Anyaegbu Pledges ₦1bn, Scholarships as Otti, Udenwa Headline Ojukwu Varsity Lecture

By Praise Chinecherem

Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, Chairman of Chisco Group, has pledged ₦1 billion for infrastructure development at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State, alongside scholarships for students of its proposed Department of Transport Management.

The commitments will feature prominently at the maiden Chidi Anyaegbu Annual Public Lecture Series scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2026, at the university’s Igbariam campus, with Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, billed to deliver the keynote lecture and former Imo State Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa, to chair the event.

The Vice-Chancellor of Veritas University, Abuja, Rev. Fr. Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, will review a commemorative book titled Platinum Footprint of Enterprise: The Life, Leadership and Legacies of Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, The Godfather of Transport, Chisco.

COOU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kate Omenugha, disclosed the arrangements during a press briefing, explaining that the lecture would focus on the role of indigenous business knowledge and modern investment strategies in driving national prosperity.

Governor Otti is expected to speak on the topic, “Enterprise Across Generations: Merging Indigenous Business Knowledge With Modern Investment Strategies for National Prosperity.”

According to Omenugha, the annual lecture was established to recognise Anyaegbu’s contributions to business development and society, while preserving his experiences and achievements for future generations.

The programme will also feature the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Department of Transport Management building and the Chidi Anyaegbu Multipurpose Auditorium, which the businessman’s ₦1 billion endowment is expected to support.

“We wrote a book in his honour. We got contributors from all over, including the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Transportation,” Omenugha said.

She explained that the publication brought together contributors from different academic and professional backgrounds to document Anyaegbu’s business journey and legacy.

“The aim is to further immortalise a man who we call the Godfather of transport business,” she added.

Ahead of the event, Anyaegbu and members of his team, including Ifeanyi Ezegamba, Esq.; Hon. Uchenna Ochuba; and Mr Daniel-Scott Ofodeme, visited the university on Tuesday to assess preparations for the lecture and the proposed projects.

During the visit, Omenugha commended Anyaegbu’s intervention, describing it as an example of how private-sector participation could support university development and expand opportunities for students.

She said universities could not depend solely on government funding to meet their increasing infrastructural and academic needs.

“There is no university in the world where the government is left to be the lone source of funding for a university,” she said.

The vice-chancellor described the partnership between Chisco Group and COOU as a collaboration between academic learning and industry experience that could equip students with practical knowledge and prepare them for employment.

“The MOU is a marriage of town and gown. This is a legacy he is giving us. Students are going to gain experience, learn and be inspired,” she said.

Explaining the rationale behind his commitment, Anyaegbu said he wanted to combine the practical lessons he acquired through informal, street-level experience with the benefits of formal university education to create opportunities for younger generations.

The Chisco Group chairman also stressed the importance of successful entrepreneurs sharing their experiences to motivate young people and demonstrate that difficult beginnings need not prevent future success.

“Telling the story of how you become successful is very important to our young ones,” he said, describing the journey from humble beginnings to success as a “sign of nobility.”

Recounting his rise from obscurity to international recognition, Anyaegbu encouraged young Nigerians to believe in their abilities and remain determined to achieve their ambitions.

“I came from nowhere and became a renowned person in the world. You too can do it,” he said.

He attributed his decision to support the university partly to his confidence in Omenugha’s leadership and the progress he had observed at the institution.

“I want this to attract some of our successful people. I am here because of the VC. I have seen a lot of improvements,” he said.

Anyaegbu expressed hope that his intervention would encourage other successful Nigerians, particularly Anambra indigenes, to invest in education and contribute to the development of public institutions.

Beyond the ₦1 billion endowment, the businessman pledged scholarships for students of the proposed Department of Transport Management to receive training in aircraft piloting and maintenance.

The initiative is expected to create opportunities for students interested in aviation and transport-related careers, while strengthening the connection between university education and industry requirements.

The proposed departmental building, multipurpose auditorium, scholarship scheme and annual lecture series form part of the broader collaboration between Anyaegbu and COOU to promote education, professional development and knowledge-sharing.

With Governor Otti delivering the inaugural lecture and Udenwa chairing the event, the programme is also expected to bring together political leaders, academics and business executives to discuss enterprise development, investment and the contribution of indigenous businesses to national prosperity.

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