Stakeholders, traditional rulers, lawmakers, and community leaders across the South-East have urged young people in the region to embrace opportunities in the aviation sector as a tool to reduce unemployment, foster innovation, and drive regional development.
The call came during the South-East Aviation Summit and Face of Eastwing 2025 Competition, organized by the Eastwing Aviation Institute, Enugu, through its Eastwing Youth Foundation.
The event was both a platform to showcase aviation’s transformative potential and a celebration of youthful talent, highlighted by the crowning of 18-year-old Ifechukwu Uyammadu as the Face of Eastwing 2025. His victory came with a full scholarship to study any aviation course of his choice at the institute, a gesture stakeholders described as a symbol of new opportunities for the next generation.
Declaring the summit open, the Chairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Samuel Asadu, stressed that the South-East must not lag behind in aviation careers and training. He described aviation as a field where youths from other regions were already excelling, urging governments, private investors, and philanthropists in the South-East to sponsor young people into the industry.
Commending the founder of Eastwing Aviation Institute, Dr. Christopher Edeh, for bringing world-class aviation training to Enugu, he called the summit a “game-changing event,” noting that what was once only found in global cities was now available in the region.
The Deputy Provost of the institute, Dr. Segun Babalola, warned that the South-East risked falling behind if its youths failed to embrace aviation. He expressed concern that fewer than 10 per cent of Igbo youths had shown interest in the industry, compared with other regions where large numbers were already trained and employed.
He further explained that aviation had gone beyond flight operations, now covering research, technology, logistics, and global trade.
“Societies without human development in aviation will find it difficult to remain competitive on the world stage,” he warned.
Lawmakers also joined the call, with Mr. Raymond Okey Ugwu, Chairman of the House Committee on Youths in the Enugu State House of Assembly, urging young people to take aviation seriously.
Ugwu argued that aviation had the potential to create massive jobs, drive technological advancement, and sustain regional development.
Pledging legislative backing for youth-focused aviation training, he stressed that the summit provided a rare opportunity for Igbo youths to reimagine their future.
“By equipping our young people with aviation skills, we are not only addressing unemployment but also positioning the South-East to become a hub for innovation and global competitiveness.
“The aviation industry is expanding, and our youth must be at the forefront of that growth. This is why we, as lawmakers, will continue to push for policies and partnerships that give our young people access to this golden opportunity,” Ugwu said.
Local government leaders also aligned with the vision. The Chairman of Enugu East Local Government, Engr. Beloved-Dan Anike, represented by his deputy Engr. Kingsley Obi Anike, announced a partnership with the institute to train youths from his area, describing human capital development as a top priority.
Similarly, the Traditional Ruler of Umuisu Autonomous Community, Igwe Sunday Nwobodo, who was honored with a leadership award at the event, urged young people to embrace aviation training.
He pledged to continue supporting initiatives that empower youths and applauded Eastwing for setting the pace in private-sector-driven aviation education.
In his keynote, the founder of Eastwing Aviation Institute, Dr. Christopher Edeh, emphasized that aviation was not just about machines and infrastructure but about people—their dreams, resilience, and pursuit of excellence.
“Human development is the true engine that propels aviation forward. By investing in our youths, we are building the wings of collective progress, not only for Enugu State but for the entire South-East. Aviation has a place for everyone, and this institute is determined to help our young people find their space in this global industry,” he remarked.
The high point of the evening was the unveiling of Ifechukwu Uyammadu as the Face of Eastwing 2025. Speaking with excitement, the 18-year-old described his win as both an honor and a responsibility.
“This is more than just a crown; it is an opportunity to show that young people from the South-East can dream big and achieve in fields that were once thought to be out of reach. With the scholarship I have been awarded, I intend to pursue my passion in aviation and become a role model for others who aspire to take this path,” he said.
His victory was greeted with loud cheers, blending the spirit of empowerment with the glamour of fashion, culture, and talent display.
The summit also featured the launch of the Eastwing Aviation Institute Magazine, leadership awards to individuals and organizations supporting youth development, and cultural performances that showcased the region’s heritage while connecting traditional values with modern aspirations.
As the event drew to a close, the consensus among stakeholders was clear: the South-East must not be left behind in the rapidly expanding aviation industry. Ugwu’s rallying charge to the youths captured the spirit of the day—by embracing aviation, Igbo youths could secure employment and help build a globally competitive region. Uyammadu’s story, meanwhile, stood as living proof of the opportunities that Eastwing Aviation Institute offers.
With aviation projected to be one of the fastest-growing industries worldwide, stakeholders affirmed that the South-East could become a hub for training pilots, engineers, and innovators.
The message was unmistakable: aviation is no longer a distant dream—it is a present reality, and the time for South-East youths to seize it is now.
