–As He Pays Tuition Fee of Over 100 Undergraduates

By Dan Nwojiji and Nwogha Andy Ndubuisi, Abakaliki

The speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly,Rt. Hon. Chief Francis Nwifuru has disbursed millions of naira to over one hundred undergraduates in various higher Institutions of learning across the country under his scholarship programme, Onwa Oferekpe Foundation.

The event which took place today at Speaker’s lodge in Abakaliki saw the beneficiaries smiling home with their complete school fees amount ranging from seventy thousand naira (N70,000)and one hundred and ten thousand naira(N100,000) respectively depending on the faculty and department of the beneficiary.
Mrs. Uzoamaka Nwifuru, the wife of the Speaker who represented her husband at the occasion pointed out the motive and passion which drives The Speaker toward the institution of this Scholarship Scheme. According to her, the unpalatable experience her husband went through during his earlier school days was the catalyst and wouldn’t wish others especially the poor , the vulnerable and the orphans to go through such pain in getting their school fees.

Rt Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru who represent Izzi West Constituency further stated that the gesture equally aimed at alleviating the financial burden and at the same time help in repositioning their future.
The State Chief lawmaker while tasking the beneficiaries on academic excellence, said he usually denied himself and family some luxuries such as trinkets, gold, oversee trips and holidays for the sake of this scholarship payment and told them to count themselves lucky and never to abuse the privilege. He proclaimed a special reward for any student who will make first class at the end.

Notable personalities who includes the Government Functionaries, captains of Industries and political allies and indeed men of timber and caliber graced the occasion and poured encomiums on The Speaker for his unflinching Philanthropy and empathy on the less privileged and the needy. The LGA chairmen of Ebonyi and Izzi conspicuously showed their presence including the President Izzi Nnodo Youths Assembly Comrad Ben Nwovu.
The Chairman of the occasion who incidentally is The Chairman of Onwa Oferekpe Foundation, Chief Kenneth Nwovu (Ezebunafo) pointed out that the scholarship scheme is an annual event and a total school fees package for over one hundred students which transverse the three geopolitical zones of Ebonyi State.

Dignitaries who spoke during the occasion includes: The Attorney General and commissioner for Justice, Barr. Cletus Ofoke, The chairman Ebonyi Local Government Area Chief Mrs Chinyere Nwogbaga, Hon Simon Iseh, Hon Richard Idike, HRH Eze Sunday Oketa-The Acting Chairman Oha Izzi. They praised the philanthropic gesture of the speaker and stressed that Rt Hon,Chief Ogbonna Nwifuru is the first speaker since the inception of Ebonyi State who instituted this type of state wide full scholarship for students. They appreciated him for his unparallel generosity and prayed that as he invests in human beings he will reap bounty harvest. They urged the beneficiaries to urgently channel the money into the purpose it is meant for and to reciprocate the gesture by been a good ambassador of the speaker in their various Institutions.

Worthy of note is a rendition from Dr Apostle Awa who is a founding member of Onwa Oferekpe Foundation. He testified that this scheme propelled and aided him to get his Doctorate Degree(Ph.D) and has charted a good course of life for him. He recounted how they used to work in farms as hired laborers in Anambra State in order to raise school fees which greatly hampered his academics then but such has been eased by this kind gesture of The Speaker.

The Chairperson Ebonyi LGA specifically tasked the students to think outside the box on how to be self reliant by engaging in crafts and skills that will fetch money for them after graduation rather than depending on their paper qualifications only.
One the same the same note Mr Sunday Inyima – Agbalagba the former Commissioner for Water resources and later Land felicitates with the speaker as he noted that students from his LGA Ohaukwu are among the beneficiaries and praised the speaker profusely. He enjoined the students to eschew vices such as drugs and cultism and be an ambassador to their families and state at large.