Start-Rite students can compete with their contemporaries anywhere in the world – Governor Otu

The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has commended Start-Rite Schools, one of the leading citadels of learning in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, for its maintenance of high standards and academic excellence.

Governor Otu gave the commendation at the 4th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture recently organised by Start-Rite Schools in collaboration with the Victor & Amaka Ndoma-Egba Foundation with the theme: “Leaders of Tomorrow: Creating Lasting Change in a Complex World”.

Amaka, who founded Start-Rite Schools 17 years ago and died in 2020 in a motor crash on her way to a burial ceremony in Ondo State, was the wife of Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, former Senate Leader and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) now the Chairman of the school’s Advisory Board.

The Cross River governor who was the Special Guest of Honour at the event, described the late Amaka as a visionary leader who showed great passion and commitment towards the development of children and growth of education.

Speaking at the occasion, Otu said: “I bring you warm greetings and goodwill from all Cross Riverians as I come to celebrate with you and the Chairman of Start-Rite Schools on this very great occasion. I am a regular attendee to this occasion (the annual Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture Series). And any time I come even though it’s a memorable and happy occasion, I always leave here on a sad note. However, we thank God that we had an Amaka who lived amongst us.

“I believe that the evidences abound that it is not how long you lived, but what you leave in the sands of times that matters. This school started with seven students and today it’s about 800. If there is a sector which if you make an impact it will be forever, it is in the educational sector.

“Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we are struggling education-wise. But this is a beautiful lady who saw it and believe that education is actually the pathway to go.”

Otu, a performing governor popularly known as Sweet Prince, who commissioned the school’s new edifice named ‘Legacy Building’ as part of activities for the fourth memorial lecture, added: “I give you the challenge. Go to anywhere in Nigeria today and even abroad and get these kids and their contemporaries and see if they will beat them for anything. What you will leave here with today is that you have seen leaders of tomorrow with the highest level of confidence.”

“Permit me to tell the Chairman of Start-Rite that Cross River is ready for them to come to our state, because we are already preparing a land for you to bring Start-Rite. You have impacted Abuja enough. Come and do same in Cross River.

“I want to say that we will always continue to support the school. Whatever it is we believe in total sustainability. And we know that other schools will continue to emulate what is going on here at Start-Rite.”

The keynote address at 4th Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture was delivered by Most Revd Mathew Hassan Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto and Founder of The Kukah Centre (TKC). The clergyman emphasized the need for leaders to exhibit confidence, bravery and patriotism, and the ability to positively influence the citizens. He lamented that lack of preparedness on the part of Nigeria’s past leaders was responsible for the leadership failure that the country has experienced.

The occasion, chaired by the former Military Governor of Lagos State and Chairman/CEO of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), had in attendance other prominent Nigerians including two former Senate Presidents, Senator Pius Ayim and Senator David Mark, erstwhile Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, ex-Nigerian Ambassador to Venezuela and Belgium, Amb. Maurice Ekpang and his wife, Ambassadors Bassey Archibong and Martins Cobham, Mr. Olusola Oke, SAN, and his wife, serving and former members of Senate and House of Representatives.