From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha

It has been testimonies galore from the beneficiaries of the Chike Okagbue Foundation scholarship scheme in Anambra State.

Founded in 2008 by Mrs Chinelo Bob-Osamor in memory of her late father, Chief Chike Okagbue, who died on Christmas day in 2004, 13 years down the line, the Foundation has succeeded in producing 68 secondary school graduates with some already making waves in their chosen career after university education.

Late Chike Okagbue, popularly known as Bessoy, was a powerful businessman,  founder and first chief executive officer of Bessoy Group of companies with interest in oil, scientific equipment, cement and textiles.

He was an accomplished businessman and an illustrious son of Umunnachi in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State. Though he did not have formal education, Okagbue, Daily Sun was told, had love for education. He ensured that his children and other less privileged persons enjoyed what he did not have.

Chinelo Bob- Osamor had told the reporter in an interview some years ago that her late father had a very rich library fully stocked with books of some of the best philosophers, politicians and historians.

Chinelo said the Chike Okagbue Foundation (COF)  was actually set up to  honour his memory with the hope of having their father fulfill his dream of having as many indigent children as possible acquire formal education.

With the motto, “Touching Lives”, the foundation had in the last 13 years of its existence really touched lives positively.

Sponsoring children she had never met or had any formal relationship with, 10 intending secondary school students were selected every year and enrolled into classes at Queen of the Rosary Comprehensive College, Eziowele community where their tuition fees are paid in full and educational materials provided all through their junior and senior secondary education.

Last week,  during the schools prize giving day and end of the year thanksgiving,  beneficiaries of the COF scholarship could not hide their feelings as they poured out their hearts in appreciation to the founder for not only giving them wings to fly but  have made their life meaningful.

Okongwuigwe Ifunanya from Umueze Umunnachi recalled when she first heard of the scholarship scheme from the Foundation in her final year in primary school.  She wants to study law in the university.

“When I was told that I scaled through the screening exam in 2014, I was very excited. When I came into QRC Eziowelle and saw other students also enjoying the same scholarship, we all lived like one family here and the past six years of enjoying such privilege really makes me emotional. I want to thank her for her benevolence to me,” she said.

Cynthia Nwabuisi, another beneficiary from Abagana community, also recounted how the scholarship changed her life too.

“This scholarship has helped me a lot. I lost my mum to the cold hands of death but this scholarship made it possible for an orphan like me to get to this stage in life. I pray that God’s favour will continue to sustain the founder for the burden she has lifted off our shoulders,” she said.

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Ajibo Chiamaka from Igbo-Eze South, Nsukka Enugu State in said that the scholarship was the only thing that made it possible for her to get admission into college at that time when lack of funds would have scuttled her dream.

Chiamaka, who wants to study nursing in the university, was also full of appreciation for the foundation for making her dreams a reality.

In a chat with the school bursar, Odionu Augustina , she  thanked God for the life of the founder whom she said is an instrument of God in molding the destinies of the 68 students who have so far passed out of the college under the scholarship scheme.

She said: “Without such intervention, most of the students would have ended up as dropouts. I shared thoughts with many among them and some of them opened up to me on the condition of their families financially before the foundation came to their assistance. May the good Lord continue to bless her.”

Immediate past manager of the school, Rev. Fr Damian Ojukwu, said: “I discovered the foundation was sponsoring some of our students when I took over from my predecessor. All the years I’ve been in the school, the foundation has been up and doing in paying all the fees of the students while parents of the beneficiaries have always expressed great delight counting themselves most lucky among hundreds of other students and parents in the school who didn’t enjoy such privileges.

“A couple of times  that I’ve spoken to the founder on phone, she had always shown that commitment and enthusiasm to give the students the best at all times and I say  more power to their elbows.”

The new manager of the school, Rev. Fr Tochukwu Chozie, also commended the founder for the feat so far.

Speaking to Chinelo from her current base in the United Kingdom on her experience over the last 13 years of powering the foundation, she commended her husband, Bob Osamor, for being her greatest motivator and beacon of support over the years even at periods she felt like quitting.

She said her greatest motivating factor over the years has remained the importance of education which was given added impetus by her father’s love for education.

She expressed a sense of fulfillment, knowing that she has impacted so many young people’s lives through the offer of a fully paid scholarship through their secondary school education.     She also confessed that finding the resources   to fund and sustain the programmes and projects of the foundation was a big challenge but expressed delight that she pulled through the stress.

Asked what next, she said the foundation is looking towards making interventions in health care by helping individuals settle their hospital bills.

“Poor medical infrastructure notwithstanding, our people are often victims of avoidable deaths because either out of ignorance or poverty; they patronise quacks. They often resort to retail drug outlets (chemists) to prescribe and “mix” medications for them. When they go to hospital at all, they prefer to see their neighbourhood General Practitioner, even when the ailment requires specialist care.

“Consequently, we have chosen only hospitals that are fully equipped and staffed by consultants. We are still working out other modalities to ensure prompt, efficient and qualitative healthcare delivery,” she said.