The Nation Newspaper

Tag: indigent students

  • Bez, others in concert for indigent students

    As a way of helping 148 indigent students get back to school, the 2018 Make Music Lagos Independence Concert is targeted at raising fund.

    Organized by Courage Education Foundation (CEF), L’avenida and showgear Limited recently at L’avenida Multipurpose Center, Lekki, Lagos, the event featured performances from BEZ, Ruby Gyang, Femi Leye, Folabi Nuel, Perpie Soul, Lagos State Education District 1 Band and other acts.

    The concert which was sponsored by MRS, Matrix Group, UTL, Beloxxi Industries, and many other corporate giants kicked off on the evening of Sunday, September 30th, 2018 with the Sam Debby Children’s Orchestra playing the National Anthem.

    A major highlight of the event was the granting of five university scholarships to the students from the Lagos State Education District 1 Band by CEF, following a moving performance at the concert. The kids in the band were discovered in June 2018 as part of the Learn to Play initiative of Make Music Lagos. They were also given a Music School Scholarships courtesy of L’AVENIDA Multipurpose center and Showgear Limited.

    Speaking at the event, a Director at CEF, Dapo Segun, said, “We want to support 500 children to go to school by 2020.”

    According to him, “CEF visits various public schools in high-density communities, and through classroom teachers and administrators, identifies children from indigent homes, who have demonstrated strong academic ability.”

    He added that those selected are put back in schools close to their homes while the Foundation takes care of their school fees and, in some cases, levies, uniforms, footwear, books, writing materials and transportation.

    He said that although Courage Education Foundation originated in Lagos, it has a national focus, adding that nomination of candidates for the CEF sponsorship is open to everyone, irrespective of sex, faith, or ethnicity.

    The current beneficiaries, he said, hail from different states including Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kwara, Lagos, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo, but are resident in Lagos for easy supervision.

    A beneficiary, Ogboona Chinsoyere Sandra, currently studying Theatre Art at the Lagos State University, has been on CEF’s scholarship since 11 years, having been selected among the best students in her school.

    She said, “CEF has shown me so much love and care and when I finished my school and I want to use my talents to reinforce the need for a more loving world.”

    Also speaking with The Nation, Adenuga Babajide, a 300 level student at Caleb University said, “I have been under the scholarship support of CEF since when I was in primary five,” having been selected by one of the teachers in Ododuwa School, Gbagada, Lagos as one of the students doing well in the class

  • 1,700 indigent students get Achebe’s scholarship

    No fewer than 1,700 students in Onitsha, Anambra State, have graduated under  free remedial studies sponsored by the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe.

    The students had undergone tutorials during the long vacation, where they were subjected to a month-long free remedial studies.

    Speaking at the closing ceremony, Igwe Achebe said he was  happy that the exercise had succeeded in assisting many indigent children to obtain their relevant qualifications into tertiary institutions.

    He reiterated his determination to commit more funds to the programme, using Akunne Oniah Memorial Schools, one of the  private schools in Onitsha as center for the exercise.

    He said: “I discovered that many students, particularly the indigents, both indigenes and non- indigenes of Onitsha, find it very difficult or even impossible to obtain their relevant qualifications into tertiary institutions due to lack of funds to sponsor themselves in formal or non-formal education.”

    The monarch commended Akunne Oniah Memorial Schools Principal Nnabuenyi Jude Oniah, for accepting to coordinate and host the studies, as well as provide a conducive learning environment for the vacation tutorials.

    Achebe, who is also the Chairman, Anambra State Council of traditional rulers, urged every indigent in Onitsha to avail themselves the opportunity to enroll in the programme every vacation.

    Responding, Oniah appreciated the monarch for choosing the school.

    He prayed that all the students that took part in the exercise would gain admissions in tertiary institutions of their choices.

    Oniah disclosed that the school had represented the state for three consecutive years in U-17 Shell Company Football Cup Competition in Port Harcourt, River state where they reached quater-finals stage in the last competition.

    He urged the state government to establish the proposed safe-school-security- initiative to serve as security strategy at safe-guarding the students from child trafficking, abduction, kidnapping, cultism and other related acts.

    He also appealed to the government to assist the school with vehicle to enable them convey the students, athletes and football players to the venue for subsequent competitions.

     

  • School head seeks help for indigent students

    The Administrator, Grace Schools, Gbagada in Lagos, Mrs Tokunbo Edun has appealed to corporate organisations and public spirited individuals to support the education of the less privileged.

    Edun who bemoaned the suffering of the indigent students in getting access to qualitative education urged all and sundry to help the poor in the society.

    She said Grace Schools does this through its social responsibility initiatives, particularly its annual educational scholarship to indigent students.

    The scholarship allows pupils who complete their junior secondary school education in public schools to undertake their secondary education at Grace School and even extends to their university education afterwards.

    Edun says beyond passing the entrance examination, other parameters to scale to get the scholarship includes checks to ensure the pupils are actually from poor homes.

    Two pupils are selected for the scholarship yearly.

    Mrs Edun said the scholarship, worth over N1million per session, covers tuition, books, uniforms, boarding fees and pocket money.

    She said over 30 pupils have benefitted from the award since its inception in 2004 at the cost of over N100 million to the school.

    “The scholarship covers the tuition, boarding fees, exams fees, books, uniforms etc. for the entire duration of the senior secondary years. After that, we also support them when they leave Grace Schools and go to universities. This we do paying their university fees, accommodation and giving them a monthly stipend for the four or five years at the university. We also encourage them to do the SAT exams, which is also paid for by us. At least two of them have through their high SAT scores won places to reputable American universities,” she said.

    Mrs Edun said the award was instituted in honour her mother and founder of the school, Deaconess Grace Bisola Oshinowo, now late.

    Apart from the scholarship, Grace Schools has donated cash and materials to several schools within Gbagada, including furniture and books to Gbagada Primary School; reconstruction of Ajidagan Primary School classroom block as we;; as donation of play equipment.

  • School head seeks help for indigent students

    The Administrator, Grace Schools, Gbagada in Lagos, Mrs Tokunbo Edun has appealed to corporate organisations and public spirited individuals to support the education of the less privileged.

    Edun who bemoaned the suffering of the indigent students in getting access to qualitative education urged all and sundry to help the poor in the society.

    She said Grace Schools does this through its social responsibility initiatives, particularly its annual educational scholarship to indigent students.

    The scholarship allows pupils who complete their junior secondary school education in public schools to undertake their secondary education at Grace School and even extends to their university education afterwards.

    Edun says beyond passing the entrance examination, other parameters to scale to get the scholarship includes checks to ensure the pupils are actually from poor homes.

    Two pupils are selected for the scholarship yearly.

    Mrs Edun said the scholarship, worth over N1million per session, covers tuition, books, uniforms, boarding fees and pocket money.

    She said over 30 pupils have benefitted from the award since its inception in 2004 at the cost of over N100 million to the school.

    “The scholarship covers the tuition, boarding fees, exams fees, books, uniforms etc. for the entire duration of the senior secondary years. After that, we also support them when they leave Grace Schools and go to universities. This we do paying their university fees, accommodation and giving them a monthly stipend for the four or five years at the university. We also encourage them to do the SAT exams, which is also paid for by us. At least two of them have through their high SAT scores won places to reputable American universities,” she said.

    Mrs Edun said the award was instituted in honour her mother and founder of the school, Deaconess Grace Bisola Oshinowo, now late.

    Apart from the scholarship, Grace Schools has donated cash and materials to several schools within Gbagada, including furniture and books to Gbagada Primary School; reconstruction of Ajidagan Primary School classroom block as we;; as donation of play equipment.

  • Onyema launches foundation for indigent students

    •Becomes CIS fellow

    Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange Mr Oscar Onyema has launched Oscar N Onyema (ONO) Foundation to provide funding and other programmes for the education of indigent students and less privileged persons.

    The first tranche of beneficiaries of the Foundation’s scholarship is expected to be announced before the end of this year.

    Onyema said ONO Foundation would help to provide access to formal education for less privileged youths.

    According to him, ONO Foundation will focus primarily on providing safety nets for the less privileged children and youths, by ameliorating the issues of lack of guidance and providing educational materials and funding towards achieving greater social impact in the education sector in Nigeria.

    “Today’s launch is the culmination of a passionate idea long held by me to contribute my time and funds towards enhancing access to qualitative education for orphans and vulnerable children in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the country. I encourage every patriotic Nigerian to continue to give their support towards uplifting indigent youths especially those who seek knowledge,” Onyema said.

    He noted that Nigeria’s quest to play an active role in the 4th industrial revolution must have the youth at its centre due to their population, energy and potential impact.

    The Foundation’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Mr. Tunde Folawiyo, said the Foundation was borne out of an understanding that a good society cannot materialise if the children and the youth are not properly trained, inspired and equipped to be the catalyst and springboard of change and growth.

    “This Foundation is unique because its programmes are focused not just on education but also on treating the emotional and mental challenges and ails faced by our children and youth, their families and our less privileged communities,” Folawiyo said.

    The  ONO Foundation is a not-for-profit and non-political organisation set up to transform the lives of less privileged children and youth in Nigeria. The primary goal of the Foundation is to support the continued effort to expand access to formal education in Nigeria, especially amongst indigent children and youth, raise the bar in academic achievements and encourage positivity and hope to the less privileged families and communities.

    The Foundation plans to achieve this by investing in four priority areas including mentorship programme, scholarship management programme, workforce programme and home visitation.

    In addition, the Foundation will identify and partner with any private, public or civil society organisation or institution or indeed individual with similar objectives for the promotion of philanthropic activities.

    ONO will also organise lectures, seminars, workshops for public enlightenment in such areas of interest as the Foundation’s management may from time to time determine.

    It will also pair less privileged children and youth with respectable and credible members of society and organisations, in order to groom them into becoming responsible citizens and effective nation builders.

    Besides, ONO will identify areas of critical need in the education and development of underprivileged persons with a view to providing them such assistance appropriately.

    Meanwhile, the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has inducted Onyema as a Fellow of the institute. The investiture was subsequent to Onyema’s induction as an Associate Member of CIS in 2017, after he voluntarily enrolled and passed the institute’s examination. He is he first Chief Executive Officer of the Exchange to be inducted as an Associate Member.

    CIS is statutorily empowered to train and certify professionals in the Nigerian capital market. It is the only professional body in Nigeria authorised to carry out qualifying examinations into the stockbroking profession. The institute controls the activities of its members and matters associated with it.

     

     

  • Council boss lifts 264 indigent students, aged

    No fewer than 264 persons have received financial assistance from the Eti-Osa Local Government.

    The council chairman, Adesegun Bankole presented cash to 100 indigent students, 140 aged and 40 Federal Government N Power N Agro 2017 candidates posted to council and four facilitators.

    He described the presentations as manifestations of his love for people and the desire to reduce poverty in his area.

    “Our administration has decided to use the little resources at our disposal to address the seeming challenges facing the students, youths and the aged to complement the efforts of the State and Federal Governments. A sum of N20,000 each was given to 100 indigent students. Similarly, a token of N10,000 each with branded bags containing some food items were given to 120 aged men and women while a token of N10,000 was also given to 40 N Power N Agro candidates and four facilitators,” he said.

    He implored all beneficiaries to spend the money wisely.

    According to the council boss, more projects are on ongoing, promising to complete them in earnest.

    “We are rehabilitating roads in Baale Street by Igbo Efon, Olukolu Junction and constructing culvert at Olukolu Junction and Imeh Mike Close. We are also constructing Primary Health Care Centre at Mayegun,” he said.

  • Ige’s daughter gives scholarship to indigent students

    A DAUGHTER of the late Chief Bola Ige, Mrs Funso Adegbola, appears to have stepped into the philanthropic shoes left behind by the late politician and former Minister of Power. However, she is doing her own things outside the murky waters of politics, where her late fathered made his name. She is the proprietress of the renowned Vale College, a secondary school tucked in Iyaganku GRA, Ibadan.

    The lawyer-turned educationist recently instituted four different scholarships for indigent but brilliant children to enjoy first class education alongside children of the privileged. Many people who witnessed or heard of the gesture are already commenting on how the scholarships will restore hopes in many homes where first class education would have been a mirage.

    Adegbola, has for many years, busied herself with developing and monitoring activities and policies at  Vale College, where she moulds indigent children alongside those from elitist homes. No fewer than four indigent children and one brilliant student of the school are awarded three different types of scholarships worth over N9 million yearly.

    The scholarship has since grown to a project that promotes the school’s name as well as that of the proprietress. It has also grown to become and institution as some recipients now come back to institute prizes for various subjects as a way of giving back to the system that made them. One promise they give on their graduation is to replicate the privilege Mrs Adegbola has given them.

    So far, 28 students have benefitted from the scholarship with half of them from poor homes. Two of the scholarships are targeted at indigent children. First is the Bola Ige scholarship which is awarded to the two best public primary school pupils who write the entrance examination to Vale College. They comprise a boy and a girl. The scholarship is valued at N12 million as it covers all expenses for six years.

    The second, Atinuke Ige scholarship, is awarded to two best students (male and female) applying for the Vale Tutorial College, which prepares indigent students for Advanced Level examinations. It is valued at N2.5 million each and lasts for one year. The scholarships are open to candidates from the current Oyo and Osun states.

    Speaking on the reason for spending so much on scholarships, Mrs Adegbola said: “I give scholarship because I believe in education as a tool for empowerment.

     

    My parents believed in good education for their own and other people’s children. They gave us first class education. They sponsored many students in their life time.  So, I am also doing this in their memory.

  • Dangote’s N20m scholarship lifts indigent students

    Dangote Cement PLC, Gboko, Benue State has given out N20 million worth of scholarships to indigent students from the firm’s host community, Mbayion, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

    Presenting the scholarship at the Kings Hotel in Gboko, the Head, Human Resources and Administration of the cement firm, Mr Agustine Madu-Kibe, said the scholarships were for 2013 and 2014.

    Apart from the N10 million  yearly scholarships, Madu-Kibe said the firm has also provided health, water and education in the community.

    “Dangote has provided transformers, built classrooms for many schools within Mbayion Community and now building a coal plant to supply electricity to both the cement plant and by extension the community,” he said, urging the community to support the factory.

    Plant Director of the firm, Mr Jacinto Miranda said the firm provided the scholarships to ease the burden of parents on their wards.

    He also said the firm understands the community needs a lot of infrastructure, but appealed to them to be patient.

    Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Tersoo Kpelai praised Dangote Cement for being socially responsible. He also called on the firm to support research in  universities, especially mineral resources.

    He assured the firm of the Benue State government’s readiness to partner on investments.

    President, Mbayion Development Association, Ande Pev, appealed to Dangote Cement to increase the scholarships’ worth to N20 million yearly to enable students of higher institutions benefit.

     

  • Scholarships for indigent students

    Scholarships for indigent students

    Hope has come the way of 12 indigent but brilliant students through the benevolence of the African Indigenous Education Advancement Foundation (AIEAF), in collaboration with the Study without Borders (SWB). Their bleak future turned to optimism as they received letters of scholarships and cheques covering their tuition fees at an event held in Enugu.

    Tears of joy rolled down their cheeks when the group which also sponsors indigent students to universities abroad gave out the scholarships to them.

    In all, nine of the beneficiaries are undergraduates while three were post-primary school students.

    One of the beneficiaries, Oni Opeyemi Motunrayo from Osun State came from Lagos to complete her papers to travel to China. Opeyemi, who leaves for China this weekend, is to study Medicine.

    Reacting to the gesture, Opeyemi said: “I am happy. I have never seen something like this before. The scholarship has helped me to discover myself. When I was filling the forms, my parents thought it was one of the antics of fraudsters. They believed it was real when the admission letter, flight tickets and other necessary papers were handed to me.”

    Mrs. Agatha Anieze could not withhold the tears as she wept uncontrollably. Her daughter Cynthia Chinwenwa Anieze will, at last, get university education. Cynthia had spent two years at home. She could not pay for the fees despite passing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME JAMB).

    Her father, according to Mrs Anieze, had allegedly abandoned them to marry a Calabar woman. He refused to show interest in the education of Cynthia who is brilliant. Cynthia, a first year student of Mass Communication at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka smiled home with her cheque covering her tuition fees for the academic year.

    Mrs Anieze said: “What you saw me shedding were tears of Joy. I don’t know how to thank God. My daughter has been at home for two years. She is supposed to have been in the university studying as at last two years. She scored 276 points in her first attempt in JAMB, but she could not get the admission as her father refused to sponsor her.

    She went to Lagos to stay with my sister. It was there she learnt about this organisation. She sat for the aptitude test and passed. Here we are today with her full session tuition fees.”

    Other beneficiaries that received their cheques were Elochukwu Christian from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Ezeah Harold Obinna from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Chukwuemeka Godwin Okonkwo from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Esther Ogechi Nwachukwu from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Peace Nneoma Umejiburu from Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

    Others were Ibuodinma Joy Chigozie from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; Peace Chiamaka Eze from Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Nweze Christian Chineme from UNN.

    Those in the secondary school category included Chukwuma Daniel Igwe, Ikechukwu Collins Nweke and Somtochukwu Kayode Ani.

    The cheques for the tuition fees ranged from N52, 000 to N124, 000, depending on the course the recipient is studying.

    The chairman of the organisation, Ambassador Prince Marshal advised the beneficiaries not to abuse the opportunity and ensure that they study hard to make the required grades. He disclosed that the target of the organisation for this year is 1,200 scholarships for the indigent and the brilliant students.

    He advised those who are not successful this time round not to despair as the next batch will be picked in two weeks’ time. He said he looks at the future of the organisation with great optimism.

    While explaining that the organisation’s activities were divine, he said it had given out more than 3,000 scholarships both in Nigeria and abroad, stating that “it is the first of its kind and will remain the first of such for a very long time.”

    He noted with delight that some of the beneficiaries of the scheme since its inception have graduated, adding that “some of the beneficiaries are lawyers, doctors, engineers and journalists. Some have even naturalised in the various countries they went to study, though I advise against that. Once you graduate, come home and contribute to the development of Nigeria.”

  • 36 indigent students get scholarship

    Thirty- six students from indigent homes in Lagos, Oyo and Ogun states have been awarded scholarships for tertiary education by the Beatrice Olajide Foundation (BOAF).

    The students, drawn from 10 secondary schools in the two states, were honoured with scholarship award certificates for their excellent academic performance at a ceremony held last Saturday in Ibadan.

    Three beneficiaries are from Obaseeku High School , Eruwa, one from Adeniran Ogunsanya Memorial Grammar School, Ogbomosho and nine from Queens School, Ibadan.

    Others are from the Handicapped HLA, Agodi, Ibadan, Holy Child College, Lagos, Lagelu Special School, Cheshire High School, Lalupon and Ijebu- Ode Grammar School.

    Speaking at the awards and provisions of assistance to the physically-challenged, Chairman of the foundation’s Board of Trutees, Dr Olugbemi Akinnoye said the foundation has been sponsoring 18 pupils annually through their primary and secondary education since last year. He added that the first set of beneficiaries are being sponsored all over again.

    “This year, the foundation has agreed that students who are awarded scholarships last year and who continue to excel in their studies will continue to enjoy the foundation’s financial assistance in order to perform better.”

    Akinnoye said brilliant children who can only attend public secondary schools at best are painstakingly fished out from churches, streets, mosques and others, for financial assistance for specific expenditure items such as book procurement, purchase of uniforms among others.

    He promised that the foundation will also continue to render financial assistance to those who perform excellently throughout their secondary education.

    The BOT chairman added that five wheel-chairs will also be distributed to deserving physically challenged individuals from select schools.

    He urged Nigerians to cultivate the attitude of giving scholarships to students who are helpless in the society.

    In his remark, Mr Felix Adenaike said it is pertinent for individuals, friends and the society at large to contribute to the survival of BOAF, bearing in mind its contribution to the lives of the less privilege in Nigeria.

    One of the recipients, Miss Banke Alabi from Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo, spoke of her gratitude to the foundation.

    She said:” I want to thank the foundation for the scholarship. As they have been putting smile on my face, may the Lord put a smile on their faces because I thought all hope was lost.”

    Dignitaries at the occasion included: former Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Prof Rotimi Tayo, the Chief Medical Director of National Orthopedic Centre, Dr Kabir Abubakar, Prof Akin Aboderin, Justice Titi Mabogunje, among others