By Amos Okioma

The country home of chief Simeon Ohwofa at Ohoror – Uwheru was filled to rafter with parents and beneficiaries of the Orogine Ohwofa Education Foundation,s scholarship program, politicians,opinion leaders,captain of industries and who is who in Uwheru kingdom and the academia were present to witness the fifth year Orogine scholarship conference,first of it’s kinds in the annals of Uwheru kingdom history.

The theme of the lecture was ” Education is not a scam”

Speaking to journalists, penultimate Saturday,chief Simeon Ohwofa said he was motivated to found the Orogine Ohwofa Education Foundation,s scholarship to assist less privileged Uwheru Indigenes to further their education,because he didn’t want anybody from Uwheru that wanted to go to school to abort his/her desires due to lack of finance.

He was once a victim,if not for the assistance he received from the likes of late Herbert Egoh , of blessed memory who not only gave him vacation job,but also assisted him with scholarship from university of Ibadan to complete his studies and he didn’t want any child in Uwheru to pass through that trajectory and that informed the Orogine Ohwofa Education
Foundation. Orogine is his mother’s name and Ohwofa is his father,s name.

He said” l decided to use the Orogine Ohwofa Education Foundation to assist children from the five quarters of Uwheru kingdom and to ensure an even spread and to avoid been accused of limiting it to only Ohoror,where l come from , students were selected from all the five quarters after a competitive examination from secondary schools and university level. The program has been on for the past five years now and has so far assisted 50 secondary schools students and 5 university undergraduates,until the board will decide otherwise”

” I had problems during my school days and people like late Herbert Egoh assisted me with vacation jobs ,which are no longer available and this scholarship is my own way of contributing to those who might have have similar difficulties”

He also disclosed that the program didn’t cover primary school because,he felt parents were capable of handling that,compared to secondary and Universities where students will be in distance places far away from their locale.

On why he choose philanthropy, he said his contemporaries might decide to own massions, whatever,but development of human resources remains his major priority.” People have different values .Some like building houses,buying cars and whatever.My believe is to grow human beings, like l said,if want to eat in the next three months,plant something like groundnut.lf you want to eat in six months time plant cassava,for five years plant oranges and mangoes .But if you to eat in fifty years grow human beings,train human beings.They are the best source of happiness” he said.

Going down memory lane,chief Simeon Ohwofa,a Lagos based socialite, staunch member of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, said he studied Agricultural Science and Biochemical Nutrition as a choice and l have no regret and not that l was not qualified to read medicine.Because l was focussed from the start,having my senior at Government College,Ughelli, as a role model.

“In our time there used to be concessional entrance, not Joint Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) l bought admission form for University of Nigeria,Nsukka and
University of Ife, and University of Ibadan wasn’t in my mind,but somebody sold his form to me,which paved way for me to get University of Ibadan to study my choice profession, University of Ibadan wasn’t in my choice” .

” Then you have to go for Higher School Certificate (HSC ) before going to the university , But l left Government College,Ughelli from Class Five.Frankly speaking l was a brilliant student in my class then, first ten out of hundred students”

In their separate interviews two of the enthusiastic Orogine Ohwofa Scholarship Foundation beneficiaries, Odioko Bridget and Edafemredje Elohor were full of excitements as they were overwhelmed with joy from the bottom of their hearts and poured prayers on their mentor,chief Simeon Ohwofa for his kindness.

According to Odioko Bridget ” Am very grateful to chief Simeon Ohwofa,the scholarship award had gone a long way to support my studies and upon graduation l will emulate him to give back to Uwheru kingdom in my own little quota .l intend to study Animal Science at the University. I hope to be a role model and disabuse the minds of other youths who see education as a scam.This scholarship has really transformed my life and l implored other girls to work hard as there is no short cut to success”

And from Edafemredje Elohor, ” As a person and collectively,we the beneficiaries shall not take this opportunity and privilege given to us by this scholarship for granted.I shall eternally be grateful to chief Simeon Ohwofa Education Foundation for his benevolence and will continue to pray fervently to God to enlarge his coast in every of his endeavours,my joy knows no bounds” she said excitedly.

When asked as a chieftain of All People’s Congress ( APC ) of the recent mass defection of members of the people Democratic Party ( PDP ) by the Delta state governor Elder Sheriff Oborevwori,he said it was a welcome development” Every politician the world over wants to win elections, remains in power,want development,Elder Sheriff Oborevwori defected to APC to device a means to remain in power for development and he has aligned with central government to bring development and he has started that”

In their various goodwill messages Prof Patrick Muoboghare, a former Commissioner of Higher Education and the Odion of Ohoror, Chief Julius Etah, a retired principal enjoined the beneficiaries to be grateful for the scholarship award which many are not opportune to get and urged other youths to shun vices that are inimical to their educational advancement, as education remains the bedrock of the nation, s development , as they concluded that their appreciation is application for him to do more. They equally commended the magnanimity of chief Simeon Ohwofa,which is worthy of emulation by all.
He was also presented an award by the Youth Wing of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Uwheru Branch.
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The country home of chief Simeon Ohwofa at Ohoror – Uwheru was filled to rafter with parents and beneficiaries of the Orogine Ohwofa Education Foundation,s scholarship program, politicians,opinion leaders,captain of industries and who is who in Uwheru kingdom and the academia were present to witness the fifth year Orogine scholarship conference,first of it’s kinds in the annals of Uwheru kingdom history.

The theme of the lecture was ” Education is not a scam”