From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
John Okechukwu, an indigene of Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, studying Medicine and Surgery in one of Nigeria’s universities almost dropped out of school following inability to pay his tuition fees.
It was a near hopeless situation as Okechukwu had gone through hell in search of money to continue his education, all to no avail. But luck came his way early this year as his name was listed among the beneficiaries of the MSL Foundation’s scholarship scheme, promoted by Mbam Stanley Lebechi, the State Commissioner for Works.
At a ceremony in Abakaliki, where he and 29 others were issued cheques, the overjoyed Okechukwu promised to judiciously utilise the opportunity to make Mbam proud. He described their benefactor as his saviour.
Each of the 30 indigent students in various universities across the country, received a cheque of N120,000 during the flag-off of the scholarship scheme.
Mbam pledged that the scheme would be sustained all through his life time, explaining that it was to enable his Abakaliki local government people to be literate. He lamented the high illiteracy rate in the area despite that it hosts the state capital.
Mbam described education as key to everything and urged the beneficiaries of the scholarship to make use of the opportunity for better tomorrow: “The society is becoming tougher every day. When we look at the challenges we face in raising our children, I was motivated because my people lack this education. And the only way we can assist the world and live up to the expectation where the reason why God asked us to come and stay in this earth is to represent him and be an ambassador of Christ.
“And by that, he admonished us to love our brothers and sisters. And that is the love that we have extended to indigenous people of Abakaliki especially the youth. The youth are for the tomorrow, but we have to lay a foundation.
“This is the foundation we are laying now because I know that education is the key to everything we do. And if us, based on the things that God has given to us, we extend the love and lay this foundation on the life of our youth. Being a youth, I know the implication.
“And having passed through some hurdles during my academic session, I lost my father when I was still in school and I know it’s all by God’s grace that I finished my education. I didn’t enjoy this benefit, but God saw me through in that way.
“I felt it’s necessary that I should identify the less privileged who are willing to go to school, and don’t have the funds to pay for their tuition and this is what we’ve done.”
Wife of the state governor, Mrs. Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, Chairman of the scholarship foundation, Chief Mbam Ogodo, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Ben Odo and Chairman of Abakaliki local government, Ebere Nwogba commended Mbam for the scholarship scheme.
They opined that it will reduce illiteracy in the area and urged the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity and acquire education.
Represented by wife of Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Echiegu, Mrs.Nwifuru, warned that any of the beneficiaries who toyed with his or her studies, would be removed from the scholarship scheme.