Anayo Ezugwu 
Wisdom Ezekiel Cares (WECARE) Foundation, in its commitment to fostering education and empowerment, has granted scholarships totalling N20 million to 40 deserving individuals.
The announcement of the scholarship awards took place at the 2023 Empowerment Summit hosted by the foundation at Pertinence Place in Akowonjo, Lagos, during the weekend.
Themed ‘Empowering Entrepreneurs: From Startups to Success with Code and No-Code Tech,’ the summit featured distinguished speakers from diverse industries, including technology, real estate, financial services, human resources, and entertainment.
Chairman of the foundation and co-founder of Pertinence Group, Mr Wisdom Ezekiel, initiated the event with a keynote speech focusing on the real challenges of building startups in Nigeria. He encouraged attendees to be creative with their ideas and leverage technology for success.
Ezekiel emphasised the importance of embracing change in a rapidly evolving business landscape.
He said: “In a rapidly evolving world, where the landscape of business is continually reshaped by technological advancements, it is imperative for aspiring entrepreneurs to not only embrace change but to harness it for their success.
“The entrepreneurial path is challenging, but with the right blend of innovation and determination, there is no limit to what you can achieve.”
He went on to encourage labour spirit among youths, emphasising the place of diligence and volunteering. He said: “If you’re being used, you’re useful. If you’re not being used, you’re useless because no one uses a useless person.”
The foundation says it is providing tech training to 20 scholarship recipients, and free migration consultations to 10, while the remaining 10 will undergo certified training in movie making.
a scholarship recipient set to receive a free migration consultation with SettleQuick, Ms Goodness Madu, expressed her excitement, attributing her motivation to her father.
She said: “The word is ‘lucky’ for real. I’m ecstatic, and I can’t wait for what the experience will be like. I am grateful for this opportunity. My goal is to secure a tech job in Canada, and this free consultation is a big step forward.”
Other scholarship awardees, including Mr Oluwaseun Kokumo and Ageh Marian Victoria, expressed their joy and gratitude for the opportunities provided by the free Tech training with Quanta Africa and the filmmaking training with Redi Studios, respectively.
Distinguished guests at the event included Mr Gbenga Totoyi, Partner at Alan & Grant; Mr Victor Gbenga-Afolabi, Group CEO, Hazon Holdings; and Dr Efosa Zuwa, Co-founder, EaziPay, who actively participated in the panel sessions.
The summit also featured insights from industry leaders such as Mr. Emmanuel Osubu, Co-founder, of Quanta Africa; Mr. Adetunji Ademuyiwa, CEO of Datafirst; Mr. Lanre Afod, a producer and director; Mr. Kunle Omisore, film producer; and Mrs. Moyinoluwa Olutayo, a television host.
