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…As group unveils N300m scholarship scheme
By Uche Usim
December 26, 2023 was a day Ndi Oji Abam in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State would cherish for a long time to come. In the same manner, secondary school students in the state would not forget that day in a hurry as a philanthropist and founder of Unubiko Foundation, Chief James Ume, touched their lives in very special ways.
•Unveiling of N300m scholarship scheme
Another significance of that day, was the presence of two former state governors: Chief James Ibori (Delta) and Otunba Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), at the event.
On the said day, Ume unveiled the rebuilt Onyerubi Comprehensive Secondary School in Ndi Oji Abam, a 27-year-old facility that was in dilapidated state and made learning a nightmare for students. The school was rebuilt with N250 million sourced by the foundation and equipped with modern learning facilities and other amenities.
As the villagers and their chiefs rolled out the drums to celebrate the feat, Ume grabbed the microphone and announced the launch of a N300 million scholarship scheme, for secondary students in the state who perform well academically, especially in their transition examinations like the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
•Ume with chiefs, elders at event
The announcement heightened the celebration and all and sundry showered encomiums and prayers on Ume for his selfless service to humanity. Ibori hailed the founder of Unubiko Foundation for touching the lives of various communities in special ways.
Ibori, who visited Abam to commission the project alongside other dignitaries, urged other Abam sons and daughters to toe the path of honour exemplified by Ume.
He said: “Today is the 26th of December, 2023. Ordinarily, people will be at home having their family time. So, let me first thank all of you for coming to join my younger brother to do what people should be doing for humanity. That is what he has done.
“Nigeria’s development should be a village at a time. We all don’t live in the cities. Many of us weren’t born in the cities and didn’t grow up in the cities. It is these villages that have raised the greater population of our generations.”
The former governor expressed hope that the rebuilt school would bring positive change to the community, pointing out that the children that Ume had done this for will always remember him.
“Think for once that the kids here will grow up, go to school here and go to the cities and compete with some of the brightest students. You can see the ratio of the students from this school that will be large, attending some of the big universities,” Ibori said.
He urged the community to make the most of the new facility, adding: “Please, continue to pray for him (James Ume) and pray for your children too so that God will give them the zeal to come to this school.
“So, James, please provide them with teachers as well. The Commissioner for Education, please tell my brother (Governor Alex Otti) to let us help these small communities with teachers.”
Otunba Adebayo, who is the immediate past Minister of Trade and Investment, also applauded Ume’s initiative. He acknowledged that while his own upbringing in Lagos differed from that of many who grew up in villages, he understood the importance of education and rural development.
“Myself and my brother, Chief James Ibori, were discussing on the way here and he was telling me that I cannot relate to what they can relate to because my upbringing is different from theirs.
“However, my late father, General Adebayo, used to do one thing. Because he grew up in the village, he wanted his children to experience village life. So, every holiday we had, he used to make sure we went to the village,” he stated.
The former minister stressed the need for the community to utilize the school effectively, saying “I think the most important thing to say here today is to join my brother James Ibori to ask the parents of all the young people in this community to make use of this facility.”
As a way of giving back to the society, Ume set up the Unubiko Foundation to reach out and give hope to the needy. Ever since, he has made giving a way of life, which has been demonstrated without boundaries.
Last year, he was bestowed with the prestigious “The Sun Humanitarian Service Icon Award” by The Sun Publishing Company Ltd
