Benue group gives scholarships to indigent Masters students

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A group known as Akweya Forum for Advancement (AFA) has given scholarship awards to three indigent students undergoing their Masters programme in Nigeria.

Each of the awardees went home with the sum of N200, 000 as palliatives to assist them in their academic pursuit.

President of AFA, Prof. Egri Ejembi, during a brief presentation ceremony held, in Makurdi, on Sunday, disclosed that the scholarship scheme was established for persons of Akweya stock who were financially-constrained in the pursuit of their Master’s degree in universities.

While noting that the dream was borne out of the realisation that second degree holders constitute the elite group in any social system, Prof. Ejembi revealed that members of AFA committed themselves to an annual contribution of N100,000 to the AFA scholarship fund.

Said he, “For the first time, a group of enlightened people of Akweya extraction have come together to tax and task themselves to contribute towards the realisation of the educational aspirations of the next generation of Akweya elites through the endowment of a postgraduate scholarship.”

Ejembi urged the recipients to reflect on the sacrifice that the contributors have made and and be ready to assist other people too when in position to do so.

“Remember that there is something everyone can do for someone else. God has endowed each one of us with resources to enable us give a helping hand to others: time, talent, money, information. Your scholarship award today speaks eloquently of the efficacy of teamwork.”

In an address, President, Akpa Community Development Association (ACDA), Barr. Abah Ejembi, who described the scholarship scheme as an initiative of a group of Akweya sons and daughters concerned about the educational backwardness of their people and are moved to remedy the situation.

Responding on behalf of other beneficiaries, Ogah Stella, thanked the donors for the sacrifice they have made to ensure they are able to complete their programme stressing that the fund would help in no small way in the completion of their education.

The beneficiaries were Ogwu Mary studying Peace and Conflict Resolution at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Ezekiel Okopi, M.A. Archeology (University of Ibadan), and Ogah Stella, M.Sc Development Psychology (University of Nigeria, Nsukka).