OPM: 600 Wailing Students, Parents beg Tinubu To Rescind Decision On Benin Republic Varsity
•I’ve Invested Much On Students, Apostle Chibuzor Appeals
By ERIC MOORE
Over 600 students of ESM University, Benin Republic, and their parents have cried and appealed to the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to rescind the decision on the disqualification of the institution’s standard.
The distraught students, who are on the Omega Power Ministries (OPM) scholarships scheme and their parents cried to the residence of the General Overseer of the church, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, in Port Harcourt on Thursday, to express their hopelessness, if they are withdrawn from school.
Some of the students and parents in tears, said they were shocked when they received news about Federal Government’s decision on ESM University, Benin Republic.
They said that withdrawing them from school after their benefactor, Apostle Chinyere, had invested much in their education, would amount to ruining their future.
A visually impaired widow, Mrs. Josephine Hycienth, begged: “I am a blind widow whose son had opportunity of the free scholarship from the OPM to study in a Benin Republic University.
“Nobody cares about us since after my husband’s death. I want President Bola Tinubu to come to our aide. They should not cancel their education. If my son is allowed to come back home, nobody will assist in his education, I need the president to help.”
A 200-Level Computer Science student, Moses Nicodemus, expressed shock: “I am 200 level students going to 300 level. I came back to Nigeria for my Industrial Training (IT) only to hear that my school is not accredited.
“That is why we are calling on the President of the Republic of Nigeria; the Apostle (Chibuzor Chinyere) has spent millions of naira on our education. We need help. We have tried to study to come out with good certificate.”
However, the OPM General Overseer, Chinyere, has appealed to the wife of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Bola Tinubu, to prevail on her husband, the president, to consider the danger stopping the students’ education abruptly would cause to the society.
The cleric who is widely known for his philanthropic works, said before enrolling the students into the institution, he approached the Ministry of Education to ascertain the credibility of ESM University, which was confirmed.
Chinyere stated that he has invested hugely in the academic development of the students, emphasizing that the funds spent on them were the church offerings and tithes.
He added that some of the students on the OPM scholarship are orphans, while most of the parents, especially mothers, are widows, who could not send their children beyond secondary school level.
Apostle Chinyere expressed: “Before I started this scholarships, I personally went to the Ministry of Education, Abuja, to verify if ESM is accredited. Also to verify if the graduates of the school will be able to participate in NYSC in Nigeria. And all these were confirmed positive before I paid first school fees. It was that guarantee that I got from the education ministry in Nigeria that made me to send students on scholarships to the school in Benin Republic.
“Yes, I have many students on scholarships in Nigeria; why sending students to Benin and other countries for studies? The issue is that the system (government) made education very strenuous for students, the government policies made education very difficult.
“By the grace of God, OPM has students on scholarships in America, Canada, Cyprus, Tokyo and other countries around the world. With the students’ five credits; we apply to the universities, we receive conditional letter; then, unconditional offer letter which we proceed to the Embassy and letter pay for the students’ school fees. The same process goes with other African countries when we want to obtain admission for students on scholarships.
“But, here in Nigeria, it’s not the fault of Mr. President, but the policy. Number one, you will write JAMB, wait for a period of months, then write post UTME before you even gain admission to any of the universities in the country.
“Every day, people come to my house for scholarships: less-privileged, widows, orphans etc. I have more than 4,000 students currently on scholarships right now. I am not talking about the people that have graduated.
“We have two times a year per a section internationally. But, here, if you miss JAMB, you have to wait till next year. So, it’s easier to send students abroad on scholarships than here.”
According to him, “There is no other country in the world that when you have your WAEC, you have to write JAMB and also write post UTME examination. We are not emulating good policies from developed countries, but difficult policies for students to go to university. No wonder many young people no more have interest in going to school because the government made it so difficult for them to gain admission to university.
“Only in Benin Republic alone, I have spent more than N500million, from offerings and tithes that come to the church. I am not talking about other places. Do you want this money to go and they will come and start a fresh? There are ways you can assist these students by strengthening the policy instead of putting more burdens.
“How can you wake up one morning and say all the universities in Benin Republic and Togo are fake. The same Ministry of Education in Nigeria that confirmed that the schools were accredited before I enrolled the students to the schools. How can they speaking with mouth?
“If they continue to stick to their policy, I will cancel the scholarships because I cannot begin to pay fresh school fees for somebody that is already in final year.
“In Benin Republic alone, we have more than 650 students on scholarships. And if this policy is allowed to stay, I have no other choice than to wash my hands off.”