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BREAKING: Goodies for Anambra ‘wonder girl’ *Gets full foreign scholarship, cash, as Ubah steps in
Fortunes have finally smiled on Ifebube Chelsea Benson, who was decorated by the National Examination Council, in November last year, for coming tops, as overall best in the 2023 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE), as she has now been offered the opportunity to study in any university of her choice free.
In addition, a cash award of more than N2million was also given to the young girl, who is presently a medical student at the University of Abuja, all courtesy of Ifeanyi Ubah, Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, in the National Assembly, the constituency where she hails from.
A palpably elated Ubah, announced the awards when he received Benson, and her parents in his office at the National Assembly on Monday, showering praises on her for the rare feat and her parents for their diligence in instilling the spirit of hard work and resilience in their daughter, adding that his contribution was to ensure that the young girl, achieved her dreams of getting the best of education, which would not only benefit the entire society but particularly, his constituency.
Ifebube, 18, a South African-born indigene of Ndikelionwu in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra state, who had put Anambra State on the glorious part once again by emerging OVERALL BEST FEMALE CANDIDATE in the examinatio with nine distinctions, including Mathematics, English language, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and three others, was first honoured in November last year in an elaborate ceremony at the NECO headquarters in Niger State.
Ubah, who was thrilled that such brilliant girl hailed from his Senatorial District, congratulated her and offered her a cash gift and a scholarship to pursue her dream of becoming a big scientist and a medical doctor abroad, while further appreciating her for her diligence, urged her to remain focused.
Suleiman Adegote, Chairman, Staff Productivity Award Committee, signed the letter, dated November 4, 2023, inviting the parents to the award ceremony where the girl would be decorated with a national award at Justice Legbo Kutigi Conference Centre, Minna, Niger State on December 6, 2023.
The letter read in full: “I hope this letter finds you and your loved ones in good health. I write on behalf of the Registrar/Chief Executive, National Examinations Council (NECO) to give you a formal invitation to receive an Award of Excellence for emerging as the Overall Best Female Candidate National in 2023 Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) Internal. Kindly accept our humble invitation to grace the ceremony with your physical presence. Congratulations.”
Ifebube, whose name translates, “beautiful thing to glamourise,” came back to Nigeria in 2022 to complete her secondary education at the Renaissance Garden Secondary School, Ago-Okota, Lagos, from where she took the NECO examination, to create the feat, which is coming alongside other beautiful stories of academic excellence by indigenes of Anambra State, nationally and internationally.
At the brief ceremony, Ben Benson-Okoli, father, accompanied by the wife Chinny, while hailing Ubah for honouring their daughter, also thanked Ifeanyi Nwankwo (Oloma Igbo) for facilitating the event and prayed for more grace and wisdom upon the Senator, his family and staff.
Also present at the event were Chigozie Gerald Udogu, Chief of Staff and Senior Legislative Aide to the Senator, and the Director-General of Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation, Chief Vin Onyeka.
Hours after Mohammed Hayatu-Deen did, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on Tuesday, also flatly rejected the outcome of the presidential primaries, of the African Democratic Congress, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, described the announced results as “concocted,” insisting that the process failed to meet the standards of transparency and fairness earlier promised by the party.
He said in a statement: “I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated.
He said he had previously maintained that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent, stressing that the exercise did not reflect the democratic values the ADC claimed to represent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that a significant number of party members were denied the opportunity to vote during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Rivers State governor questioned the moral basis of the ADC criticising the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over alleged electoral malpractice while allegedly engaging in similar conduct internally.
“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices that leads to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable!” he declared.
Amaechi said the ADC was envisioned as a platform to amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians and provide credible political alternatives irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social background.
His rejection of the outcome is expected to deepen tensions within the opposition party following the conclusion of its presidential primary election.
“These timeless virtues of devotion, selflessness, and submission to divine will are values our nation desperately needs today,” were the exact words with which Godswill Akpabio, attempted to rouse Nigerians to the ethos of unquestionable faith and service to the country.
Akpabio, Chairman of the National Assembly, who drew example from Prophet Ibrahim, admonished Nigerians to emulate his unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
The Senate President, who conveyed his sentiments via a statement by Eseme Eyiboh, also used the specifically hail President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Kashim Shettima and Muslim faithful in Nigeria and around the world as they celebrate Eid El Kabir.
Stressing that the occasion called for prayer and sober reflection on the theme of sacrifice, he added: “This sacred occasion reminds us of Prophet Ibrahim’s unwavering faith, obedience, and willingness to sacrifice for the sake of Almighty Allah.
“To our dear President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his vice, Senator Kashim Shettima and Muslim brothers and sisters, I felicitate with them on behalf of my family, constituents and the Senate on this blessed Eid. May the lessons of sacrifice, compassion, and generosity that define this season strengthen your faith and bring peace to your homes.
“As you share with the less privileged and extend love to neighbours of all faiths, you embody the true spirit of Nigeria. To all Nigerians, I urge us to use this solemn period to pray fervently for peace, security, and prosperity in our land. Let us pray for our troops in the frontlines, for farmers to return safely to their fields, and for unity to prevail over division in our Nation.
“Eid El Kabir also calls us to deep reflection on the future of our country. Just as Prophet Ibrahim was tested, Nigeria is in a season of testing. The sacrifices we make today in patience, in tolerance and in choosing hope over despair will determine the Nigeria our children inherit.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda of this administration, supported by the National Assembly, is anchored on that same principle: that meaningful progress often requires collective sacrifice.
“May Almighty Allah accept your prayers and sacrifices. May He heal our land, guide our leaders, and bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Barka da Sallah. Eid Mubarak.”
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps.”
These were the exact words of Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, one of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with which he cast a slur on the ongoing presidential primaries of the party, hinging his position on reports of fraud trailing the exercise.
Hayatu-Deen, a second timer in the search for the nation’s number one job, ran against Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former Vice President and Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation.
In a statement on his assessment of the exercise which began on Monday, the renowned economist Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), used his X platform to convey his dissatisfaction with the process.
The ADC which said the collation for the exercise would take place in Abuja had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
Bolaji Abdullahi, its spokesman, who described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative, maintained that it remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” he said adding that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
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