Education
Legion Offers University Scholarship To 50 Fallen Members’ Relatives In Rivers
The Nigerian Legion, Rivers State Command, last Friday, awarded university scholarships to 50 students who are children, widows and dependants of our fallen heroes.
The event, held at the Conference Hall of the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, was chaired by the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Rivers State, and was well attended by legionnaires, representatives of the Nigerian Army and families of fallen heroes.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Ebeku commended the leader of the Nigerian Legion for his passion in driving the cause of the leqionnairers and charged the beneficiaries of the scholarship to be focused.
“You have an organisation that is responsible and led by a responsible person. The dividend of what you are getting today is because of his dogged fight and the request he has never failed to present before the state governor”
“When you enter the school with scholarship, don’t joke with it; make sure you use it to succeed so that you will be able to tell the story and what have been done for you, and remember you owe society to do the same”.
Professor Ebeku stressed that the state government has always supported the Legion, noting that the governor recognises the labour of the heroes past and has demonstrated this by supporting the Legion
“Governor of the state, His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, will always say he will never forget their service to this nation and what you are seeing here today is the major contribution of the state government and the benevolence of His Excellency, Chief Nyesom Wike”.
“Today will mark the beginning of good things to come; do not take this opportunity for granted. You have an organisation that is responsible and this is coming to wipe tears from the faces of many widows and children who hitherto do not have anyone to assist them”.
On his part, the State Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Rivers State Chapter, Justice Chichi, commended the Rivers State government for floating the scholarship programme.
He said: “The key of the flagship was laid in the year 2020. Our patron, His Excellency, gave an executive approval for the establishment of this scholarship scheme, thereafter based on recommendation of the scholarship board, record was broken as 65 students drawn from the six geo-political zones were awarded scholarship to study in the Nigerian universities and this was funded by the Rivers State government”.
Speaking further, Chichi revealed that the policy has been enlarged to accommodate widows.
Other speakers also commended the state governor for his benevolence.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.