The beneficiaries, who had faced financial hardships and lost hope, seized the opportunity to express their gratitude for the Foundation’s transformative intervention. Mr. Emmanuel Eze, a 5th-year student of Radiography, UNN, shared his poignant journey, attributing his ability to attend a tertiary institution to the timely support provided by Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu PhD.
Eze recounted, "If not for Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, I wouldn’t be where I am today. God has used him to uplift me, and God will continue to bless him and his family." He urged fellow recipients to remember the Foundation’s generosity when blessed after their education.
Desmond Mamah, another beneficiary from the Radiography department, expressed gratitude for the scholarship awarded to him in 2019, emphasizing its profound impact on his life and family. He prayed for the continuous growth and expansion of the Foundation, underscoring the positive ripple effect it brings to the community.
A touching moment unfolded as Mrs. Stella Odoh, representing her daughter Uche Ohabuenyi, a final year medical student, UNN, thanked the Foundation for preventing her family from the brink of despair. Mrs. Odoh urged graduates to unite as "children of Ikechukwu Ezeugwu" and support the Foundation's scholarship scheme, when they must have graduated and secured employment, emphasizing the importance of giving back to society.
In his speech, Prof. Malachy Okwueze, a distinguished member of the Board of Trustees of the Ikechukwu Ezeugwu Foundation and former Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), commended Hon. Ezeugwu for steadfastly upholding the foundation's mission despite stepping away from active partisan politics.
Prof. Okwueze expressed gratitude for the unwavering commitment displayed by Hon. Ezeugwu in advancing the cause of education and alleviating the financial burdens of aspiring scholars. Encouraging other fortunate individuals in society to follow this exemplary lead, Prof. Okwueze emphasized the profound impact even seemingly small acts of assistance can have on those in need. His words resonated as a call to action, urging the privileged to embrace their responsibility in uplifting the less fortunate and contributing to the collective betterment of society.
While ddressing the audience, Very Rev. Fr. Aneke, the parish priest of Blessed Sacrament Parish Church in Independence Layout, Enugu, extended his gratitude to Hon. Ezeugwu for his benevolence and commended him for imparting a valuable lesson on generosity through the Ikechukwu Ezeugwu Foundation. Rev. Fr. Aneke, recognizing the transformative impact of such acts of kindness, offered words of counsel to the beneficiaries.
He advised them to seize the presented opportunity and make the most of the educational support provided by the foundation. In echoing the spirit of giving, Rev. Fr. Aneke's words served as a reminder of the profound impact individuals can have on the lives of others through acts of kindness and generosity.
Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu , the founder of the Foundation, delivered a powerful message, urging the beneficiaries to believe in themselves. Reflecting on his own journey of coming from a very large family that at a point didn't find it easy to send all the children to school as at when they ought to, to struggle and get educated up to PhD. level. Ezeugwu emphasized the importance of self-belief in achieving academic success or whatever one aspires to be.
Ezeugwu encouraged the beneficiaries to make the most of the opportunity, reminding them that 95 per cent of their success is determined by them as one can force a horse to the river but cannot force it to drink water. As is usually the tradition since 2013, twenty beneficiaries received their tuition fees for the new academic year, symbolizing the Foundation’s ongoing dedication to uplifting the dreams of bright and deserving individuals thereby empowering lives through education.
While some beneficiaries couldn't attend the ceremony, parents and guardians represented them at the Foundation’s office in Enugu, where cheques were distributed for the 2023/2024 academic session. The Ikechukwu Ezeugwu Foundation continues to be a beacon of hope, empowering dreams and reshaping the educational landscape for a better society.
