Life of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osibanjo, has described charity as a burden on every affluent human being. She spoke during the scholarship award ceremony organised by Nigerian Women Association of Georgia (NWAG).
Thirty-seven students of tertiary institutions received scholarship at the event held in Abuja penultimate friday. Mrs Osinbaji praised the women association for lifting the indigent, describing NWAG as a development-oriented group.
She said: “Nigerian women are naturally generous and compassionate. These are the attributes NWAG is showing us in doing good things. The women association has remained united and committed to change lives positively.”
Mrs Osibanjo urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the scholarship to study hard and acquire knowledge that would change their lives and help them to accomplish their goals. She also advised the students to be committed to the ideals of the association and be good ambassadors.
In his keynote address at the occasion, General Overseer of Transforming Church in Gwarinpa, Reverend Sam Oye, described the women body as promoter of excellence, saying NWAG created opportunity for brilliant indigent ladies to remain in school.
He said: “The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose. Everyone must be committed to seeking the good and welfare of others. No matter how poor one thinks he is, there is someone somewhere who is poorer.”
The NWAG founder and Director-General of National Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs Dayo Keshi, said the body started in Atlanta, Georgia in United States, but grew its membership to over 70 within a short period.
She advised the beneficiaries not to use the grant to buy cloths and other material things. She said the money must be used to pay their tuition and venture into businesses to sustain themselves in school.
Mrs Keshi said: “The idea about the scholarship was conceived on the day I was invited to a similar event. I met a young girl who was into prostitution. She said she became a sex worker because she had nobody to take care of her and her poor parents.”
She said it would be sacrilegious for young girls to sell their bodies to cater for their parents, noting that it is honourable for women to be poor than to engage in dehumanising trade.
International Coordinator of the women body, Mrs Agatha Nnaji, said NWAG was determined to prevent young girls from going into prostitution by helping them to overcome physical and material challenges they may be facing.
She said: “Each year, ladies are selected from every state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory to benefit in the scheme. The awardees are carefully selected through different tests to ensure the right persons get the scholarship. The selection process passed through several stages before the final list was made. People who did not get this year should be hopeful next year.”
Jehilat Kenali, a beneficiary from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in Kaduna State, said the women body had given her opportunity to further her studies, which suffered after the death of her father.
She said: “The death of my father was a blow to the family. My aunty did a lot to keep me in school, but all seems not to be enough because of other expenses. This scholarship will enable me to complete my university education. I plan to start recharge-card business to sustain myself in school.”
Lilian Iloabanafor, a 300-Level Marketing student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, Anambra State, said she was surprised when she got the email informing her that she had won the scholarship.
Aside the scholarships award to female students, NWAG has also supported the Sickle Cell campaign and has shipped medical materials worth over $1 million to various states in Nigeria.
