Summer Okibe Launches N500,000 Annual Prize For Best Graduating Female Law Student At COOU

In a bold and inspiring gesture to celebrate academic excellence and empower the next generation of women in law, renowned clean energy & climate advocate, policy analyst, and philanthropist Summer Okibe has announced the launch of a new academic prize for female students at her alma mater, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU).

The prize, named the Summer Okibe Prize for the Best Graduating Female Student, comes with a cash award of ₦500,000 and will be presented annually for the next five years to the best graduating female student from the Faculty of Law.

This initiative, according to Okibe, is aimed at breaking systemic barriers, encouraging excellence, and inspiring more women to step into leadership roles in law, governance, and public policy.

“This is more than an award; it is a signal to young women in law that their brilliance is seen, their work matters, and their dreams are valid,” said Okibe. “When I graduated from COOU, I carried both my ambition and my prayers. Today, I give this gift as an offering of gratitude and as a call to action for others to lift where they once climbed.”

The award will be administered directly through the university’s Faculty of Law, with recipients chosen based on academic merit, leadership qualities, and a demonstrated commitment to legal excellence.

At just 29 years old, Summer Okibe has made a name for herself as one of Africa’s boldest voices in energy, climate justice and education access. As a four-time degree holder, she has mentored thousands of young Africans into global opportunities and disbursed over 300 educational grants and scholarships to women, children, and youths in marginalized communities.

Her latest initiative adds to a growing legacy of impact that blends scholarship, empowerment, and social justice.

Associate Professor Ikenna Ibe (who represented the donor) and the Dean of the Faculty of Law at COOU, praised the initiative, calling it “a landmark step that will leave an indelible impact on our brightest young women and the legal profession at large.”

The inaugural recipient of the Summer Okibe Prize for the Best Graduating Female Law Student will be unveiled at COOU’s next convocation ceremony.