The Ebonyi State Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru on Monday formally dispatched the second cohort of 98 scholars selected under the state government’s overseas scholarship programme to the United Kingdom to pursue postgraduate studies, marking what the administration described as a “historic milestone” in the educational advancement of the state.
In a statement released by the governor’s Special Assistant on New Media, Leo Oketa, the ceremony took place at Chuba Okadigbo International and Cargo Airport, Ezza South, where Governor Nwifuru offered prayers for the beneficiaries before their departure.
Addressing the scholars, Nwifuru described them as his children and urged them to pursue excellence in their academic endeavours, with a clear purpose to return home and contribute meaningfully to Ebonyi’s development.
“As a father, I release you today with love and prayer. As your governor, I send you forth with confidence and hope. I pray God to guide you on your journey, protect you in a foreign land, grant you excellence in your study, and bring you back home safely and triumphantly,” the governor said, highlighting both his personal investment and emotional commitment to the youths’ success.
He further challenged the beneficiaries to live up to the confidence reposed in them by the state, emphasizing that their academic performance abroad should justify the opportunity afforded them.
Nwifuru also said the scholarship initiative was motivated by his own life experience and his belief in inclusive leadership. “I made a solemn decision of giving you what I did not have. The opportunity I missed, I will create for others. Where my journey was rough, yours should be smoother. That is the true meaning of leadership and the true essence of fatherhood,” he stated.
According to Oketa’s statement, of the 98 beneficiaries, 92 scholars will travel in batches this week, while the remaining six are scheduled to depart in September in alignment with the commencement dates of their individual academic programmes.
The statement also placed the current dispatch of scholars within the context of the larger scholarship drive initiated by the Nwifuru administration. It noted that just over a year ago, the first phase of the programme had seen 204 Ebonyians sponsored to pursue Master’s and doctoral degrees in the UK under the same scheme.
Oketa pointed to the early results of the programme as evidence of its impact, citing that “many of the first batch of Master’s degree beneficiaries completed their programmes with distinctions and academic excellence.”
The scholarship package, the statement explained, comprehensively covers tuition fees, accommodation, and a living allowance, a structure designed to enable beneficiaries to focus fully on their studies “without distraction.”
Describing the initiative as more than a one-off intervention, the government reiterated that it forms part of a long-term strategy to build a knowledgeable, competitive, and globally attuned Ebonyi State, positioning the state for sustainable socio-economic development through strengthened human capital.
