A visually impaired widow and over 600 students from ESM University in the Benin Republic, along with their parents, have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to lift the ban on the institution’s certificate in Nigeria.
These distressed students, who are on scholarships from the faith-based organization Omega Power Ministries, along with their parents, reached out to their benefactor, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Friday.
They expressed their deep anguish, stating that the ban has caused them significant hardship.
The students and their parents, struggling to hold back tears, shared their shock upon hearing the Federal Government’s decision regarding ESM University.
The undergraduates emphasized that withdrawing them from school after making progress and after substantial investments from their benefactor would endanger their futures.
Mrs. Josephine Hycienth, one of the distraught parents and a visually impaired widow, recounted how the scholarship to study at the Benin Republic University had been a huge relief, especially after the difficulties she faced following her husband’s death.
She pleaded with President Bola Tinubu, saying, “Nobody has cared for us since my husband passed away. I want President Tinubu to help us. They shouldn’t cancel my son’s education. If he is forced to come back home, there will be no one to support his education.”
Moses Nicodemus, a 200-level Computer Science student at the university, explained that he had returned to Nigeria for his Industrial Training only to find out that his school was not accredited.
He appealed to the President for assistance, noting that their benefactor had spent millions on their education, and now their future is at stake.
Apostle Chinyere disclosed that before sending the students to ESM University, he personally visited the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja to verify the institution’s credibility and received positive confirmation.
He expressed his dismay at the current situation and urged the President’s wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to persuade her husband to reconsider the decision to abruptly halt the students’ education.
Chinyere highlighted his significant investment in the students’ academic development, noting that the funds came from church offerings and tithes, which he had dedicated to supporting the underprivileged.
He said, “Before starting this scholarship, I went to the Ministry of Education in Abuja to verify if ESM was accredited and if its graduates could participate in NYSC in Nigeria.
Everything was confirmed positively before I paid the first school fees. That assurance from the education ministry led me to send students on scholarships to the school in Benin Republic.”
He added, “I have many students on scholarships in Nigeria, so why send students to Benin and other countries? The issue is that the government’s policies have made education extremely challenging.
Every day, people come to my house seeking scholarships—less-privileged individuals, widows, orphans, etc.
Currently, I have over 4,000 students on scholarships. I’m not even counting those who have already graduated.”
“In the Benin Republic alone, I have spent over N500 million from church offerings and tithes.
Should all this money go to waste, and they have to start afresh? There are ways to assist these students by improving policies instead of adding more burdens.
Please, President Bola Tinubu, as a father, consider these parents and children. Reconsider and reverse this policy so they can return to school.
They are supposed to go back to school this September, and it is not feasible to start all over again with these funds. These are offerings and tithes meant to help people.”
