_...Enugu Celebrates Mrs. Ihuoma Eze on Her Birthday, Honors Her Trailblazing Achievements and Leadership
_Enugu State has once again been placed on the national map of excellence and integrity as friends, colleagues, and well-wishers join in celebrating the birthday of Mrs. Ihuoma Eze, the Acting Project Coordinator of the World Bank–assisted Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project in Enugu State. Her birthday is not just a personal milestone but a moment to reflect on a career defined by service, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to human and community development.
_Mrs. Eze has, over the years, distinguished herself as a dynamic leader, combining diligence, innovation, and an unwavering goal-oriented approach in the execution of her duties. Her influence has been pivotal in reshaping the agricultural landscape of Enugu State. Under her leadership, the APPEALS Project has recorded outstanding successes, particularly in empowering 1,700 beneficiaries through the Women and Youth Empowerment Programme, including 85 persons with disabilities, who have established agro-business start-ups across five priority value chains. Beyond this, over 3,000 farmers in cashew, rice, and poultry production have benefitted from input support, technology, and capacity building, boosting productivity and income while uplifting rural livelihoods.
_Her sterling leadership has earned the Enugu State APPEALS Project the recognition of being the best performing in the country, with a remarkable 93.3% fund utilization rate and 100% achievement in project activities. This record of performance has contributed significantly to food security, job creation, and sustainable livelihoods across the state.
_Mrs. Eze’s academic brilliance complements her professional accomplishments. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and a Master of Science Degree in Parasitology, and she is currently a PhD Scholar at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Her academic journey laid the foundation for a career deeply rooted in scientific knowledge, development practice, and sustainable impact. Her professional engagements have been enriched through her work with the Nigerian Watershed Erosion Management Project (NEWMAP) before transitioning to APPEALS. Additionally, her expertise has been sharpened through international and national trainings in project facilitation, gender innovation, mediation, environmental safeguards, and procurement.
_Over the years, Mrs. Ihuoma Eze’s contributions have earned her numerous prestigious awards and recognitions at state, national, and continental levels: Potter’s Wheel Foundation Award of Excellence (2023): Honored by the Foundation for her honesty, sincerity, and professionalism in her pivotal role as Enugu State Project Coordinator of APPEALS. This award reflected her dedication to youth empowerment and entrepreneurial development through close collaboration with government and stakeholders.
_Ethics and Integrity Ambassador’s Award (2024): Conferred by the Center for Ethics and Self Evaluation Orientation after an eight-month secret inquiry into her office. This award elevated her into the prestigious IION Hall of Fame, where she now stands alongside eminent Nigerians and global icons such as Emeka Anyaoku, Wole Soyinka, Ibrahim Babangida, Gbajabiamila, Iwuanyanwu, and Femi Otedola.
_Leadership Award of Excellence (2025): Bestowed by the South East Media Forum, in recognition of her leadership excellence, community impact, and outstanding service to humanity.
_The Apostolic Mantle as Government Mountain Ambassador (2025): Presented by the CASOR Nnamdi Azikiwe University Alumni Association, this recognition was described as more than an award“a mantle that confers spiritual authority, angelic assistance, and a commission for a mission.”
_Thomas Sankara Pan-African Leadership Prize for Excellence (2025): Awarded by the Youth Partnership for Africa’s Development (YOUPAD), with the honorary title of Amazon of Public Service Prudence. The grand continental ceremony, held in Enugu on September 4, 2025, placed her among Africa’s most illustrious leaders. The award, named after the iconic Burkinabé leader Thomas Sankara, has in the past been bestowed on global statesmen such as Prof. Bart Nnaji, Sudan’s former President Umar Al-Bashir, Rwanda’s Vincent Biruta, and Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa. These are just a few of the Honours and Accolades she has gathered for both the state and to her personality.
_As she celebrates her birthday, Mrs. Eze is being showered with accolades, not merely for her personal milestones, but for her life of sacrifice that radiates with prestige and honor. She represents a generation of women leaders who embody the virtues of diligence, transparency, and excellence, inspiring young professionals to embrace service as a noble calling.
_Recognition of this kind only reminds her of her formative years when character development was the bedrock of growth, and today, her modest contributions to public service are testimonies of a mission well embraced. For Mrs. Ihuoma Eze, each award, honor, and milestone is more than a symbol of achievement, it is a mantle of responsibility and a commission for greater service to God and humanity.
_On this occasion of her birthday, Enugu celebrates not only a distinguished scholar and administrator but also a selfless leader who continues to transform lives, strengthen communities, and uphold the values of integrity and excellence.
