From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Recipient of the The Sun Humanitarian Service Icon Award 2023 Chief Ikenna Okafor has bagged a Doctor of Entrepreneurial Innovation Degree (Honourary Causa) from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
Okafor popularly known as Ide Akwaeze and the Chief Executive Officer of Keves Global Leasing Limited – an oil and gas servicing company was conferred with the doctorate degree yesterday at the ASUU Secretariat complex of the university in Awka.
Speaking during the ceremony, the philanthropist and business mogul called on billionaires in Anambra State to pool resources together towards building investments that will guarantee generational wealth for indigent people in the state.
Okafor specifically tasked about 1,000 billionaires in Anambra state to join him in setting aside $1million each to create investments in the state that will guarantee jobs and wealth for indigenes of the state.
He called on people to shun ostentatious lifestyle most especially at this period of hardship in Nigeria and conserve resources to help the less privilege in the society.
He said, “Anambra is blessed with many billionaires; we have been using our money in places they are not felt, but there are things we will do and it will never be forgotten.
“I want to challenge 1,000 Anambra billionaires to bring $1million each to invest in things that will bring about generational wealth for our people. Let’s not waste our money in drinking champagne alone. I will champion such cause.
Earlier, the Chancellor of the university, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, the Gbong Gwom Jos, who had declared open the special convocation for the award of the honorary degree, congratulated the awardee, adding ” This honour by this university of all times is a call to even do more.
” I also seize this opportunity to urge the Vice Chancellor to keep up with the admirable tempo of his administration as his tenure winds down and equally to enjoin the university community to continue to give him the commendable cooperation.”
Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Charles Esimone, stated that the choice of Ikenna Okafor for the award was because of his numerous philanthropic gestures, especially in the areas of education where he had supported both primary, secondary and tertiary institutions with infrastructure and also supported various worthy causes in the society.