News
45 OPM Scholarship Beneficiaries Depart For Turkey
No fewer than 45 beneficiaries of the Omega Power Ministries (OPM) undergraduate scholarship programme for undergraduate students, last Saturday, departed the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, for Turkey, to pursue various degree programmes for a duration of four years.
This brings to 65 the number of beneficiaries so far sponsored by the church to study in Turkey, as 20 of the scholars had in the early part of this year, travelled to the country for a similar purpose.
Interestingly, most of the beneficiaries are children of less privileged Nigerians, drawn from diverse backgrounds across the country.
Among those who benefited from the scholarship scheme this time around included, a 17-year-old rape victim, Mary Joseph; the son of one of the Ikoku 4 and victim of police brutality in Port Harcourt, last year, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Onyekwere; the daughter of a former cultist, Prisca Onum Omachi; and an orphan, Redemption Pepple, whose parents died, last year in Etche Local Government Area in the course of fasting for 21 days; among others.
The visibly elated beneficiaries, who were all resplendent in white track suits designed with sky-blue stripes and pairs of white canvas shoes to match, thanked the General Overseer of OPM, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, not only for the gesture but for also transforming their lives and those of the poor and the down-trodden in the society.
Chinyere told The Tide in an interview that the significance of the scholarship gesture is that it was intended to transform people’s lives, adding that “if you pick one person and transform the person’s life, you would have ultimately transformed the lives of 100 people at the end of the day”.
He said the motivating factor for all that he has been doing was Jesus Christ, pointing out that the current beneficiaries have already been fully enrolled in three universities in Turkey.
On his part, the President of OPM Divine Distributors, Chief Matt Offeh, said God has sown a seed of human kindness in Chinyere, adding that he has a rare passion for giving selflessly to the less-privileged.
He said the church was targeting to empower 500 persons educationally from now to the end of the year, adding that the church was going to send some professionals to Poland and the United Kingdom in due course to work.
Some of the parents and family members of the beneficiaries, who thronged the airport to bid their wards farewell, shed tears of joy, while others were seen hugging them, and urging them not to betray the trust and confidence reposed in them by virtue of bagging the scholarship awards.
The experiences of some of the beneficiaries, which they narrated to The Tide, before they met Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, were as pathetic as they were harrowing.
One of the beneficiaries, Miss Redemption Pepple, who hails from Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, said that she lost her parents within a space of one month, last year.
Redemption, who is going to Turkey to study Visual Communication Design, said her sister was currently living with the man of God.
Another beneficiary, Mary Joseph, who hails from Akwa Ibom State, said she was raped in Oyigbo, and thereafter became pregnant.
According to her, she delivered twins, two boys in August last year at the OPM free hospital.
On her part, her mother, Miriam Joseph, said she and her daughter were living in an uncompleted building in Oyigbo, where the latter was raped, having lost her husband in 2016.
Also, the father of one of the beneficiaries, Bright, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Onyekwere was full of praise, and thanked Chinyere for transforming his life.
Onyekwere, who was accompanied by his wife, said he was currently not working because of the injuries he sustained in the police cell, in spite of having seven children to cater for.
By: Donatus Ebi
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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