Parents, Guardians Extol Beta Edu As 23,659 Pupils, Students Enjoy Scholarship Awards
BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Betta Edu, has awarded scholarships worth millions of Naira to over 23,659 pupils and students of Adadama ward in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Edu, whose scholarship scheme spans over nine years, said the inspiration to embark on the project stemmed from her belief that education holds the key to a positive transformative growth in the life of people.
In a statement promoting the Scholarship project in her community, Dr Edu said being a beneficiary of quality education even as a girl child, she feels the practical way to touch the lives of her constituents was to establish an Educational Foundation.
According to her, the project is to ensure every child of school age is not be denied affordable access to education on the basis of parental financial constraints or any other encumbrances.
Further explaining the reasons for sustaining the scholarships to indigent children in her political Ward for nine years running, Edu stressed the importance of community service as well as giving back to the people when God has blessed you.
She said; “For nearly a decade, I have steadfastly covered the school fees for every child in my ward, Adadama in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State and the number of up to date is nine years covering 23,659 scholarship so far.”
She also said as a border community, the people of Adadama ward have experienced perennial communal clashes that adversely affect their productive capacity as a farming community, noting that the immediate negative impact of such horrible experiences can be quantified in the inability of their children’s educational prospects.
Urging the people not to be deterred by the negative effects of the communal conflicts on their economic lives, the former Minister assured them that both the State and Federal Government are taking steps to bring a lasting solution to their nightmare
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries’ parents and guardians, one of them, Mrs Glory Labo thanked Dr Betta Edu for her unwavering humanitarian gesture to them even in the face of adversity
Mrs Labo said it takes the heart of a lover of God for anyone to continuously pay the school fees of thousands of school children while facing the type of blackmail and negative propaganda that the former Minister was exposed to during her short but eventful tenure in office.
She noted that in the past nine years, apart from payment of school fees, Dr Edu has also been lending support in the provision of exercise books, writing desks, school bags and other educational materials to aid children in the Adadama community.
“I have only one prayer for her, the voices of those children she has kept in school for these nine years will ring in God’s ear, her enemies will bow at her feet soonest,” she prayed.
Another parent, who also spoke at the event, Eval Nelson said; “In a world often marked by adversity and inequality, Betta Edu stands as a shining example of the difference one person can make through a steadfast commitment to serving others, as a community we are not surprised, we would continue to pray and support her irrespective of the challenges she might face.
“God never fails. We love her, and she remains our precious daughter. In 2024, when she faced blackmail and false propaganda, it didn’t deter her from paying fees for every child every term.
“Even when we thought we should excuse her, she said her commitment to these children is not politics but service to God.”
