Three undergraduate students of Anioma extraction with top Grade Point Average (GPA) have received the 2017 scholarship awards of the Anioma Association USA, Georgia Chapter.
The three students are Joy Chineye Ossai of the University of Port Harcourt, a 200 level Economics student; Dennis Oluchukwu Okwechime, University of Abuja, 300 level Theatre Arts student and Wisdom Ogechi Owabor, University of Benin, 200 level Computer Engineering student. The scholarship recipients were honoured at a ceremony held in Orchid Hotels and Conference Centre, Asaba on November 24, 2017.
Expressing gratitude for the scholarship awards, Miss Joy Ossai speaking on behalf of the other recipients thanked the association for the good gesture and for finding them worthy of the awards. She said they are motivated to study harder for excellence in their educational pursuits.
Earlier the President of the association, Martin Chukwurah in his welcome address read by Godfrey C. Osakwe said that the annual scholarship is one of the primary goals of the association to encourage deserving students to accomplish their goals and to ensure a better, progressive, and prosperous Aniomaland. He stated that the future and destiny of the Anioma people, especially the younger generations, cannot be left in the hands of the government alone, as no government anywhere in the world has been able to meet the needs of its people without some communal, corporate, or philanthropic involvements.
“Education is the greatest legacy and survival tool we can bequeath to our younger generations. And in today’s fast-paced world, education or lack of it can make or mar a people. Knowing that many bright students have dropped out of the school’s system for reasons such as lack of money to pay tuitions, buy the relevant books, or even pay exams fees. The unpalatable end products of some of these school dropouts can be minimized if we join hands together for a scholarship awards project such as this so we can collectively reach out to many more indigent students in our various communities”. Chukwurah posited.
Chukwurah commended the members of Anioma association, Georgia chapter and all the donors whose financial sacrifices made the scholarship project a dream come true for the fourth consecutive year. The chairman of 2017 scholarship committee, Dr Kpamioseh Ogbechie and his committee members were praised for a job well done going by the thorough selection process the scholarship committee had to go through. The increased in the number of applicants with impressive GPAs and the essay quality of applicants with a good geographic distribution of Anioma lay credence to the task of selection.
The recipients were advised to make good use of the awards, and not to relent in their academic pursuits. More importantly, the recipients and the youths were further admonished to stay away from bad company and habits that could ruin their academic progress and cause pains to their parents and society in general, but maintain good moral at all time.
Chief Christopher Nwaoboshi, a representative of the Commissioner of Information, Honourable Patrick Ukah thanked members of Anioma Association USA, Inc. Georgia Chapter for the great vision of the scholarship programme for Anioma students. While commending the association for making sacrifices for human capital development in Aniomaland, he urged the recipients and the youths in Delta State to focus more on their studies and thread a positive path of progress.
Hon. Emeka Nmadu, member of Board, Delta State Library Services and former Chairman, Oshimili North Local Government Council thanked the association for their philanthropy aimed at the development of Anioma and the human race. He said the annual scholarship has opened a new vista of opportunities for Anioma students to advance their education to a higher level, but advised the students to target specialized fields and build an enduring career in line with the realities of today’s world.
Comrade Joseph Iyeke, retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) also extolled the good virtue of the association and called on the beneficiaries to see the scholarship as a motivating factor for greater accomplishments.
In a related development, Comrade Princewill Nwabundo, Secretary-General of National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU) also lauded the association’s mission to sustain the quality human capital in Anioma and Delta State in general, while addressing the challenges of many students in terms of high cost of education in today’s Nigeria. He pledged his support in the area of awareness creation as the scholarship programme calls for immense support and partnerships from all stakeholders. The Secretary General was accompanied to the event by Comrade Clement Chukwuka Aghaulor, National Association of Anioma Students South-South Zonal Coordinator and Sindi Mathias, NADESSTU Mobility and Special Duties.
The annual scholarship programme of Anioma Association USA, Georgia chapter has since 2014 been providing scholarship grants to support and encourage the many fine students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria in their quest for academic excellence. Interested participants are encouraged to look out for more information on http://www.aniomaga.org. for the 2018 scholarship application.