The Executive Chairman of Chrome Group of Companies, Sir Emeka Offor, over the weekend, donated a N100m endowment fund for the development of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).
Offor donated shortly after he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) during the 52nd Convocation of UNN in Nsukka.
Offor, who was represented by Chief Steve Ahaneku, said the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Charles Igwe, would be called later to discuss the mode of disbursement of the money and the area of development the money would used in the university.
He said his foundation -Sir Emeka Offor Foundation – had been at the forefront of educational, health, and youth empowerment, adding that UNN had been a great beneficiary of his foundation with Books for Africa to the tune of multi-million worth of books to various disciplines.
According to him, the foundation and Books for Africa have donated books worth $30 million to institutions in 18 African countries in the disciplines, which included law, computer science, business administration, and political science among others.
Offor recalled how during the COVID-19 period, the foundation donated 100 fully fitted hospital beds to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku-Ozalla near Enugu to reinforce the desire for Nigerians to have sound health.
He said in 2010 the foundation endowed a professorial chair worth N20 million in the UNN, adding that it had been quite a time since a comprehensive report had been sent across on the endowed chair.
“I appreciate this great institution for this rare and high honor to me and my group,” he said.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Charles Igwe said the university carefully chose world-class personalities that met the stringent criteria stipulated for the award of the honorary degrees of the UNN.
Igwe said as a student and great ambassador of the institution, Offor had distinguished himself in the oil and gas sectors as well as other endeavors he had engaged in.
“Sir Emeka Offor has exceptionally done well in all God has blessed him to engage in; a shining example of simplicity, humility, and someone who is fully out to uplift humanity in its entirety,” he said.
Reacting, Chief Ikenna Ofodeme, Majority Leader of Anambra State House of Assembly, said Offor had been a great blessing to humanity and had been instrumental to the development of communities and institutions in the country.
Ofodeme, who is a member representing Ekwusigo State Constituency in Anambra, said “the people of Anambra are proud to associate with our illustrious son and foremost philanthropist”.
