The Yoruba Community in Enugu State has awarded scholarships to 30 indigenes from the South West geo-political zone in the Southeast.
The announcement was made during the formal presentation of the cabinet members of the newly crowned Oba of the Yoruba Community in Enugu State, Engr. Isiaka Salmon, in Enugu, over the weekend.
Speaking at the event, Isiaka Salmon explained that the scholarship initiative was part of the community’s efforts to contribute to the educational development of the country.
He shared his journey, recalling that he first came to Enugu as a youth corps member in 2007, and now, by the grace of God, the community can support students.
“We are targeting more than 30 students, and today we presented admission letters to some of them. They are going to the polytechnic in Kwara State and the Gateway College of Education in Osun State. Others are still coming, and it will be a continuous exercise,” Salmon said.
Salmon, a computer engineer and lecturer specialising in system/cybersecurity and information technology, was unanimously chosen as the leader of the Yoruba community in Enugu following a rigorous selection process. He described his ascension to the role as a divine event.
“When the selection process started, the people from different states in Yoruba land living in Enugu State made nominations, and six persons were nominated, and fortunately, my name was among the youngest of the six persons. They inaugurated a committee and asked it to do the job. At the end of the day, two people were recommended out of the six.
“Fortunately, again, I was among the last two persons who were recommended. The first person is an elder from Oyo State, while I was the second person recommended. He is a retired police officer, and he said he was relocating to his home state, which is why I was left unopposed. My people said a leader emerges naturally”, he stated.
A member of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Society of Engineers, COREN, Nigerian Computer Society, and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, Salmon vowed to leverage his expertise and experience to serve the Yoruba community in Enugu in his new capacity.
He called for the continued peaceful co-existence between the Yoruba community and the host state, stressing that Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State is doing a marvellous job, especially in the development of infrastructure, security, and education.
A leader of the Hausa Community in Enugu State, Lajanu Suleiman, who came to witness the inauguration of Oba Salmon’s cabinet, also commended Governor Mbah for providing an enabling environment for business to thrive in the state.
“An Igbo is always a businessman. An Igbo man will not come fighting because of religion, he will not come fighting because of tribe, and he will only come and fight for his business. If you know them, you will like them. We are living peacefully here in Enugu State”, he added.