- Former Anambra governorship candidate Valentine Ozigbo highlights the immense wealth and potential of the state’s youth
- Ozigbo emphasizes the transformative impact of the collaboration, empowering Anambra’s youth and celebrating their talent and potential for progress
- The training program, supported with a N400 million guarantee from the VCO Foundation, aims to eliminate youth unemployment and increase access to technology and education
Valentine Ozigbo, a former governorship candidate in Anambra State, has emphasised the importance of maximising the state’s youth potential, noting that they are “unimaginably wealthy” and the state’s greatest treasure.
Ozigbo, the founder of the Valentine Chineto Ozigbo (VCO) Foundation, stated this at the selection of 100 Anambra State youths to undergo extensive software engineering training beginning in July 2023.
The initiator is a collaboration between the VCO Foundation and the Decagon Institute to push the boundaries of software engineering and eliminate youth unemployment in Anambra State.
The partnership, announced in mid-June, is worth N400 million. The selection process resulted in 100 lucky individuals, 27 females and 73 males, all under the age of 30.
Ozigbo, who spoke about the partnership’s achievements, said;
We stand today at the threshold of a new dawn for Ndi Anambra. Through our ground-breaking collaboration with Decagon Institute, we are empowering the dreams and aspirations of our youth through this transformative journey.
The sheer brilliance of the 1700 applicants is a testament to the boundless potential in Nigeria’s youth.
What we are marking here with this partnership with Decagon is not a milestone but an awakening of possibilities, a celebration of the talent that resides in every corner of our beloved land.
Anambra is unimaginably wealthy, and its greatest treasure is its people, and the creme-de-la-creme of us is our youth.
We are humbled to be sowing the seeds of technology and education in our greatest treasure and waiting eagerly for the harvest of progress that is sure to follow, Ozigbo declared.
Mr Chika Nwobi, CEO of Decagon Institute, stated, “VCO Foundation’s N400 million guarantee is a game-changer, ensuring that this enriching programme is accessible to talented individuals regardless of their financial standing.” We are grateful for Valentine Ozigbo’s generosity, a true trailblazer and champion for youth.”
The first batch of 70 trainees will begin training at the Decagon Edo Campus on July 13, 2023, with the remaining 30 following in late August or early September.
Candidates chosen represent Anambra’s 21 local government areas. Aguata (6), Awka North (3), Awka South (3), Idemili North (3), Idemili South (3), Ihiala (1), Njikoka (2), Oyi (2), Nnewi North (1), and Ogbaru (1) are among the females.
The male contingent originates from Aguata (7), Anaocha (7), Awka North (2), Awka South (5), Ayamelum (2), Dunukofia (2), Ekwusigo (3), Idemili North (7), Idemili South (5), Ihiala (4), Njikoka (3), Nnewi North (4), Nnewi South (4), Ogbaru (1), Orumba North (3), Orumba South (2), and Oyi (2).
This initiative is a step towards closing the skills gap and increasing diversity in the tech sector for Anambra’s indigenous people.
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