By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
About 4,000 indigent students of post-primary schools in Cross River State have benefited from Ita Ekpeyong’s Education Trustfund, a scholarship scheme initiated by a former Director General, DG, of the Department of State Security, DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpeyong, to assist indigent students in the South senatorial district the state, to enable them round off their secondary school education.
The Chairman, Teacher Esien Itam Education Trust Fund, Mr. Gershom Henshaw, disclosed this figure while presenting cheques from the Trust Fund to 50 scholarship beneficiaries at the conference Hall of Hope Waddle Training Institute, Calabar on Tuesday.
Ekpeyong averred that the scholarship will definitely unlock the great potentials that are embeded in the lives of most indigent students, who were lucky to benefit from the scheme.
Henshaw, while presenting the cheques on behalf Ekpeyong, stated that over 4,000 students had in the last eight years benefitted from the education trust fund, initiated by late wife of Ekpeyong.
Ekpenyong, former DG, DSS in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, maintained that the trust fund, which is like an endowment fund initiated by his late wife, had as its main target the development of human capital in the South senatorial district of Cross River State.
He stated that the 50 beneficiaries in 2022 are drawn from 10 secondary schools across the South senatorial district of the state, admonishing them to work very hard and utilize the privilege so that they will graduate in flying colour.
He said, “To the beneficiaries, I urge you to use this opportunity very very well. Like the saying goes, ‘to whom much is given, much more is expected.’
“Recall that after my re-appointment for a second term as the DG DSS by former President Goodluck Jonathan, my good friends had wanted to celebrate the re-appointment with a party.
“My late dear wife, Barr. Temitope Ita Ekpenyong, objected to what she called ‘needless and frivolous party.’
“Instead, she suggested that we should use the money to establish a trust fund in memory of her late father in-law, Teacher Esien Ita Itam.
“The sole aim, she emphasized, will be for the provision of scholarship to indigent students from Cross River South senatorial district.
“She had a very strong conviction that education is the passport to the future, because tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
