By Mohammed Isma’il
No fewer than 500 students and women drawn from Dodore community of Bako ward in Yola South local government of Adamawa State were given scholarship and empowerment packages by the organizing secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, Mustapha Atiku Ribadu.
According to Ribadu, the gesture was made to commemorate his 45th birthday anniversary.
Speaking during the event in Yola on Saturday, Ribadu noted that the gesture marks the beginning of a solid empowerment drive which he envisaged to spread to all nooks and crannies of the state.
“This gesture is a move to give back to the community that has been so magnanimous to me. Although I’m beginning this journey from my immediate community, it is a gesture that is intended to cover every community of our dear state.
“Today I’m marking my 45 birthday and I decided to celebrate with my people especially the community of Dodore in Bako ward in Yola South.
“I will soon launch a scholarship program that will cover the whole state coming from academic background myself. I wish to live long to extend it from Bako ward to Yola South and to the whole state,” he said.
Ribadu noted that although the N20,000 package to each beneficiary is not huge, he expressed optimism that it will go a long way in helping the students and women considering the hardship people are going through.
“I believe this intervention will go a long way in alleviating the suffering especially considering the hardship in the land. A journey of one million miles begins with one step. We have already begun the journey. I also intend to commence giving scholarships to exceptionally brilliant students so as to give them a helping hand,” he said.
Appreciating the gesture, the chairman of APC in Yola South local government, Ahmadu Bingel thanked Ribadu for the gesture noting that it will go a long way in bringing succor to the beneficiaries.
He particularly lauded the role being played by the Ribadu family in helping humanity across all sectors of human endeavor adding that the family has carved a niche for itself in promoting the cause of education.
He particularly lauded the role being played by Malam Nuhu Ribadu Nigeria’s National Security Advisor (NSA) in promoting the well being of all Adamawa people.
Also speaking, the secretary of the party in the local government, Aliyu Buba thanked Ribadu for the olive branch extended to indigent students and women.
He said the gesture will go a long way in providing succor to the beneficiaries and will substantially alleviate poverty in the area. He also thanked the NSA for the various laudable strides aimed at helping the people of Adamawa State.
A beneficiary, Isa Tukur applauded the gesture saying that it will go a long way in aiding his studies thanking Ribadu for the wisdom and foresight.