Ohanaeze Unveils Scholarship Scheme for 100 Undergraduates, Awards N2.5m Endowment Cheques

Our Reporter 

The pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Thursday unveiled a new scholarship scheme for no fewer than 100 undergraduates as part of efforts to preserve and promote Igbo language and culture.

The initiative was launched at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Secretariat in Enugu, where the apex Igbo body also presented cheques worth N2.5 million each to beneficiaries of its Professorial Endowment Chair.

Speaking at the ceremony, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, described the intervention as a deliberate strategy to safeguard the future of Igbo identity in the face of growing globalisation and urban migration.

He said the event was more than a ceremonial gathering, noting that it marked a bold step towards revitalising Igbo language, history and cultural consciousness.

Azuta-Mbata warned that reports indicating that the Igbo language is endangered should serve as a wake-up call for urgent and collective action.

“We are here to celebrate our heritage and invest in its future. This initiative reflects our commitment to ensuring that Igbo language and culture not only survive but thrive for generations to come,” he said.

He commended the members of the Professorial Endowment Chair and Selection Committee, led by Prof. Damian Opata, for what he described as a transparent and merit-based process that produced scholars committed to advancing Igbo studies.

The Ohanaeze leader also announced the launch of the “Ohanaeze PG Scholarship,” which he said would provide opportunities for 100 Igbo youths to study coding, artificial intelligence and other technology-driven courses in various universities.

According to him, the number of beneficiaries is expected to increase to 200 in the near future.

Azuta-Mbata explained that the scholarship, which he said is personally sponsored, is aimed at combining technology with culture by equipping young people to promote Igbo language and heritage through digital innovation.

“This will be self-sponsored by me and I believe this will encourage more positive actions from our leaders, businessmen and other technocrats across Igboland,” he said.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Professorial Chair, Prof. Damian Opata, described the development as a visionary and timely intervention, pledging sustained efforts to ensure the survival and growth of Igbo language and culture.

“We will continue to work tirelessly for the Igbo nation to ensure our language does not go into extinction,” Opata said.

Also speaking, elder statesman and scholar, Prof. Elo Amucheazi, described the initiative as unprecedented, recalling earlier efforts to institutionalise Igbo studies abroad despite the challenges encountered.

“This is no small feat. We have made plenty efforts to establish Igbo schools in the UK, the United States and now Canada and these show that the language has a global footprint. Igbo will not die,” he said.

Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze, echoed the call for collective commitment to preserving the language, but expressed concern over what he described as inadequate support from religious institutions.

The ceremony highlighted renewed efforts by Ohanaeze Ndigbo to strengthen cultural identity through both academic support and technology-focused empowerment, amid concerns over the future of the Igbo language.