Ebonyi Rice Mill Boss Disburses Bursary To Over 100 Undergraduates, Offers Scholarship


Polycarp Sola-Abakaliki

The chairman of Abakaliki Rice Mill Owners Industrial Association, Mr Obeji Linus, during the weekend, disbursed academic bursaries to over one hundred undergraduates from various high institutions In Ebonyi State and awarded scholarships to one Kenneth Mbamoke.

The students were drawn from the Iphe-Igwe Odoriko village of Ibeagu community, which is comprised of 43 villages in the Izzi local government area of the State.

Eye Witness News reports that all the beneficiaries, irrespective of courses of studies and schools, were given a sum of N20,000 each.

Obeji, while speaking at the event said the essence of the gesture is to encourage the students because of the challenges associated with their backgrounds.

"We are saying that those that come from such dark places should be encouraged, those children whose parents are depending on them should not go the same way as the children who are depending on their parents should go.

"It's two different things, because the other will likely hit the rock while the other one might mess up and go back to inherit wealth, but here, the kind of place where we come from if you lose out on your academic, you will certainly go back and pick your hoe". he said

He advised the students to focus on their academics and shun all forms of social vices such as cultism, while challenging them to be good ambassadors of their community.

"The era of cultism is gone, the era people say they are cultists and brag about it is over, it's nonsense as far as I'm concerned, they should depend on God because it's only God makes a way, not in misbehavior". he added

The chairman, while commending Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for manifesting his administration's people's charter of needs on the poor and vulnerable maintained that the governor is his source of motivation.

"My father who is the Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency R.t Hon Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has started with the poor, and I'm encouraged by what he is doing because he has given all of us an open playground with privileges and therefore I should extend it to others". he added

Meanwhile, Professor Clement Mgbada, a professor of history and international relations, and Mr Peter Isaac Iteshi, a Senior administrative officer in Ebsu who witnessed the event commended Mr Obeji for having the will to extend kindness to his people, irrespective of his financial background, and urged the beneficiaries to utilize the funds to support their studies.

Some of the beneficiaries include Keneath Mbamoke, a year one student of mass communication at Ebonyi State University who was awarded a scholarship, Njoku Paul, a Medical student of the same institution and Nwite Jacinta, a Student of computer science thanked their benefactor and pledged to be up and doing to reciprocate the gesture.

Nice one, it will go a long way for some of these students

Kudos he did well for the students