The annual event held at the popular entertainment hub, Blake Resort, was aimed at having a one-on-one contact and interactions with the students picked from three secondary schools within FCT whom he had adopted as children and had undertaken to sponsor in schools at all levels.
The Blake Resort boss reiterated his commitment to better the lives of the students through education and well-being.
In his remarks, Akunedozi said it gives him greatest joy and satisfaction to invest in the education and well-being of children from poor backgrounds to give them equal opportunities with their counterparts from wealthy homes.
He admonished the children to be hardworking, obedient, and creative while discouraging them from being social media and phones addicts in order not to be distracted from reading and writing to build their future.
To bridge access gap between the Foundation and the scholarship students and to make his work easier, Akunedozi announced appointment of Miss Chibuzor Alaegbu as the Director General (DG) of Uzochukwu Akunedozi Foundation to oversee the scholarship program. He said among other things her duties include getting assessement reports on each of the beneficiaries from their respective schools to enable the Foundation identify who needs extra class or home teacher to cope; to also know each students under the scholarship by name; and to be a liaison officer between the Founder, schools and the students.
He congratulated the beneficiaries for their last session performances. “Congratulations on your last performance. I am a proud father seeing you all doing well in your respective classes and schools. For those among you that the schools found worthy of being appointed prefects, I am proud of you and urge you all to keep up the hard work!
“We will introduce rewards based on excellent performance in this academic session and going forward,” he concluded.
Speaking on behalf of the selected schools, the Vice Principal of the GMSS Jikwoyi, Mr Maji Labaran expressed appreciated to Akunedozi for his philanthropic gestures and impacts in the lives of school children from poor backgrounds in FCT. He prayed for him and his generations to remain protected and blessed by God. He also appealed to Akunedozi to kindly look into supporting schools in the FCT with Computer Based Test (CBT) system as WAEC and NECO prepares to switch to CBT.
A parent, Mrs Joy Emmanuel Okoli also joined the well-wishers to express profound gratitude to the philanthropist for bearing the burdens of many parents in his gesture.
The Head Girl of Government Model Secondary School (GMSS) Jikwoyi, Akhere Favour Osemudiamen, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries drawn from GSS Mpape, GMSS Jikwoyi and GDSS Caro expressed deep appreciation and gratitude for the kindness of their benefactor towards them.
“It is an honor and privilege for me to stand before you today as the head girl of GMSS Jikwoyi to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to our wonderful benefactor.
“On behalf of all the students teachers and management of these schools, I sincerely want to say a very big thank you for your kindness and generosity in paying our school fees for more than a year now.
“Sir, words alone can not fully express how grateful we are for this wonderful act of kindness. You have not only paid our school fees; you have given many students the opportunity to continue their education, pursue their dreams, and look forward to a brighter future. You have truly been a blessing to us all. Through you, God has shown us his favour, love and kindness. You have become an instrument in God’s hand to put a smile on our faces and hope in our heart.
“Sir, may you never lack and may your source of blessing never run dry”, she prayed for Akunedozi.
The sideline of the event included Guest Speakers, one of who took the children on the topic: “Effect of pair pressure,” distribution of school bags to the students who were treated to lunch with their benefactor Akunedozi.
