There are some phone calls you never want to receive. This was one of them.
Professor Gregory Ikechukwu (Iyke) Ibe, OFR, Enyi Abia, is gone. The hills of Uturu are quiet tonight. The lecture halls he built stand in silence. And somewhere in Abia North, a mother whose child is in school because of him is weeping for a man she may never have met. I weep with her.
I write this not as a politician, but as a son of Abia who has lost a father figure, a mentor in spirit and a living example of how one man can change the destiny of his people.
Born on December 10, 1963, in Kaduna to parents from Uturu, Professor Ibe began life with no inheritance, no godfather and no shortcut. He had only his determination and a refusal to accept poverty as his destiny. From that humble beginning, he rose to become a name recognised across Nigeria.
We called him Skill-G. The name was more than a nickname; it represented a mission. While others complained about the state of education, he took action. While others waited for government, he built.
Gregory University, Uturu, licensed in 2012, stands today on land where our fathers once farmed. From its classrooms have emerged doctors who heal, engineers who build, lawyers who defend, pharmacists who cure and professionals who contribute to society. Every graduate carries a part of the vision he pursued.
Think of it: a man who could have spent his wealth acquiring mansions in London and Dubai chose instead to build classrooms in Uturu. A man who could have kept his wealth to himself invested in the education and future of children beyond his immediate family.
Through Skill-G Nigeria Limited, he brought laboratories to schools that had never seen a microscope. He championed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education when few paid attention. He also promoted technical and vocational skills, giving dignity to mechanics, welders and technicians in a society that often overlooked their contributions. He recognised the potential in people whose abilities others failed to appreciate.
His generosity extended beyond education and enterprise. Through the Gregory Iyke Foundation, established in 1991, he paid hospital bills and supported people in need, often without seeking public recognition. He helped more than 250 indigent students obtain an education, giving opportunities to children who might otherwise have been denied a chance to succeed.
Some of those beneficiaries have become doctors, teachers and leaders. Their achievements remain part of his enduring legacy.
Through Innov8 Hub in Abuja, he also created opportunities for young people with ideas but limited resources, providing them with an environment to develop their innovations and pursue their ambitions.
Nigeria honoured him with the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 2014, while his people bestowed on him the title Enyi Abia, the Elephant of Abia.
In 2023, Professor Ibe contested the Abia State governorship election under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), offering himself for public service because he believed the same commitment that drove him to establish a university could be applied to rebuilding the state.
Although he did not secure the office, his contributions to education, enterprise and human development remain a significant part of his public record. He was a builder who chose to invest in people and institutions.
I did not stand on his political platform, but I admired his heart for service. We may have belonged to different political parties, but we shared a belief in the importance of purpose and service to our people. Today, political differences mean nothing. What remains is the pain of losing a man whose work touched many lives.
To his six children and seven grandchildren, I extend my heartfelt condolences. Your father and grandfather leaves behind a legacy that reaches far beyond your immediate family. Every graduate whose future was shaped by Gregory University and every child who received an education through his support forms part of that extended legacy.
His name will continue to open doors in the hearts of those who benefited from his generosity and vision. May you find strength in knowing that his contributions to society will be remembered for generations.
To the people of Uturu, Isuikwuato and the entire Abia North Senatorial District, I urge us not to allow his dream to die with him. We must protect what he built, preserve the institutions he established and sustain the values he demonstrated through his life.
Let us raise sons and daughters who build rather than take, give rather than grab, and serve rather than merely seek positions of authority. That is the kind of Abia his work challenged us to build, and it is a vision worth pursuing.
As I reflect on his life and the opportunities he created for others, I recommit myself to the cause of service and development in his honour.
Skill-G, you taught us that greatness is measured not by what a person accumulates, but by what he gives to others. Your investments in education, enterprise and human development have left marks that death cannot erase.
Rest in peace, Enyi Abia. The elephant has fallen, but the forest he planted will shelter generations yet unborn. In the lives you touched, the institutions you built and the opportunities you created, your name will endure.
Adieu, great son of Uturu. Adieu, pride of Abia. Adieu, Skill-G.
Dr Okey Okoro Udo
Abia North Senatorial Candidate
Action Democratic Party (ADP)
Copyright Warning!
Disclaimer
Just to let you know, comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of OHAFIATV News or any employee thereof. Also, every opinion expressed in any article is strictly that of the author(s), except where otherwise stated.
