Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Pupils of Ayom na Okpala Primary School, Awka, capital of Anambra State, looked out of the windows of their classes in curiosity when the motorcade conveying the leadership and members of Awka Ambassadors Club drove into the premises of their school recently.
Their curiosity turned to joy and excitement as occupants of the vehicles alighted and offloaded a number of cartons containing school materials from their vehicles.
The pupils were informed by their teachers that the august visitors came to distribute some educational materials to them.
Indeed, the group had come with educational materials and other packages for the pupils of the school and three other primary schools in the capital city.
Some of the packages contained 5,000 books, writing materials and 2,000 cartons of noodles. The items were for four primary schools, Ayom na Okpala Primary School; Afor Agbala Primary School; Agulu Awka Primary School; and Community Primary School, Umuokpu, all in Awka.
From Ayom na Okpala, the members of the club drove to the other schools, where they replicated the same gesture.
Shortly after presenting the materials, the president of the club, Ben Nwosu, a lawyer, said the group had earmarked a total of N73 million to support education in their community.
While N23 million of the total sum had been budgeted to support educational programmes in the town, N50 million was mapped out to sponsor indigent students in the community to the university.
Nwosu said the gesture was part of the group’s mandate of supporting education, pointing out that, since the formation of the club about 30 years ago, the group has remained committed to sponsoring scholarship and promoting academic activities in the town as it identified education as the bedrock of societal development.
Nwosu, who disclosed that the group had, two years ago, donated 300 computers to secondary schools in Awka before this latest donations, stated that aside from education, the club also contributes to issues of healthcare and human empowerment as well as others areas that impact people’s lives positively.
He said: “We have distributed over 5,000 books with other writing materials, alongside 2,000 cartons of noodles, which were given to the teachers.
“Recently, we flagged off a programme tagged Supporting Education, and we made available N23 million for it and another N50 million has been mapped out for the university sponsorship of indigent students in Awka community.
“We have so many graduates, including medical doctors, lawyers, nurses, and others in different professions that we have sponsored.
“The activities of this club have been impacting greatly on the educational life of people within Awka community. Two years ago, we made available 300 computers to secondary schools in Awka. We also plan to visit the teaching hospital in Awka to provide them with hospital equipment. Last year, we did that. Two years ago, we also did that. We are doing all this to assist humanity and enhance the growth of the society,” Nwosu said.
Former Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, who is a pioneer member of the club, Keluo Molukwu, a lawyer, said the club has, since inception, been making meaningful contributions to the life of the people as its members see it as a noble move to give back to the society.
Headmistresses of Agulu Awka Primary School, Mrs. Rose Nwokoye, and headmistresses of Ezi Awka Primary School, Mrs. Agatha Nedum, thanked the club for their kind gesture. In separate remarks, they prayed that God would continue to provide for the philanthropists.
Some of the pupils who spoke to the reporter expressed happiness over the club’s gestures and promised to make judicious use of the educational materials.