From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
An Abia-born ex-banker, Stanley Ekeleme has instituted an education Foundation in honour of the later father, Pa David Ekeleme from Umunso, Afugiri in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State.
Speaking while inuaugurating the Foundation said he was moved to honour his father this as when he  was alive, although an uneducated successful businessman, but he loved education with passion.
“It was so much so that a large junk of his resources went to the training of not only his children, but also the children of the less privileged within his area and even beyond.
“My father was so engrossed with things that could promote education that before he died, he gave it as a parting word that he (Ekeleme jnr) should ensure the children of the less privileged in the area were not deprived of education.
“By the Foundation, we want to immortalize his name through what he loved most when he was alive. When he was alive, he gave scholarship to many children who are today people in the society.
“Although my father was a successful businessman, but he was not educated. Because of the limitations that came his way as a result of not having formal education, he vowed that children he came across in life obtained education”.
Wife of Ekeleme, Loyce, who manages the Foundation said she believes in gender balance and equality. She explained that when her husband muted the idea of setting up something in honour of his late father, they came up with the Foundation.
“I believe in gender balance and equality. So, when my husband said he wanted to set up something in memorial for his father, we started thinking about a Foundation because I have some level of expertise to run it.
“I have worked for the NGO sector for over 10 years and I have passion for children, especially the girls and women, in empowering them and ensuring that they were well educated”.
She promised to bring her wealth of experience to bear on the Foundation to ensure it meets her objective helping in eradicating illiteracy in society, particularly among the girl child.
Mrs. Okereke Matilda who represented the chairman of Abia State Universial  Basis Education Board (ASUBEB), Elder Joshua Ananaba, expressed joy at what the Ekeleme Foundation did which he said would lessen the burden of providing those educational materials on the recipients’ parents.
She said it was her believe that the vision of the Ekelemes will not die. “What you have established today, God will make it to blossom. From where you got the resources to make these pupils happy, will continue to overflow and I pray this programme will be sustained”.
The beneficiary schools included
Afugiri Central School, School Road Primary School, World Bank Model Primary School, Okaiuga Nkwoegwu Community School and
Umule Community School.