his area of training and commended him for taking special interest in the affairs of the university.
END
Uche Nwosu, a Public Affairs Commentator, wrote from Umuahia, Abia State.
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