The banquet hall of Reverton Hotel, Lokoja was filled to the brim as sons and daughters of Ebira land gathered for the 2nd Ebira Education Summit and Fund Raising with the theme: EDUCATION AND THE FATE OF EBIRA YOUTHS IN THE NEW TURN.
According to Balogun Omeiza David, the Director General Government House Administration, Alh. Dr. Umaru Oricha Shuaibu represented the Special Guest of Honour, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo at the event.
He conveyed the message of His Excellency, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo to those who were gladly gathered to chart a new course for youths in Ebira land who were ready to thrive academically.
In his words, “The issue of education is a collective responsibility that no one is expected to fold his or her arms to show a nonchalant attitude. As it stands, it is henceforth going to be time to expedite action to salvage education in Ebira land.”
Speaking further on behalf of the governor, Alh. Dr. Umaru Oricha Shuaibu said, “We are going to liaise with the Board of Trustees of Ebira Education Trust Fund to fine tune how we are going to be gradually releasing the financial support we have in mind to come up with. Originally, we were supposed to be here to be awarding scholarship la but the good news is that we are not yet late to achieve this.”
The astute administrator who represented the Governor chipped in the need of coming up with advanced ideas of securing our schools starting from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Without any iota of doubt, we are well aware that what we are experiencing at the moment about security is an evil machinations by some never-do-wells to stop our wards from going to school to acquire knowledge.
“We want all parents, guardians and the entirety of Kogi State citizens to be well aware that security operatives are working round the clock to see to the safety of all our children who are acquiring academic knowledge from the different institutions we have in the state.
He also on behalf of the Governor said that, “The size of our population is becoming larger and this matters a lot. Citizens are to be well informed that they can help put an end to the spare of insecurity in their own ways by availing security operatives government officials or traditional rulers quality information that can help in tackling and apprehending criminal minded persons who have decided to make us sleep with only one eyes closed.
While concluding the message the Governor sent him to deliver at the event, Alh. Dr. Umaru Oricha Shuaibu said, “His Excellency, Alh. Usman Ahmed Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State asked me to appreciate all of you over your deep show of concern over the abduction of some students that took place at Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara. We want everybody to remain calm, prayerful and supportive in whatever way as we are cocksure that the remaining students will be released.” He said.
Having delivered the message of the Governor, Alh. Dr. Umaru Oricha Shuaibu expressed his gratitude to Ebira Youth Congress (EYC), the organisers of the Educational Trust Fund Summit.
He mentioned some of the students he has been paying their school fees of which some of them are based in Nigeria and others outside the shores of Nigeria.
In his words, “I have them in primary, secondary, polytechnics and different universities. The same is what I do to those who are having one ailment or the other by footing their medical bills. I do this all for Almighty Allah (SWT) and for the sake of humanity.”
He added that he cannot announce his own donation but that he will continue to address the nagging situation of students not been able to pay their school fees as much as his capacity can carry him.
Alh. Dr. Umaru Oricha Shuaibu was highly optimistic that the next gathering in a summit of this nature should be to award scholarships to students deserving of them.
He admonished the organisers that time should not be wasted as he expects them to start disbursing whatever they were able to gather.
He thanked all the men and women who came to donate at the event praying that Almighty Allah (SWT) will never allow their pockets to run dry.