By Praise Chinecherem
No fewer than 10 indigent students from Enugwu Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, have been placed on University and Federal Polytechnics scholarships by the Eze Ndigbo Lagos Island, Ozomkpu Dr. Onyeka Ifekandu.
Speaking during the occasion tagged, “Inauguration of Ezendigbo foundation and disbursement of financial academic support,” to 10 selected students,” the benefactor, High Chief Ifekandu said the gesture was targeted at assisting parents and guardians unable to afford tuition fees of their wards.
Ifekandu who also disbursed N.5million to the students, said the scholarship scheme would run for five consecutive years.
He said, “I lost my dad at early age and as such didn’t complete my educational career. I single handedly at age 15, financed my secondary and post primary nn education to OND level. I studied at Lagos State Polytechnic.
“In 2021, I founded this foundation at Lagos Island and have been in Lagos over 30 years. I assist my Igbo people and even non Igbo in Lagos Island as the Ezendigbo there.
“I render financial help and give loans to those in financial problem and even provide free legal aids to those who could not finance their cases. I have been rendering this help for over five years now.
“Having come from a poor family background, I resolved to assist such people. This scholarship scheme is for five years and then another 10 students will come on board.
“My children are two in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, I want them to be in public University and Polytechnics not the mission one where millions will be paid as tuition fee and they will not feel the pain.
“That is why they are in Federal University, one is in Medical Laboratory Scence department and the other is in Mathematics department. Those 10 on scholarship are in Federal Government Universities and Polytechnics not private or mission where more money is paid.
“This is the first edition of the inauguration of the foundation and I am also floating a transport scheme for drivers in Enugwu Ukwu. It is a kind of revolving arrangements where what is generated will be put in the service of the scheme.
“N2.5million was shared to the students yearly and it will last for five years. We may increase our money to N10million with time to the benefitting indigent students. I am always a happy man.
“I procured my estate at Enugwu Ukwu when cost of land was cheap. Then a plot was less than N1million, but today a plot in my estate where I have over ten plots, stands at N10million now.”
Contributing, Manager of the foundation, Mr. Anthony Icheku, commended his boss for the philanthropy, adding that having been brought up by poor family background, his boss vowed not to allow funds hinder the poor from furthering their educational career.
“He is always out to assist not only in education but in transportation, like he brought out two buses for transportation in Enugwu Ukwu, to assist his driver brothers.
“At the end of the month, what is generated would be put in the foundation to service it for growth and benefit of the drivers as means of fending for themselves,” he said.
