…urges Olubadan to rally support for Buhari’s administration
Former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday announced a N100 million Endowment Chair for the benefit and empowerment of four overall best graduating students in some faculties of the University of Ibadan (UI), commencing from November this year. The business mogul and Publisher of The Sun and the New Telegraph Newspapers made this known while paying a courtesy visit on the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Idowu Olayinka.
According to him, the endowment being initiated through ‘Orji Uzor Kalu Foundation’ will be debuted at the next Convocation ceremony coming up in November at the premier University.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain while talking on his Peace Advocacy Visit to the South West project, said that the effort of the foundation was to encourage young ones and empower them to start up a livelihood through entrepreneurial efforts. He said that the endowment was planned in such a way that N250,000 will be doled out to four overall best students in the faculties of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities on yearly basis.
“This Programme started five years ago and many students have benefited from it. I am saying it frankly that some of those who have benefited have made big money from it.
We will like to see such happening here also. We are very sorry for coming late but we hope it will reach the targeted mission,” he said. Re-echoing Kalu’s position, the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Rev (Mrs) Jemaimah Ola Kalu, explained that the foundation had since reached out to people within and outside the country. “This foundation has done same endowment at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where four overall best students got N250,000 to start up their lives.
We are not limiting this to the institution, hence our letter to UI, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife for more students to be empowered,” she said.
She stated that the Foundation had also empowered several women, orphans, indigent students and currently empowering petty traders with interest-free loans. “We are going to extend this gesture to this University community for petty traders here to also enjoy the loan”, she stressed According to her, the Foundation had also taken care of the elderly, noting that “we have also organised seminars and workshops aimed at empowering our unemployed youths. I can boldly tell you that we have done a lot in empowering women and the youths.
These are parts of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 agenda of UN, the meeting of which we attended in January.” Responding, Professor Olayinka commended Kalu for extending his philanthropic gesture to the University, saying the institution had very brilliant students to benefit from the endowment. “Our duty here is to produce graduates and it is not really good to have them out there without something doing for a livelihood.
This endowment of yours will go a long way to assist these graduates find their feet early in the society. At the Olubadan of Ibadan His Imperial Majesty, Oba Saliu Adetunji, the Aje Ogungunniso 1, at his Popoyemoja Palace, Kalu said he called on him to continue his leadership role as a traditional ruler, promoting peace in the land and in the country as a whole while soliciting his support for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. “The President is a committed democrat.
Traditional rulers should not abandon him but support him to finish his tenure and probably beyond. Your Imperial Majesty, please if you have any contradiction you want to clear on party or administration from the President, kindly seek audience with him. If getting him is difficult, please, contact me and I will do that for you”, the Seriki Mayegun of Ibadanland said.
Responding, through his Personal Assistant and Director of Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Adeola Oloko, the monarch commended Kalu, saying that he had no animosity against President Buhari. “I have no animosity against our President. President Buhari and several other Generals passed through the General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigeria Army.”
