16-Year-Old Girl Bags Full Varsity Scholarship to Study Medicine at UNIZIK

By Olisemeka Obeche

Sixteen-year-old girl, Miss Amarachi Clara Ekweoba has been awarded full university scholarship to study Medicine and Surgery at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

The mouth-watering scholarship with tuition and books was awarded to the scholar by the Elite Youths of Anam Foundation (EYAF) during its 2023 Summit held at Ajandu Hall, Umueze Anam on December 2, 2023.

EYAF President, Mr Christopher Ejike Anekwe disclosed that Miss Ekweoba earned the scholarship following her excellent performance in the 2023/24 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) where she scored 322 to gain admission to study Medicine and Surgery at UNIZIK.

“Something happened this year that we have not heard before. It has never happened that an Anam student, studying in a school in Anam, wrote JAMB and scored above 300. It happened that Miss Ekweoba scored 322 in this year’s UTME based on merit. So, when we heard about her feat, we decided that through this foundation, she would be recognized with an award as the highest JAMB scorer in Anam in 2023; and her efforts appreciated with a cash reward of N50,000 and above all, the foundation decided to take the responsibility, through an anonymous donor, of sponsoring her university education to study medicine and surgery at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

The chairman of the organizing committee, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwakor, disclosed also that Miss, Amarachi’s father had served Mmiata Anam many decades ago as a volunteer teacher without payment and that God had decided to reward him through his daughter.
“This award is an
unconditional scholarship that covers the duration of her degree program at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. This sends the right message to other young scholars that hard work and striving for excellence pay. We are using this opportunity to tell others to stay focused on their studies.

The beneficiary seized the opportunity to thank the foundation and the anonymous donor behind her scholarship for giving her dream a flight, promising to justify every amount spent on her education.

“We wish to express our gratitude to the foundation for finding us worthy of benefiting from your wealth of benevolence. Sincerely speaking you have challenged us at different levels. Any beneficiary of this scheme has a responsibility to account for his or her positive return. Just like talents were given to few persons in the Bible, however, on our part, nobody will lag. We will make you proud. You will never regret your investment, rather you will reap the reward and the future generation of Anam will thank you for this. We are very grateful”, she said.

The foundation equally presented a cheque of N450,000 to nine students who emerged winners of the 2023/2024 EYAF WAEC Scholarship scheme. The beneficiaries included Mabel Okoye (Umudora Anam), Mirabel Egwuatu (Umuikwu Anam), Gloria Nwabunwanne (Umudora Anam), Stellamaris Emeka (Umueze Anam), Blessing Izuoba (Umueze Anam) and Kingsley Machie (Mmiata Anam). Others are Miss Ngozi Okonkwo (Umuoba Anam), Philomena Okafor (Umueze Anam) and Faith Okonkwo (Umuikwu Anam).

Anambradaily gathers that the beneficiaries passed the 50% cut-off mark of the qualifying examination conducted by the foundation across the secondary schools in Anam.

It was also gathered that the foundation presented a cheque of N1,025,000 to 41 widows under its interest-free loan scheme with the beneficiary taking N25,000 each to support their businesses.

High point of the occasion was presentation of PILLAR AWARD to the chairman of EYAF’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Pharm. Emman Ude-Akpeh as well as the summit’s lecture series presented by Engr. Isaac Okafor (Anam Transformation Plan: From Mindset to Landscape), and Dr. Obiora Peters Emeka (Human Capital Development: Breaking Socio-Economic/Cultural Bounds).