SOWING EDUCATIONAL SEEDS IN AKWA IBOM STATE
TheHILL. | OPINION | June 14, 2021.
Naturally, human problems cannot be completely eradicated. But, I think, if our leaders, be it political leaders, religious leaders, spiritual leaders, academic leaders etc, were committed and were ready to do the right thing at all times, most of the challenges, such as youth unemployment, insecurity, hunger, tribal and ethnic uprising etc, threatening our very existence as a people would not have been this bad.
Some of our leaders are unnecessarily and unreasonably, very selfish, egocentric, greedy and they have allowed the EAT- ALONE-AND- DIE- ALONE syndrome to becloud their sense of reasoning. They do not know how to give back to the people and the society.
But I thank God for some of our political office holders for their sterling and selfless leadership qualities. I sincerely want to thank and appreciate Mr Frank Archibong, the former chairman of Eket local government area of Akwa Ibom state. This young man had, in his little way, redefined leadership in the area of education and had put smiles on the faces of families and our young men and women by way of supporting their dreams of becoming better members of the larger society through the instrumentality and platform of education.
The Frank Archibong Education Foundation, as I call it, is the biggest, most transparent, most consistent and most accommodating individually sponsored education project in Eket Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom state, if not the only one.
As someone who had been in the classroom and is very much familiar with what many of our aspiring and young students from poor homes from this part of the state are going through over the years, I was worried when the tenure of the local government chairmen in Akwa Ibom state came to an end in 2020. I did not get worried because I did not want the chairmen to leave office, after all, many of them were square pegs in round holes. My fears and worries were based on the fact that I was not sure if whoever would succeed Archibong will still continue with the idea of sponsoring hundreds of students to achieve their academic dreams every year, considering individual preferences. I kept trying to get a good answer as to what will be the fate of our young people in their hundreds, who are interested in pursuing their educational dreams, but who do not even have the money to buy the JAMB form. Infact, my worries translated to fears and dispondencies.
It was a great relief and joy when I got a call from one of the Frank Archibong Education Foundation volunteers, and he told me that “Obongowo” is still going to continue with the project and that this year’s package was going to be bigger with a wider spread. He told me when and where the process for the screening was. I assured him I will find time to be there, and I did.
When I got there, I could not believe my eyes and I could not control the tears. I saw hundreds of our young people. I saw our young people who are not only intelligent but are also zealous.I saw young people, not just from Eket local government, but also from other local governments being part of the Frank Archibong Scholarship screening exercise.
Looking at the faces of these young men and women, I saw the desire to aspire to greater heights written all over their faces. Despite the challenges they have been through in life in the course of pursuing their dreams, I saw hope, faith and the “it is possible spirit” on their youthful faces.
As I speak, most of them, if not all, are ready to write their JAMB examination, courtesy of Frank Archibong. After that, their journey to the higher institutions will start immediately.
Mr Frank Archibong, I want to use this opportunity to thank you for always helping the poor students in Eket and beyond. For always being a source of hope to the hopeless and the poor students, your family will never lack in any good thing. The SEEDS you are sowing in the education soil today and the ones you have sown in the past, will germinate, grow, mature and become BIG TREES that will produce GOOD FRUITS by tomorrow.
© Sunny Abia
