Group Awards Scholarships  to 150 Students in Edo

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

A pan-Benin group, Cowrie 25, has commended the state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki on the reforms his administration has introduced in the state particularly in education insisting that other states would be left behind in terms of development when the reforms begin to materialise.

The Chairman of the group, Dr. Anthony Ogunbor, gave the commendation in Benin City, capital of the state yesterday when it awarded scholarships to 150 students selected from various schools across the state which covers secondary school education.

He disclosed that Cowrie 25 is a group of professional made up of Edo indigenes both home and in the Diaspora that have being in existence about 25 years ago with the mission to education in the state.

According to him, “No matter what organisation, be it public or private, if you don’t have the right people running the system, it will fail.

“We were like these children before, at that time, we had some motivation and so, we felt that there was need for us to also motivate and encourage students of today so that they can aspire to be successful in life.

“That is why we feel that supporting them on the financial side will give them the incentive to move them towards achievements.

“The beneficiaries were selected from their various classes and they topped those classes and if they successfully go through and get to SS3, we are there to support them and the funding is already in the bank, it is the yield of our investment that we are using to fund this programme and it is going to be sustainable.

“What is happening in Edo State in various sectors is unprecedented; talk about the education sector, talk about the power sector, the health sector, the agric sector and incidentally some of us are investors in this state and we know the impact we are making and the number of employment we are generating.

“A lot of people who don’t see beyond now will not understand what is going on, it is a revolution because at the end of the day when all the arrangements put in place now start to materials, other states will understand that they are way behind what Edo State is doing.”

Also speaking at the event, Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr Joan Oviawe, said  Governor Obaseki was committed to reform the education sector in the state and that currently, secondary schools in the state operate a uniform time table and same duration for every subject and that no student is expected to study for less than 400 hours in a term.

Dr. Oviawe therefore, thanked Cowrie 25 for their amazing contribution to the Obaseki’s reforms programme which she said is aimed at uplifting the education standards in the state.

She assured members of the club the state government will not take them for granted in this laudable gesture, adding that government will continue to build good education system so that all the efforts put in  place would not be in vain.

In appreciation, Austin Amadin Osawe, a student of Edo College, who spoke on behalf of the awardees, thanked the club for the opportunity given them, promising they will not misuse the funds.