A young man, Gabriel Eze, who worked as a plumber to train himself in school has graduated with distinction from the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO).
His fascinating story was shared by Dr. Laz Ude Eze, who revealed that they are both from the same hometown and the graduate lost his father when he was 7 years old.
According to him, Gabriel, 23, bagged a first class in Petroleum Engineering and he was able to fund his education with his plumbing work.
The post reads in part; Meet a plumber from my hometown Gabriel N. Eze, who lost his father at age of seven, learnt plumbing to train himself in school and bagged First Class in Petroleum Engineering at FUTO.
Gabriel N. Eze is a 2023 First Class Honours graduate of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO). Born 23 years ago in Okposi, Ebonyi State, Nigeria, he defied many odds to achieve this excellent feat. His story is inspiring!
Eze lost his father at the age of seven and the future looked uncertain. He completed his primary school education in 2011 at the Federal Government College (FGC) Staff Primary School Okposi and obtained his First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) with Distinction.
He proceeded to the Good Foundation Secondary School Okposi. Encouraged by the love and prayers of his mother, he was determined to succeed despite the significant financial challenges he faced. In order to support himself financially, he embarked on a plumbing apprenticeship while in senior secondary school. That was not enough to dim his outstanding academic prowess as he made five distinctions in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
In November 2017, he was admitted into the Federal University of Technology Owerri for undergraduate studies in the Department of Petroleum Engineering. He also continued his plumbing apprenticeship whenever he returned to Okposi for holidays. Upon completion of the apprenticeship, he founded and registered Ductspan Enterprises – a leading construction service company that specializes in residential and commercial plumbing, sewer and septic services, water fountain construction, swimming pool construction, and water borehole drilling.
The incorporation of Ductspan was a demonstration of his astral entrepreneurial skills. In Ebonyi State, the business has a good reputation for excellent plumbing service delivery and professionalism and has received a slew of positive reviews from clients. Many of his clients would be shocked to realise that their professional plumber was also an undergraduate while he handled their job.
Despite the combination of his undergraduate studies with plumbing business, Eze maintained his excellent academic records. He was a recipient of the prestigious PTDF Undergraduate Scholarship Award, the Agbami Medical and Engineering Professionals’ Scholarship Award, the NNPC/NAOC/OANDA JV Tertiary Scholarship Award, among others.
He also served as an SDG Ambassador, actively promoting awareness and activities related to sustainable developments within the student community, and organizing and participating in events, campaigns, and educational activities focused on sustainable development issues.
Gabriel would march proudly on FUTO’s Convocation ground and receive a special handshake from the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Nnenna Oti and other faculty members of the University as he graduates with First Class Honours in Petroleum Engineering.
