Okpebholo at 75: Dr. Andrew Eigbedion challenges students to turn bursaries into business

Rt. Rev. Dr. Matthew Okpebholo marked his 75th birthday by awarding ₦50,000 bursaries to 1,000 final-year students in Edo State, totalling ₦50 million.

At the event, Dr. Andrew Eigbedion, a former beneficiary of Okpebholo’s foundation, delivered a powerful lecture urging students to turn their bursaries into business ventures and lasting impact.

The celebration also included free medical outreach, prison reform support, and the donation of a new geriatric centre—solidifying Okpebholo’s legacy as a faith-driven philanthropist.

Renowned businessman, community leader, and cleric, Rt. Rev. Dr. Matthew Akhaze Okpebholo (JP), marked his 75th birthday in grand style on Saturday, June 14, with a powerful display of philanthropy: a ₦50,000 bursary awarded to 1,000 final-year university students across Nigeria, totalling ₦50 million.

The celebration, which doubled as the 29th anniversary of the Dr. Matthew Okpebholo Educational Foundation, was held at St. Matthews Royal College, Eidenu-Irrua, along the Uromi-Ewu Expressway.

It was attended by a cross-section of political leaders, captains of industry, religious dignitaries, students, and media professionals.

The highlight of the day was a compelling keynote address delivered by Dr. Andrew Oseghale Eigbedion, Consultant Paediatrician at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital and Chief Executive Officer of Eseohe Medical Centre, Ekpoma.

His guest lecture, titled “Ideas to Impact – Turning Passion into Profitable Ventures,” was a rousing call to action for students to move from mere dreams to tangible change.

“On his birthday, when most people expect to receive, Bishop Okpebholo is choosing to give,” Dr. Eigbedion said. “Not in monuments or ceremonies, but in human capital.”

A Week of Impact and Community Service

The week-long birthday festivities extended far beyond the lecture hall. Starting June 9, Bishop Okpebholo hosted a Uromi City Crusade, where hundreds reportedly found spiritual healing.

This was followed by a free medical and surgical outreach at the newly built St. Matthews Royal Specialist Hospital—a facility equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical tools that will serve as a future teaching hospital for a nursing school under construction.

On Wednesday, June 11, the celebrant facilitated the release of inmates from the Ubiaja Correctional Centre by paying outstanding court fines for those unable to afford them.

The next day, June 12, he commissioned a newly built Geriatric Centre at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), a gift to Nigeria’s ageing population and the second such centre in the country, after the late Chief Tony Anenih’s initiative at UCH, Ibadan.

“These aren’t mere projects,” noted Dr. Eigbedion during his speech.“They are proof of how one man’s faith can manifest in infrastructural and human development that spans health, education, justice, and spiritual wellbeing.

”From Steel to Service: A Life of Legacy

Born on June 15, 1950, in Uromi, Okpebholo rose from humble beginnings to become a national figure in business, education, and ministry.

At age 20, he founded Royal Steel Works, which grew into the multi-branch Ray Royal Construction Company Ltd.—employing over 700 Nigerians today.

Over the years, his reach extended into education, real estate, food processing, ministry, and more.

His foundation, launched in 1996, has sponsored thousands of underprivileged students through higher education.

Dr. Eigbedion, himself a former beneficiary of the foundation, shared a personal story during his speech:“Twenty-nine years ago, as a medical student, I received a scholarship from this very foundation. That ₦20,000 award helped me cross a crucial hurdle. Today, I stand here not only as a medical doctor but as a proud product of Bishop Okpebholo’s vision.”

Youth Empowerment at the Forefront

The speech, largely geared toward the student audience, unpacked the core lecture theme through four pillars: Ideas, Impact, Passion, and Profitable Ventures. Dr. Eigbedion challenged the students not to let their dreams die in their notebooks or WhatsApp group chats.

He cited examples of Nigerians who had transformed ideas into impact—from musicians like Fela Kuti and Burna Boy, to athletes like Kanu Nwankwo and Asisat Oshoala, and from entrepreneurs like Obi Cubana to authors like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, from Sabinus and Mercy Johnson-Okojie in Creative Arts to Dr Philip Inibokun Ugbodaga and Prof George Oborzokhale Akpede in the field of Medicine.

“The difference between a wish and a venture is action,” he said. “Start small. Think big. Solve problems. And always give back.”

A Legacy Beyond Titles

Dr. Okpebholo holds numerous titles: Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Igbomina West, Vice Chairman of Benson Idahosa University’s Governing Council, Trustee of Church of God Mission International, and recipient of over 226 local and international awards.

Yet, his most enduring legacy may not be found in the institutions he built, but in the lives he’s lifted.

As Dr. Eigbedion concluded:“This is not just a birthday. It is a masterclass in legacy. One man—armed with an idea, guided by faith, and driven by passion—has turned every facet of his life into a profitable venture for humanity.”

Students React

The response from students was electric.“This was more than a speech. It was a reset,” Abel Iyinbor, of the Department of Public Administration, University of Benin, said. “I’m going to build something with my bursary. Even if it’s a blog, I’ll start small.”Beauty Osarugue Ohionkpaimwonyi a Science Lab Technology (Biochemistry) student of Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi said: “I was feeling overwhelmed by my final exams and broke too. But hearing Dr. Eigbedion and knowing Bishop Okpebholo once helped him? I feel seen. And I feel equipped.”Some students, still clutching their certificates, gathered in small groups afterward, already brainstorming how to turn their ₦50,000 into something tangible—an online business, a farm project, a tutoring platform.