TheCable

Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, is billed to speak at the second memorial lecture on the demise of Innocent Chukwuemeka Chukwuma, founder of CLEEN Foundation, on May 10.

The civil society leader died in 2021 after a battle with acute myeloid leukaemia. He was 55.

In a statement on Monday, Josephine Effa-Chukuma, board chair of the Innocent Chukwuemeka Chukwuma Empowerment Foundation (ICCEF), said the CLEEN Foundation founder spent three decades of his life building platforms to support the civic space.

“The first annual Innocent Chukwuemeka Chukwuma Impact and legacy lecture series in partnership with CLEEN Foundation on May 10, 2023, in Abuja,” the chair said.

“The guest lecturer for this year’s lecture is Dr. Oby Ezekweshili, former minister for education in Nigeria, former vice-president of the World Bank, Africa Region; an economic policy expert; and an advocate for transparency, accountability, good governance, human capital development, and social justice.”

Effa-Chukuma said there would be a hackathon on April 4, in partnership with Oluaka Institute of Technology in Owerri, Imo state.

“Educational scholarships will be given biennially (every two years) and will be for the duration of the beneficiaries’ period of study in the institution,” she said.

“In this kick-off phase, the programme is being implemented in partnership with four community associations in the south-east and south-south.

“Scholarships will be awarded to eight young persons (two from each community) in secondary and tertiary public institutions. The scholarships cover tuition fees, exam fees, school development levy (if any), books/stationeries, school bags, etc. This will take place in Imo state on April 2nd, 2023.”