…as 50 undergraduate students receive N150,000 each
The Association of Esan Professionals (AEP) has unveiled plans to offer scholarship grants worth N7.5 million to the sons and daughters of the Esanland to cushion the financial challenges of actualising their university education goals.
According to Henry Egbiki, the president of the Association of Esan Professionals the scholarship grant is part of the association’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) to Esanland.
Egbiki further explained that the total number of students of Esan origin that will benefit from the grant are 50 and that they are drawn from different schools.
Besides, the association has given grants worth N150,000 each to eight students of Esan extraction at different levels of studies in tertiary institutions in Lagos State.
“The Esan students who benefited from AEP’s CSR were drawn from the University of Lagos (Unilag), Lagos State University (LASU) and Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech),” Egbiki explained.
Moreover, Egbiki disclosed that the 50 indigent sons and daughters of Esan community selected for the scholarship grants were drawn from the different local government councils of Esan extract.
“A breakdown of the number reveals that 10 students each were selected from the five Local Government Areas (LGAs) inhabited by the Esan people in Edo State.
“The LGAs are Esan Central, Esan South-East, Esan North-East, Esan West, and Igueben,” the president said.
In addition, president said that the programme will be a yearly affair, and that the association organised the programme to give back to Esanland.
Egbiki speaking on how the association was able to get the deserving students, said that AEP constituted a screening committee of competent personalities to achieve the association’s aim, stressing that the committee encountered challenges in the course of carrying out its duties but that they were surmounted.
Judge Okoyo, chairman of the scholarship screening committee, who spoke to journalists shortly after the presentation of cheques to the benefiting students stated that what the association has done is part of its contribution to Esanland in the area of education.
Okoyo explained that though the committee encountered challenges during the selection and screening process, they were able to overcome those hurdles.
Oziegbe Joseph, a 300 level Architecture student of University of Lagos, speaking on behalf of the benefiting students, thanked AEP for their kind gesture and support they have extended to all the beneficiaries from the various schools.
He prayed that God should continue to bless the association for what they have done.
Another student, Paulina Godfrey, a 300 level student of the University of Lagos expressed gratitude to AEP for its support, adding that she never expected the grant but as God would have it, she was among the beneficiaries.
She prayed that the Almighty will continue to bless the association and promised to use the grant wisely and for the purpose it was awarded.
