By Adadareporters
It was celebration at Old Carolina Hotel, Nsukka, Wednesday, as Lead Foundation awarded scholarships to some students of Opi community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.
It was gathered that the scholarships were a part of the Ezeugwu Scholarship Initiative of the foundation. Its founder, Sunday Ezeugwu, CEO Lead Oil and Susanni Oil, said he embarked on the scheme to give hope to the hopeless.
According to him, “I want to pay back to society that made me. The only way I can thank God is by helping the less privileged. I have always believed in sharing right from my childhood. When I give, I expect something from God, and not from those that I give. Sowing and reaping is a reality. Whatever I have spent returns enormously to me. My message to everybody is that no matter how little one has, one should endeavour to give back to society. Everybody has something to give.”
He said the scheme runs in Edo state, and very soon, ‘it will be extended to the entire Nsukka zone and the state in general’.
The operations officer of the foundation, Dr Mrs Joy Onyinyechukwu Ezeugwu-Ukwueze, said, “We are doing what the Holy Bible said, which is to look after the poor, fatherless and the needy in general. It is to help the under-privileged. We target those who can’t pay their school fees.
“Aside education, during Covid-19, we reached out to the needy. We also pay hospital bills for the indigent. The selection of the beneficiaries is very transparent. But they must also come from an indigent background. They write exams, and the best students are selected for the award. There is no element of partiality.
“More than twenty students have benefitted. Many have graduated. And we are still taking more. Some of them are studying overseas. We don’t have government support; it is purely an individual affair. The challenge is purely the economy of Nigeria, but we thank God because He is still helping us. We are progressing. By the special grace of God, we shall extend this beyond Opi community. I advise those blessed by God to reach out to the poor because givers never lack.”
A beneficiary, Evaristus Ugwuanyi, said the scholarship had given him hope of graduating. In his words, “The scholarship scheme was announced in the church. There was an examination, and I participated. The result of the test was communicated to me through a text message. That is how the foundation began to pay our tuition fees. I am very happy. I pray that the founder of this foundation would not lack anything so that he will continue to extent this gesture to more people. I pray to do the same thing same day.”
Samuel Ugwuanyi, of Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNN, also benefitted. He said, “This scholarship is organised every four years. I was informed about the test, and I applied to write the exam. By God’s grace, I am among those that are successful. I encourage those that are behind us to be serious with their studies. It pays a lot to be serious. By God’s grace, this type of help will come their way.”
Otigi Margrette is a parent whose son benefitted. She said, “My happiness is beyond my expression. I didn’t go to school, and here is my son in the university. Today, he has been offered a scholarship by our illustrious son. I thank God for making a day like this possible. I pray for my son to go through his education pursuit without problems. He will also remember his parents and the less privileged. I pray God to repay Sunday Ezeugwu for coming to our rescue through this scholarship.”
The occasion witnessed presentation of certificates of merit to some beneficiaries of the scheme that had completed their studies.
