A beneficiary of the Ebonyi State Government’s overseas scholarship programme, Ogba Chukwuemeka, has expressed profound gratitude to the Governor of Ebonyi State, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for sponsoring his doctoral studies and those of his colleagues at a top 10 university in the United Kingdom.
Chukwuemeka, who recently completed his MSc programme at the University of Cambridge, disclosed that Governor Nwifuru has approved and fully paid for their PhD tuition, accommodation, and stipends, with the total package amounting to over ₦60 million per student annually for a three- to four-year programme.
Describing the gesture as a life-changing opportunity, Chukwuemeka said the Governor’s intervention represents a defining moment in the lives of the beneficiaries and demonstrates his unwavering commitment to educational excellence and human capital development.
According to him, the breakthrough came after a meeting with the Governor, during which concerns were raised about the Pharmacy cohort’s delayed enrolment into PhD programmes due to the high cost of their preferred universities.
“During one of our meetings with His Excellency last month, he asked why the Pharmacy cohort at Cambridge had not yet commenced their PhD programmes. I explained that our current university was not the best fit for our career aspirations and that our preferred institutions were significantly more expensive than the budget initially allocated for each student.”
“Without hesitation, His Excellency instructed Dr. Ekwutosi Sanita Itumo, the Governor’s representative in the United Kingdom, to secure admission for us into the universities of our choice regardless of the cost and report back to him. That single decision changed everything,” Chukwuemeka stated.
Speaking on behalf of the cohort as its team lead, he thanked Governor Nwifuru for investing in their future and reaffirmed the group’s commitment to making Ebonyi State proud.
“We are sincerely grateful to His Excellency for not only funding our education but also for sending a clear message that our ambitions matter and that Ebonyi State deserves world-class scholars, researchers, and innovators.”
“We do not take this opportunity lightly. We made a commitment to the Governor and to the good people of Ebonyi State, whose resources have made this possible, and we intend to honour that commitment through excellence, hard work, and service. One day, we will return home with these degrees and the knowledge required to contribute meaningfully to the development of our state and nation,” he said.
Chukwuemeka further described the Governor’s investment in education as visionary leadership that will yield long-term benefits for Ebonyi State through the development of highly skilled professionals equipped to compete on the global stage.
He concluded by celebrating the milestone, saying: “Today, I celebrate not just an academic achievement but the fulfilment of a dream. The little star many people helped nurture has begun to shine brightly, and by God’s grace, this is only the beginning.”
Governor Nwifuru’s scholarship initiative continues to attract commendation from stakeholders, who view it as one of the most impactful investments in education and human capital development undertaken by the Ebonyi State Government in recent years.
