Foundation awards bursary, gifts N3m to Ebonyi 6 First Class graduates
From Chinedu Nwafor, Abakaliki
Six first class university graduates drawn from Ohaozara and Onicha Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State have received cash gift of N500,000 each from OMNI Humanitarian Foundation as encouragement for their academic excellence.
The foundation also gave bursary award to all students from Ugwulangwu studying in different tertiary institutions.
The Chief Executive Officer and Founder of OMNI Humanitarian foundation, Chief Nwigwe Chibueze Uzo doled out the cash to the first class graduates during 2025 the annual bursary and scholarship awards ceremony held at Ugwulangwu Central School at the weekend.
The six first class graduates are: Okoro Priscilla Ogechi who studied Pharmacy in UNIZIK, Chinyere Emmanuel who studied Law in
Benson Idahosa University, Igwe Samuel who studied Chemistry in Federal University Otuoke, Okereke Onyekachi who studied Science Education (Integrated Science Option), in Ebonyi State University, John Kelechi Nkalu who read Education/ Igbo linguistics in
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Abel Nnenna Christabel, who studied Law in Ebonyi State University.
At the program which attracted parents, relatives and friends of the beneficiaries as well as undergraduates from Ugwulangwu, the CEO OMNI foundation commended them for their academic excellence and urged other students to emulate them.
He described education as key to success and reiterated his determination to reward brilliance and hard work amongst students from the community.
“I will continue to support the people of my community and beyond in their educational pursuit, so that none of them will drop out of school”, he said.
Addressing the people, the State Commissioner for Tertiary Education , Professor Amari Omaka, SAN, said the gesture was in line with the People’s Charter of Needs manifesto of Governor Francis Nwifuru administration in the State in the area of human capital development.
Omaka disclosed that the Governor has set up scholarship scheme where 1,300 graduates in the state were given scholarships for their Masters and Doctorate Degrees in different universities across the country and abroad.
He commended the foundation for the gesture which he said had been happening since 2017 to complement the efforts of the state government in education sector.
“What OMNI Humanitarian Foundation is doing today is to complement the efforts of our dear Governor to see that everyone that deserves to go to school but challenged by lack of fund, is sent to school.
“I understand that this program has been going on since 2017. If you count with me, you will count at least 7 years and I commend very highly, the initiators of the program and this project”, he stated.
In a lecture, a University lecturer, Professor Philip Unoke, urged undergraduates to avoid all distractions in universities to achieve academic excellence, to be able to get employment in the labour market as according to him, no one employs a graduate today with low qualification.
He lauded the efforts of OMNI Humanitarian Foundation and urged others to emulate the founder to promote literacy in the society.
Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr. David Ogbonna, described education as foundation of progress through which the next generation can be empowered to overcome the challenges of today and ceased the opportunities of tomorrow.
