The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi, has disbursed ₦100 million in scholarships to 930 indigent undergraduate and postgraduate students under his foundation’s 2025 education support scheme, urging the beneficiaries to remain focused on their studies and shun cultism.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony held in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi North lawmaker said the initiative was designed to prevent financially disadvantaged students from dropping out of school while complementing the education reforms of the Ebonyi State Government under Governor Francis Nwifuru.
Nwebonyi disclosed that the scholarship programme, initially planned for 500 beneficiaries, was expanded to accommodate more students due to the overwhelming number of applicants.
“I expect them to be serious with their studies because, like I said, in our own time I didn’t have this type of opportunity. I didn’t benefit from anybody in form of scholarship,” he said.
“But now, things have changed. People like us are out to support them to make sure that those indigent students don’t drop out of school.”
The senator challenged the beneficiaries to justify the opportunity by remaining disciplined and avoiding social vices, particularly cultism.
“So, I expect the students, in as much as I can carve out this money on my own with the support of my well-wishers and supporters, to utilise this opportunity and make sure they don’t join cultism.
“They should read from classroom to their reading desks and that is what I did and I am a lawyer and that gave me the edge to be in the Senate.
“So, we expect that by tomorrow, we are going to have better leaders than us because we have given them golden opportunity to excel,” he added.
Nwebonyi also advised young people to channel their energy towards supporting leaders to deliver good governance instead of using social media to attack public office holders.
Representing the wife of the Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs. Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Felicia Nwamkpuma, commended the senator for investing in education and youth development.
She described the scholarship programme as a demonstration of Nwebonyi’s commitment to human capital development and said it aligns with the state government’s efforts to promote quality education and empower young people.
“Let this scholarship invite you to become responsible citizens who will contribute meaningfully to the development of our state and nation,” Nwamkpuma told the beneficiaries.
She congratulated the students and urged them to remain committed to academic excellence while shunning negative influences capable of jeopardising their future.
The scholarship presentation attracted beneficiaries, education stakeholders and government officials, with Senator Nwebonyi reaffirming his commitment to sustaining initiatives that improve access to education and enhance opportunities for young people across Ebonyi North.
