Forum announces maiden Akweya scholarship ward

A nongovernmental organisation, Akweya Forum for Advancement (AFA), has announced Saturday, June 24, 2017 as date for maiden award of its scholarships. This was made public on Saturday, June 17, 2017 in a release by the Secretary of AFA Scholarship Committee, Professor Ted Anyebe, received exclusively by Akweya.com.

According to the release, the award ceremony, which will be attended by all the members of AFA, will hold at a venue in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. "This is a historic event," said Prof Anyebe, who is Head of the Department of Theatre Arts at the
Benue State University (BSU). "We have looked forward to this for a while and I am convinced that members will create time out of their crowded schedule to be physically present and grace the occasion."

The applicants must be an indigene of Akweya by birth or by marriage (not by place of birth or association) and must show evidence of valid admission into a Nigerian university for a master’s degree programme.

The members expected at the awards ceremony include AFA President, Prof Egri Ejembi and Prof Victoria O. Ayuba, both of the University of Agriculture Makurdi; Prof Ogah Abah of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria; and the President of the Akweya Development Association (ACDA), Barrister Aba Ejembi. Also expected are the Chief Executive of Treashade Associates, Mr William Anyebe; the immediate past ACDA President,  Dr Sam Ogiri;  an ICT Consultant with Cyberspace Ltd, Abuja, Mr Anthony Ogor;  and Abuja-based broadcaster,  Mr Ofi Ejembi. Others are Mr Emmanuel Eje, Mr Ahola Orgeh of the BSU, Hon. Justice Ogbogo Ejembi of the  High Court, Otukpo; and Dr Felix Odengle of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Zaria.

As the first time ever that such an award will be made, the AFA scholarship utilised very stringent criteria. Covering only tuition fees, the eligibility criteria state that the scholarship will be offered to five (5) individuals who have gained admissions into any PUBLIC university in Nigeria, with 60% for male applicants and 40% for female. The applicants must be an indigene of Akweya by birth or by marriage (not by place of birth or association) and must show evidence of valid admission into a Nigerian university for a master’s degree programme. In addition, applicants must have a minimum of Second Class Lower Degree or its equivalent, excluding unclassified degrees, and must not be of questionable character.

In the light of these criteria, the award committee selected the following for the AFA Scholarship awards 2017: OGWU Achoji Mary (M.Sc. Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, National Open University of Nigeria, 2015/2016);  Okopi Ezekiel Ade (M.A. Archaeology, University of Ibadan, 2014/2015); and Ogah Eleyi Stella (University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2015/2016).

The scholarship award date Saturday, June 24, will be part of the long public holidays that include Monday, June 26, and Tuesday, 27, affording ample time for jubilation by the awardees and all of Akweyaland.

The AFA funds its activities through personal contributions from its
members.