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By Tony Eke

Today, I’m veering off the predominant course of weekly commentary on socio-economic and political issues to look at an individual’s act of philanthropy, which is deserving of our attention and commendation. I would have done so much earlier, but the need to give the subject matter of this piece a relatively longer time to unfold in greater proportion necessitated the delay. Permit me to state clearly that this piece is not inspired by any selfish motive to ingratiate myself with the promoter of the initiative. Far be from it! As a matter of fact, he doesn’t know me as a person, though we are joined by fate as members of the same ethnic nationality.

When the Monday Onyeme Foundation, MOF, a brainchild of the Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, announced its first scholarship award for students of Ukwuani ethnic nationality in August 2022 or thereabouts, not many watchers, including myself believed in its sustainability. The financial ability of the sponsor notwithstanding, the high mortality rate of older foundations spawned the disposition of doubters. Over the years, a large number of foundations established in the area and even beyond fizzled out after one or two seasons, almost the same way many pretenders to pastoral calling often left the evangelical scene, ostensibly due to persistent inclement economic weather.

I can still recollect my conversation with a Lagos-based friend and his expression of joy at the invitation of applications from students of tertiary institutions from the three local government areas, namely Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, and Ukwuani. When he visited Asaba at the weekend that the first aptitude test was conducted at Utagba-Ogbe Grammar School, Kwale, we elected to go together and observe the event at the venue. Then, it was so easy travelling out of Asaba in one’s car because of the affordable price of petrol. Doing so nowadays would entail huge opportunity cost, unless one is relatively financially enabled or an emerging member of the millionaires’ club!

At the venue, we beheld an atmosphere of excitement, optimism, and great expectations. Never ever have I seen a large number of youthful candidates fired by a desire to try their luck in a philanthropic competition powered by a single individual that benefitted indigenes of the 36 kingdoms and clans in the Ndokwa/Ukwuani axis. The highest we have had over the years was either restricted to a single community or a local government area at most, with the latter segment offered by few oil producing companies in their areas of operation.

Three years down the line, it’s pleasant to observe that the sustenance of the foundation’s vision is no longer in doubt but has been extended to Ika and Enuani zones, which, alongside Ukwuani speaking area, constitute Delta North Senatorial district. With Enuani having four council areas of Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Oshimili North, and Oshimili South, and Ika North-East and Ika South added to the three aforementioned local councils in the preceding paragraph, the MOF now covers nine out of the 25 Local government areas of Delta State.

The extension of beneficiaries with its increased financial burden on the initiator and sponsor, Sir Monday Onyeme, is a rare charitable initiative in this part of the country. In the living history of this senatorial district which dates back to the Second Republican era of 1979-1983, when the zone was christened Bendel East, no other personage, either living or dead, had ever rendered such volume of financial assistance to students in the university, polytechnic, and Colleges of Education in the nine local councils in a particular season.

What manner of philanthropist is this man? What’s he looking for? While undertones are routinely imputed to whatever a politician does in our clime, Onyeme’s action transcends political pigeonhole. After all, he is not nursing any conceivable ambition for now. He’s neither eyeing the senatorial seat in 2027 nor Delta State’s number-one position being occupied by his principal whom barring any human contrivances would govern till 2031. All things being equal, the putative governorship relay race would get to Delta North’s turn in 15 years, but then, he would be a septuagenarian, probably enfeebled by old age to throw his hat into the ring.

What can be gleaned from the philanthropic gesture is the keenness of an individual to do good and help in a selfless way to reduce the burden that students are facing in the present-day Nigeria. It’s unarguable that the pervasive economic hardship continues to inflict want and deprivation on undergraduates and other category of students. The fact that the scholarship award was increased from N100,000 to N200,000 for 553 successful candidates, with winners of the first, second, and third positions getting additional N200,000, N150,000 and N100,000 respectively, is a testament of his generosity.

The inclusive nature of the scholarship is worthy of commendation. That the MOF made it all comers affair rather than restrict it only to the category of the indigent and less privileged is gratifying. Without that my children would not have been availed of opportunity to participate in the programme. My daughter who’s currently at the Nigerian Law School Abuja won the first award, while my son, a final year student of Electrical & Electronics Engineering at Delta State University(DELSU), Abraka, has picked it back to back. Truth be told, a large number of Nigerians have become indigent and vulnerable in the light of the excruciating economic difficulty.

Looking at the total money to be disbursed in the region of N111,950,000, it’s a large sum despite the progressive devaluation of our national currency. Similarly, the N200,000 each beneficiary will get cannot be described as paltry in the life of a student. Raising such an amount is by no means easy, however. Assuming but not conceding that Onyeme may have received some financial assistance from people who identified with his vision, it takes some level of creativity to get the buy-in of Nigerians at a time like this. In this season of severe hunger exacerbated by financial powerlessness, not many would give out even the minutest fraction of their money.

All in all, Sir Monday Onyeme’s disclosure that he’s a product of charity struck me the most. Yes, as a product of charity he was uplifted by others, but he’s not the only product of charity with means either in Ukwuani area or across Delta North. His benevolence reflects a deep passion driven by altruism. What differentiates him is the way he exemplifies the application of philanthropy by relief and that of improvement in
driving the mission of his foundation. The foundation’s measure of compassion, its quest to ameliorate human suffering and commitment to helping the beneficiaries to maximize their potential make the difference.

Well, Onyeme may have inadvertently been influenced by the famous sermon “On Christian Charity” that John Winthrop delivered to his fellow Puritans while sailing to America in 1630. He had said inter alia: “Because we are knit together in the bond of brotherly affection, it appears plainly that no man is made more honourable than another or more wealthy etc., out of any particular and singular respect to himself, but for the glory of his creator and the common good of the creature, man.”

*Tony Eke, a journalist based in Asaba, Delta State capital, can be reached via tonek6819@gmail.com or on 08035504896(text only)