Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has rooted his administration’s education-focused policies in his own underprivileged upbringing, revealing how childhood struggles shaped his resolve to transform access to quality schooling. Speaking at the inaugural gathering of the University of East London (UEL) Alumni Network Nigeria in Enugu, Mbah recounted his early defiance of barriers: as a barefoot rural pupil, he famously barged into classrooms despite being deemed “too young,” igniting a lifelong belief in education as society’s “greatest equalizer.”
Now channeling this conviction into governance, Mbah disclosed that 33% of Enugu’s annual budget is allocated to education—a strategic investment underpinning initiatives like the Smart Green Schools program aimed at revolutionizing learning infrastructure. “This isn’t political theater,” he asserted. “It’s about unlocking potential through systems that ensure no child faces the hurdles I did.”
The governor, a UEL law graduate and former president of its Law Society, urged alumni networks to champion educational reforms, citing their unique capacity to mobilize endowments and grants. “Alumni sustain universities’ independence globally. In Nigeria, your influence can reshape curricula and secure our future,” he noted, highlighting parallels to U.S. institutions bolstered by graduate philanthropy.
The UEL alumni leadership praised Mbah’s “visionary leadership,” pledging collaboration to advance his agenda.
