Writers Laud Kogi Philanthropist For Education, Community Reforms

The African Legislative Parliament Writers Network (ALPWN), in collaboration with Parliamentary Initiatives at the ECOWAS Commission Annex, Abuja, has commended a Kogi State-based surveyor, educationist and community leader, Dr Isaac Alaji Agbanwu, for his contributions to education, institutional development and grassroots community development.

Agbanwu was recognised for excellence in academic and institutional governance and his contributions to grassroots development in Kogi State, yesterday.

After the recognition, Agbanwu called for reforms in Nigeria’s education sector, urging the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Assembly to consider amending the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act to extend interventions and scholarship opportunities to accredited private tertiary institutions.

He argued that private tertiary institutions were increasingly complementing government-owned institutions by providing access to education for large numbers of students, but that their students and academic staff remained excluded from some research grants, capacity-building programmes and national scholarship opportunities.

The organisers described Agbanwu as “a man of integrity, humility, resilience and vision,” citing his contributions to surveying, education, institutional governance and community development.

He also obtained professional diplomas in surveying from Kaduna Polytechnic.

Agbanwu began his professional career with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development before establishing a private surveying practice that has supported infrastructure planning and government projects, particularly in Kogi State.

He is also the proprietor of PEMGO College of Business and Management Studies, where he has promoted what the organisers described as a disciplined and innovation-driven academic environment focused on accountability, professionalism and holistic student development.

Agbanwu is a member of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors and the Nigerian Institute of Management and serves as National President of the Ogbabede Development Association.

In that capacity, he has been involved in initiatives covering education, community security and infrastructure.

Among the initiatives attributed to him is his collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Kogi State Command, to establish a security outpost in Ogbabede.

His scholarship schemes and donation of desks to secondary schools in the community were also cited as evidence of his efforts to support education and youth development.