BY SAM DUVWODE
The Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, has commended the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, for his noble initiative in using the Monday Onyeme Foundation to encourage a reading culture and to give back to society.
Mr Aniagwu gave the commendation at the University of Delta (UNIDEL), Agbor, during the Monday Onyeme Foundation Scholarship aptitude test conducted for undergraduates in Ika Federal Constituency.
Successful candidates in the aptitude test scholarship scheme for Ika Federal Constituency will receive more than 30 million. 82 persons passed in Ika North-East, while 68 candidates were successful from Ika South.
Mr Aniagwu, who witnessed the aptitude test process from start to finish, while fielding questions from newsmen, praised the deputy governor for using the Monday Onyeme Foundation to encourage reading culture and unify the people.
The commissioner, while appreciating the amount of money being expended by the Monday Onyeme Foundation to ensure students enjoy a smoother academic journey, urged them to embrace proper education, shun cultism, and focus on their studies.
According to him, “I must appreciate the deputy governor for this noble initiative. This is something he started a very long time ago, initially from the Ndokwa nation, and today he is covering the entire Delta North Senatorial District. “What he is doing is giving back to society to encourage scholars. You can see the enthusiasm of the students to be part of this aptitude test and for them to qualify across the 26 wards in the Ika Federal Constituency. He is doing this across the 98 wards in the senatorial district. “So, I am very happy and I pray the good Lord to bless him for this initiative because it is not easy. You can see the amount of money he is expending to ensure that these students have at least as smooth a drive as they move through their academic career.
“A number of these students have parents struggling to keep them in school. So, when you have this kind of scholarship, and they get a minimum of ₦200,000, for some, it forms part of their school fees, for others, it helps cushion the effect of accommodation, while for some, it fills the gap for feeding or the provision of books.
“So, you can see the gap that the deputy governor is filling with this effort to ensure that many of our people are engaged in education.”
Mr Aniagwu, while further advising the students to prioritise proper education and shun cultism, urged them to remember why they are in higher education.
He said: “We also encourage those who may not have been successful in this particular test not to lose hope, as they have another opportunity to be part of the exercise next year.
“For those who have emerged successful, we congratulate them and urge them to remember that these funds do not come easily. The best way they can reward the deputy governor and their parents is to commit themselves to proper education.
“They should shun cultism and focus on their academic career, so that in the end, the deputy governor who has invested these funds will have cause to say his investment has become fruitful.
‘’Their parents will be proud that their children have emerged victorious, and the students themselves will be happy that they have realised the purpose of being in higher education.”
He added, “We are urging our people to see that education brings light and to understand the need for sacrifice. For you to pass well, you must study well, you must show commitment, and you must value why you are in a higher institution. We urge them to stay focused and keep faith with their purpose in higher education.
“We also encourage other well-meaning individuals to support and emulate what the deputy governor is doing, so that more students can benefit. The deputy governor and his foundation alone cannot cater for everybody’s needs, so we want more people to step in and ensure a good number of students are supported in their academic journey.”
