Foundation Launches Initiatives to Encourage ICT, Reading Culture In Okposi Okwu community
By Alex Odeh
A foundation, Nwani and Akanele Chuku Foundation and the Iveoma Development Network in Okposi Okwu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has launched a human capital development initiative aimed at increasing access to education, digital skills, and lifelong learning for young people in the community.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony of the project tagged, Sir Nwani and Lady Akanele Chuku Learning and Development Centre, to mark his 50th birthday, Dr. Chuku said the centre will house a lecture theatre, a physical library, an ICT training centre, an arts and crafts studio, and administrative offices.
Dr. Chuku further explained that the initiative is driven by a desire to prepare young people for the realities of a digital world while reviving a strong reading culture.
According to him, students from SS1 to SS3 will receive free ICT training for at least two hours weekly, alongside compulsory library use to encourage academic discipline and intellectual growth.
“In today’s world, if you are not computer literate, you are basically illiterate,” he said, noting that the centre will help students gain confidence ahead of computer-based examinations such as JAMB and other CBT assessments.
The project, named Sir Nwani and Lady Akanele Chuku Learning and Development Centre, is located at Agunabani village in Okposi Okwu community in Ohaozara LGA of Ebonyi State.
Beyond ICT training, the facility will also offer access to virtual lectures delivered by academics and professionals within Nigeria and in the diaspora, 24-hour internet connectivity, and periodic documentary screenings aimed at broadening students’ global awareness.
Opportunities will also be provided for youths with creative talents in fine arts and crafts through guided tutorials and access to creative materials.
Chuku described the project as a personal commitment to community development and a tribute to his late father, an educator, as well as an honour to his mother, who is still alive.
He urged community members to embrace a culture of collective responsibility, encouraging them to “plant a tree whose shade they may never enjoy,” for the benefit of future generations.
The Director General of the Iveoma Nkata Development Network, Brigadier General Igwe Omoke, described the project as a timely intervention and a call to action for other well-meaning sons and daughters of the community.
He noted that the initiative signals a new era of positive engagement and investment in Okposi Okwu and its surrounding communities.
Traditional ruler of Okposi Okwu, His Royal Highness Eze Onyibe Chukwu Agwu, while unveiling the edifice, commended Chuku for his vision and generosity.
He expressed confidence that the centre would nurture future leaders at all levels of governance, including local government chairmen, legislators, governors, and even a future president of Nigeria.
Highlights of the event included a community health road walk, the breaking of Dr. Chuku’s 50th birthday cake, and prayers for the successful completion of the project.
In recognition of his humanitarian contributions, including efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Dr. Chuku was also crowned Ochendo I of Okposi by the Catholic Women Organisation of Saint Edward Catholic Church, Okposi.
The Sir Nwani and Lady Akanele Chuku Learning and Development Centre is expected to be completed and commence operations before Dr. Chuku’s next birthday, further cementing his legacy of service, education, and community empowerment in Ebonyi State.
