Anambra: Obi Jackson Celebrates Okija Best Brains..Offers Free Education To Pupils, Students, Teachers

The popular maxim which states that: "Education is the bedrock of every nation", came to the fore at Okija, Ihiala council area, Anambra state, last Saturday, as the Group Managing Director of NESTOIL PLC and Founder of Obijackson Foundation, Dr. (Sir) Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi, organized Quiz Competition for all Primary and Secondary Schools in the town.

Tagged: "Face of Okija Quiz Competition", the well-attended brains-racking was structured in four categories; with category 'A' inhibiting pupils of primary 1 to 3, 'B' consisting elementary 4 to 6 pupils; while the 'C' and 'D' captured mainly students of JSS 1 to 3 and SSS 1 to 3 respectively; but the area of concentration were Mathematics, English and Igbo languages (in tandem with the various academic syllables).

As a result, the most colourful event was officiated with panel of judges among other quiz experts drawn from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

This was not first of its kinds, as Obijackson foundation, has solely sponsored similar events in the past including the 'New Face of Okija,' a beauty and cultural pageant held on December 29, 2013, at Saint Peter's Anglican Church Stadium, Ubahu, Okija, which incidentally hosted this year's face of Okija Quiz Competition.

However, 9 secondary and 42 primary schools partook on the quiz through three students and pupils' representatives, but at the end, Adaogbe Migrants Fishermen School emerged victorious on the level 'A' (primary 1 to 3); while Umuatuegwu Primary School and ThankGod Special School took second and third positions respectively.

Also, the Goodshepherd Primary school; ThankGod Special School and Igwugwuabo Community School, Okija came 1st, 2nd and 3rdon the category 'B' (primary 4 to 6), while, the J.S.S 1-3 level saw Okija Grammer School (1st); Royal International Secondary School (2nd) and Bethel Standard School (3rd).

Similarly, Holy Family Comprehensive Secondary School, Okija was on top; as Union Secondary School, Okija garnered 2nd position just as its Royal International Secondary School came third on the category 'D' (SSS1-3).

Sequel to this, smiles danced on the cheeks of the pupils and students representatives as well as their schools and teachers as the sponsor, Dr. Obiejesi furnished them with monetary gifts and logistics. For-instance, instant free-education was awarded them in accordance to the position school's attained: 3 representatives of first positions Secondary and Primary schools got 3 years free education, while their counterparts from 2nd and 3rdpositions institutions graced 2 and a year scholarship each.

In a similarly vein, undisclosed cash envelopes and certificates were dished to the 'Best' Mathematics, Igbo and English languages Teachers at both primary and secondary school level, while the outstanding post-primary school received N50, 000 cash, desktop computer sets and coloured printers, even as Obijackson vowed to visit each so as to accelerate and respond their various needs soonest.

Reacting, some of the beneficiaries, Miss Mbabuo Chidera of Adaogbe Migrants Fishermen School and Mr. Aham Odinaka of Holy Family Comprehensive Secondary School, expressed happiness, and pledged to press much harder so as to attain the price and make the nation proud.

Earlier, the sponsor and Founder, Obijackson Foundation, Dr. (Sir) Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi represented by his P.A, Barr. Ikenna Chukwudum, described education as a key and basic foundation of life, reiterating his determination to balance the equation between the rich and poor in the society through education among other vital processes in order to move Okija to an enviable height.

While, Barr. James Akporero, the Manager of the foundation, explained that the competition was another effective weapon and easiest means, the Founder has adopted to transform the community, reach-out to the poor, and eradicate poverty and illiteracy, adding that 'Dr. Sir, Ernest Obiejesi is willing to sponsor every Okija secondary school distinction holders from University First Degree (BSC) to PGD level and beyond'.

Akporero, who disclosed that his boss sets food on the tables of over 5,000 citizens of the town on daily basis, not excluding employment opportunities and youth empowerment, recalled that he is an impartial humanitarian who had decided to re-awaken, reactivate and reengineer their educational consciousness for better tomorrow.

Also speaking, Chairman of the occasion and Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, Anambra state University (ANSU), Prof Sylvester Madu, advised youths and adolescents to avail themselves of the opportunity and face their study squarely as an easiest way of taping out of the bountiful harvest awaiting them.

Enumerating the vision of Face of Okija to include talent hunt, medical outreach, poverty eradication, among others, the Image Maker of Okija, Queen (Miss.) Ezinne Ejezie, posited that Okija is the giant of Anambra state, even as she asserted that the community would have become an Elephant, the King of Jungle, if it was created as an animal.

On the other hand, Prof. Fidelis Ejezie of College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu campus (UNEC) who is incidentally the father of Queen Ezinne, and Dr. Kalu Ogbureke of Obijackson Children's Hospital, underscored the importance of education, and enjoined young people to be focus and submissive to the education with a view to not only graduate in flying colours but to also be employable, self-sufficient and agents of transforming the nation, because according to them, education guarantees morality, wealth, progress and success.