The Prof. Obidinma Isaiah Okoli Onyemelukwe Foundation is delighted to announce the expansion of its Scholarship programme to Community Secondary School, Nanka, in honor of the life and legacy of Prof. OIO Onyemelukwe, an esteemed economist, a renowned statistician and a zealous community leader.
Prof. OIO Onyemelukwe, was born about 1937 and spent his early years in Nanka where he developed a deep affection for his community, leading to a lifelong love and involvement in community service. He started his academic journey at Okpolonnambia Nanka, and later on at the Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha between 1952 and 1956. He excelled academically, winning prizes at all levels and went on to graduate from the Addis Ababa University with a distinction. He also earned a Master’s and PHD in Economics from the University of Michigan, USA in 1977.
He had a stellar career which spanned various roles in the academia and public service. He served as a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education amongst other ministries. He taught at various tertiary institutions including Nnamdi Azikiwe University where he served as Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakiliki where he also served as Head, Department of Economics from 1999 to 2001, and Anambra State University, Uli. He authored several books and many journal articles.
Always very involved in Nanka affairs, he was for many years the Chairman of the Scholarship Committee of the Nanka Patriotic Union.
As a testament to his unwavering commitment to education and community development, amongst it’s projects, the Foundation instituted the Scholarship programme to present awards to students who excel in Mathematics and Economics at the DMGS. Building on the success of this programme in 2022 and 2023, the Foundation has extended the programme to CSS, Nanka, in 2024 giving awards across all subjects at Senior Secondary school level, donating books to the school library and rewarding deserving teachers.
Going forward, the Foundation will:
-Award annual Scholarships to an SS1 student, recognizing academic excellence and need
-Continue to award Prizes (including recognition and monetary awards) to top-performing students across all subjects in the Senior Secondary classes.
-Donate books and other educational resources to the school library.
-Undertake capital projects (proposed by the school management) to enhance the learning environment for students
-Enroll the students in a mentorship programme.
-Award prizes to deserving teachers
This initiative embodies Prof OIO Onyemelukwe’s enthusiasm for education, young people and Nanka. He would be thrilled to offer support to students at the CSS to see them succeed in all spheres of life. It is also a significant step towards supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4): Quality Education. We believe that quality education is the bedrock for individual growth, community and national development.
We are committed to continued efforts in supporting SDG 4 and making positive impacts in the communities we serve.
