Ikpea opens 62-bed medical centre in Ewatto, Edo, built for ₦2.227bn
- Philanthropist Leemon Ikpea has handed a 62-bed medical centre to Ewatto in Esan South East, Edo State.
- The centre cost about ₦2.227 billion and was commissioned on Monday, 19 October 2026.
- It is named after Ikpea and is meant to cut long trips residents make for treatment, especially in emergencies.
Residents of Ewatto in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State now have a 62-bed medical centre close to home. The facility was built and handed over by Dr Leemon Ikpea, founder of the Agbonjagwe Leemon Ikpea Foundation, and it carries his name.
The centre was commissioned on Monday, 19 October 2026, according to ThisDay. It cost an estimated ₦2.227 billion and comes fitted with modern medical equipment.
For people in Ewatto and nearby communities, the gain is practical: care that used to mean a long journey, particularly in an emergency, is now within reach. The centre is set up for emergency and urgent care, maternal and child health, laboratory and diagnostic work, pharmacy services, general medicine, preventive care, specialist and referral services, and community health outreach.
Why Ikpea built it
Ikpea said he started the project because of the health problems facing Ewatto and the communities around it. He framed the centre as something that should outlast him.
"I firmly believe that one of the most meaningful legacies any individual can leave behind is an institution that continues to improve and preserve human lives long after the individual is gone," he said.
He was careful to say the centre adds to government effort rather than replacing it, and he pointed to work by the Federal Government and the Edo State government on health infrastructure. He also said the facility would give doctors and other health workers room to practise and train, and asked residents to protect and maintain it.
What the officials said
Governor Monday Okpebholo, who attended the commissioning, praised Ikpea for what he called an extraordinary healthcare investment. He said Ikpea's life showed that success is measured by the lives a person touches, and that the project had brought quality healthcare closer to the people.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Ikpea for supporting government efforts, describing the centre as a significant addition to healthcare delivery in the community.
The Onojie of Ekpoma Kingdom, His Royal Highness Antony Ehiozojie Abumere II, sent a goodwill message calling the centre a valuable gift to the health and wellbeing of Esan land. The Onogie of Igueben, HRM Ehiogie Eluojierior, also praised the foundation's work across Edo State and urged others who can afford it to follow suit.
Peacton Global Ventures Limited, the contractor that built the centre, said through its Managing Director, Tony Okonigene, that the project would help save lives and serve future generations.
The Agbonjagwe Leemon Ikpea Foundation was set up in 2012 and works in education, social welfare, skills and community development.
What happens next: The sources do not say when the centre will begin treating patients or how it will be funded and staffed day to day. Its value to Ewatto will depend on those details.
