The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has presented scholarship grants to 300 Ogoni postgraduate students.
The scholarship recipients consist of100 Doctorate Degree students and 200 Masters Degree students studying in various recognised tertiary institutions in the country. While the PhD students smiled home with N1million each, the Masters Degree students got N500,000 each.
Presenting the scholarship grants to the beneficiaries, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof NeinibariniZabbey urged them to use the grants for the purpose they were given,and to use them to better their lives and the lives of others.
Speaking in his welcome address during the presentation ceremony at NAFOWA Multipurpose Hall in Port Harcourt, Zabbey indicated that all the scholarship recipients were selected on merit through a transparent process, and congratulated them on their success, saying, “your hard work and dedication have brought you here.”
“We celebrate the 2024 recipients of the Ogoni postgraduate students scholarship, an initiative that underscores the Federal Government’s commitment, through HYPREP, to the development of Ogoniland”, he said, contending that HYPREP, through the selection process, has once again demonstrated its commitment to fairness, transparency and inclusivity in implementing livelihood interventions in Ogoniland.
He noted that the integrity of the selection process for the scholarship has been a priority, as he could confidently say that the recipients have earned this recognition through merit.
“At HYPREP, we believe that education is not only the bedrock of personal growth but a transformative tool that can unlock new opportunities and create sustainable alternative sources of livelihood for oil-impacted communities in Ogoniland,” he said, stressing that Ogoni postgraduate students are critical stakeholders of the Ogoni community in the HYPREP project, and are integral to achieving HYPREP’s goals.
According to him, as researchers and leaders in their various fields, the scholarship recipients are agents of change, as they have the unique opportunity to contribute to HYPREP’s ongoing environmental remediation and livelihood restoration in Ogoniland.
He, however, urged the scholarship beneficiaries to contribute their technical expertise to promoting peace and development at the community level, saying discussing development without acknowledging the fundamental link between peace, progress and prosperity is impossible.
“As a people, we cannot afford continuous division or discord, instead, we must focus on unity and collaboration,” he intoned, and urged the scholarship recipients to form clusters that facilitate peace building initiatives, and let such clusters become platforms for dialogue, reconciliation, and innovation and solutions that address the Ogoni community’s challenges.
Zabbey noted that through their efforts, especially in collaboration with HYPREP, “we can build bridges of understanding, and reinforce the foundation for a clean environment, sustainable peace and development in Ogoniland.”
According to him, their role as postgraduate students is beyond the academia, because as peace builders, they must promote unity, collaboration and peaceful coexistence within Ogoni communities and beyond.
He further noted that the work and influence of the scholarship recipients would serve as bridges to further connect Ogoniland, fostering continuous dialogue, mutual understanding and collective activities in the public interest.
The Project Coordinator said the task before HYPREP is enormous but noted that the cooperation of the Ogoni community and the commitment of the project stakeholders have sustained progress in the implementation process, saying, with the progress made thus far in implementing the over 100 ongoing projects, a significant number of the projects would be completed this year.
He equally enjoined the beneficiaries to use the opportunity to make a difference, not just in their lives but also in the lives of others, describing them as not only the beneficiaries of the education grant but also the custodians of its vision.
He also urged them to carry this responsibility with pride, integrity and commitment to excellence, and pleaded with those who did not receive the scholarship grants this time to prepare for the next chance.
Zabbey further hinted that HYPREP would initiate civic education and constructive engagement initiatives in the coming weeks, to deepen understanding of community responsibilities and address challenges such as misinformation and other issues hindering progress.
In his goodwill message, the Gbenemene of Ancient Bangha Kingdom and spokesman of the Central Representative Advisory Committee(CRAC) of HYPREP, King T.Y. SuanuBaridam thanked HYPREP for the bold initiative, and congratulated the scholarship recipients on their success, describing the Ogonis as intelligent people, as it was never easy to select the best from the lot who participated during the selection process.
He stressed the need for people to understand and appreciate what HYPREP is doing in Ogoniland, and appealed to those indulging in campaign of calumny against HYPREP, by insinuating that nothing is happening, to desist forthwith.
He noted that the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP) Report on Ogoni did not say anything about scholarship, “but we decided to add it because we are part and parcel of our people.”
According to him, the scholarship scheme and other programmes carried out by the project would address social vices in the area.
He, therefore, urged the scholarship recipients to always defend the project, and make good use of the opportunity.

Also speaking, the President of the Ogoni Association of Persons Living With Disabilities, Comrade Ngo Baridapdoo, also a PhD beneficiary of the scholarship, thanked the Project Coordinator for the gesture.
He noted with delight that scholarship is now in the HYPREP Gazette, contrary to what obtained in the past, as the Project Coordinator is now carrying along persons with special needs in his administration.
Also, the Convener of Ogoni Postgraduate Forum, MrBariatonlo Ken Nnaane equally expressed gratitude to the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal for giving approval to the scholarship scheme, and the Project Coordinator for expanding HYPREP’s livelihood programme to include the postgraduate scholarship scheme.

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