A group, Anambra Man of the Year (AMTY Awards) has honour 40 prominent Anambra indigenes with prestigious awards in their areas of endeavour.
Founder of the award, Chikeze Chiedu (Ikenga Nnia) said Anambra State has produced the highest number of human capital anywhere the black race resides, and that there was need to encourage them with awards.
Speaking at Stanel Dome, Awka during the 2025 AMTY awards presentation to deserving Anambrarians who have carved a niche for themselves over the years in their chosen professions, careers, vocations and fields of endeavors, Chikezie Chiedu said that one of the vision of AMTY awards celebration included using human capital replete among Ndi Anambra to build Anambra’s Image.
“Human capital refers to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience that individuals possess, considered as a productive asset. It’s an intangible asset that drives economic growth and is developed through education, training, and experience”.
“We are in a society where corruption and cutting corners have taken over but we want to tell the young ones that there are people who are still doing the right thing and we celebrate them so that young people are inspired “.
“Also, Anambra has the highest number of human capital especially wherever the black race resides, so we want to use its human capital to rebrand the image of the state,” said Chikezie.
Earlier, in his opening remarks the Co-founder Chinedu Okafor stressed that nominations and conferment of AMTY awards was neither political nor a money spinning venture but a gesture
to recognize individuals who have significantly contributed to the positive transformation of their communities especially in human capital development.
He said that the awardees were selected through online nomination, screening and voting by relevant stakeholders saying that the process has always been so thorough that from the 1st to the current 4th edition there was nobody that had received AMTY awards that the public could question its integrity.
In her keynote address, during the 4th edition of AMTY awards themed “Gbakotanu Ka Anyi Dozie Obodo Dike” Prof Cecilia Eme decried that most parents do not teach their children both speaking and writing of Igbo language which is part of the identity of Igbo nation saying that such negligence has contributed to the decline of morals and cultural values among youths and young adults in our society.
Among the 40 awardees include Prof. Joseph Chukwurah Ezigbo (AMTY Man of the Year), Lady Ada Chukwudozie, Chairman of Key stone Bank (AMTY Woman of the Year), Engr. Barth Nwaibe (AMTY Oil &Gas Person of the Year), Emeka Monye (AMTY Media Person of the Year), Chilis Foods (AMTY Brand of the Year), IFeka Jombosco of Bosco Clothing(AMTY Creative Entrepreneur of the Year), Augustine C Okeke of RBH Estate& Homes Ltd(Inspiring Young Person of the Year) Prof Theresa Okoli, Provost College of Education Technical Umunze (AMTY Education Icon of the Year), Prof. Charles Esimone (AMTY Public Servant of the Year,), Hon Ikem Mazeli (AMTY Music Icon of the Year), Grundvig International Secondary School Oba( AMTY Best Private school of the Year), Christ the king’s College, Onitsha ( AMTY Best Secondary School of the Year) among many other deserving personalities, organizations and brands.
Responding to the AMTY awards as the Anambra Man of the Year, Prof Joseph Ezigbo Ezennia Oruugo of Abatete, a professor of Medical Parasitology though renown in Engineering/pipe gas construction and oil industry said he was elated to receive the prestigious award from his own nation.
“I have received several awards from Northern, Western and South Southern Nigeria but this is the first time I am receiving such an award from South East, my own people and State. If you don’t say I am, nobody will say thou art. You are nothing until your own people say you are somebody. They say that a prophet is not known in his own community but today this award from my nation Ndigbo has lifted me. It will spur me to dedicate the rest of my life giving back to the society,” said Prof Ezigbo.
According to another awardee, Engr Barth Nwibe who received the Oil and Gas person of the year, Today, I’m running a company and we are contributing to the development of the industry. For Ndị Anambra to recognize me for the Award is a thing of joy which will spur me to doing more.
“Currently, we are establishing a diagnostic center in the state, including installation of MRI, though it requires 24hrs power supply, which has been a challenge in the State. Powering Anambra is critical to developing the state because investors need power supply as an enabling environment for investment to thrive,” said Nwaibe.
Also, Media Person of the Year AMTY awardee and ARISE TV Correspondent, Emeka Monye said that he would continue to continue regard his Alma mater – University of Nigeria Nsukka for raising him to become what he is today in the media world saying that he would continue some charitable works like giving scholarships to the less privileged as a little way of giving back to the society for others to rise.
The duo of IFeka JohnBosco, CEO Bosco Clothing (Anambra Creative Entrepreneur of the Year) and Augustine Okeke, CEO RBH Estate & Homes Ltd (Anambra Inspiring Young Person of the Year) in their respective speeches commended the AMTY awards organizers for recognizing their efforts towards contributing to the society via human capital development and empowering young minds saying that AMTY honoured them on merit not by buying the awards with money. They urged government to include funding of Youths, small and medium enterprises in their budget to assist young entrepreneurs by providing enabling environment as seen overseas.
However, all the awardees who were mostly present in person to receive the AMTY awards thanked the organizer for their sincerity and recognition saying that the awards will spur them to do more in their chosen fields and further impact lives around thém..
Chairman of the occasion, Dr Chike Obidigbo commended the organizers for their wisdom in putting the event together.
Obidigbo who did more of the presentation of the plaque to the awardees congratulated the winners saying that the recognition would serve as motivation for greater exploits and also the awardees would serve as role models to inspire the younger generation.
