By Michael Adesina
In keeping with his avowed commitment to always empower and reach out to the less privileged in society so they can fulfill their innate potentials, Professor Christopher Imumolen once again doled out scholarships worth hundreds of millions of Naira to over 2000 students in Kabba, Kogi State on Saturday.
The Accord party presidential candidate took time off his busy schedule where he has been mobilising support for his presidential bid to attend to one of the programmes dearest to his heart — that is, awarding scholarships to financially handicapped students to aid their academic pursuits.
The Institute of Science and Management under the aegis of the Joint Professional and Support International Limited (JPTS), a school he established three years ago, and which served as venue for the event, took on a carnival-like atmosphere as excited students were given scholarships worth N2million each.
A few of the fortunate students who spoke after being given the awards were elated to be so considered as they promised to make the best use of the opportunity.
“I’m really overwhelmed. I wasn’t expecting this, and I really thank God for this opportunity,” one of the beneficiaries said.
Speaking to an NTA, Kabba crew afterwards, Professor Imumolen said he was motivated by the reception his scholarship initiative got in Kabba and promised to reach out to more Nigerians as the opportunity presented itself.
“I am delighted to be able to start this scholarship programme that has helped in no small way in advancing the academic aspirations of a lot of Nigerians since inception”, he said.
“We will continue to be empowering them any which way we can — with business ideas, skill acquisition and in general entrepreneurship.
“I am encouraged by the reception this initiative has gotten here in Kabba, and we’ll continue to engage more Nigerians to make sure they also get these opportunities,” he added.
And while receiving Professor Imumolen during a courtesy call earlier in his palace, the Obaro of Kabba, Oba Solomon Owoniyi was full of praise for the Accord party presidential candidate, saying he loved the fact that he was investing in human capital through the scholarships he gave to indigent students of the community.
“What you have done, son, gladdens my heart”, he told Imumolen in his palace.
“We have no other industry other than education in Kabba. That is why we would always support anything that would advance the cause of our teeming youths through education,” he added.
