Igbo-Eze North Youth Leaders Honour Peter Eze for Youth Empowerment, Community Development

By Juliana Nwachukwu

Youth leaders in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State have honoured the Commissioner representing Enugu State at the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Hon. Peter Eze, with an Award of Excellence in Human Empowerment, in recognition of his contributions to youth development, human capital growth and community advancement.

The award was presented by the Convener of Igbo-Eze North Youth Leaders, Hon. Dr. Alih Barnabas, popularly known as Aliban, alongside the Igbo-Eze North youth stakeholder, Comrade Solomon Chukwudi Onoh (Udo-Oha), and other youth leaders during the Peter Eze Youth Connect 2026, held on September 11 at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.

Speaking during the presentation, Eze expressed appreciation to the youth leaders for the honour, stressing that the award was particularly meaningful because it came from his own community.

He said that although he does not usually accept awards, he could not take the recognition from his people for granted. He pledged to intensify his efforts towards empowering youths and contributing to the progress of Igbo-Eze North.

The Peter Eze Youth Connect 2026, organised by the commissioner, was held with the theme, “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youths Through the Federal Character Commission.”

The programme was designed to expose Enugu youths to employment opportunities within federal ministries, departments and agencies, as well as scholarships, skills acquisition programmes, training and other empowerment opportunities available through government and related institutions.

Reacting to the honour, Dr. Alih Barnabas thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing their son, Peter Eze, to represent Enugu State at the Federal Character Commission.

He commended the commissioner for making effective use of the office by prioritising the interests of the people, particularly youths, and ensuring that young people are carried along in accessing available opportunities.

Ali urged Enugu youths to give Eze their unalloyed support, saying such cooperation would enable him to achieve his vision of creating more opportunities and improving the lives of young people across the state.

Also speaking, Comrade Solomon Chukwudi Onoh (Udo-Oha), Stakeholder of Igbo-Eze North Community Youth Leaders, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for what he described as a significant opportunity for Igbo-Eze North to produce a vibrant and intelligent representative at the Federal Character Commission.

Onoh praised Eze for deploying his position towards the welfare and advancement of Enugu youths, particularly through information sharing, engagement and empowerment initiatives.

The Secretary of Igbo-Eze North Community Youth Leaders, Comrade Abugu Jonas, also commended Eze for engaging youths positively and creating platforms where they could learn about opportunities capable of improving their future.

The youth leaders collectively described the commissioner as a true son of Igbo-Eze North, saying his consistent commitment to empowerment, youth engagement and community development had earned him the recognition.

They said the award was a testament to his selfless service, accessibility and dedication to raising a productive generation of young people.

Earlier in his speech, Eze said the initiative was aimed at bridging the information gap between government opportunities and unemployed youths.

He explained that the Federal Character Commission has a constitutional responsibility to promote equitable representation in federal institutions, adding that the programme would help youths understand the application processes and requirements for accessing employment, scholarships, training and other opportunities.

He urged participants to seek accurate information, noting that while knowledge is power, misinformation can be deceptive and damaging.