Dr. Judith Ogbara empowers women, offers tertiary education scholarship

The value of education and the importance of entrepreneurial development toward self-reliance and development were further stressed by Hon. (Dr.) Mrs. Judith Mayen Ogbara on Monday, August 5, at Ikot Okudom, Okon, Eket LGA, Akwa Ibom State, during the 2nd landmark edition of the Hon. (Dr.) Mrs. Judith Mayen Ogbara Empowerment Scheme.

Hon. (Dr.) Mrs. Judith Mayen Ogbara, an indigene of Ikot Okudom, Okon-Eket, Akwa Ibom State, is the chairperson of the Advisory Board for the Gender Education, Engagement, Empowerment, and Entrepreneurship Program (GEEEEP), an initiative in the office of the SSA to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Student Engagement.

She is the founder of AAE Foundation and has supported over 500 female students in Akwa Ibom State in the past seven years by sponsoring their WAEC and JAMB forms purchase. She has promoted the educational advancement of the girl-child in the country.

Dr. Judith Ogbara, in her speech at the event, empowered 50 women with small and medium-sized enterprises from Eket/Onna/Esit Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency with business grants. Educational start-up funds were disbursed to 10 female students who scored good grades in the recently concluded tertiary admission examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination Board (JAMB).

She admonished the grant and scholarship beneficiaries in Eket Federal Constituency to ensure proper utilization of the funds, adding that education is the only weapon used for the eradication of ignorance, poverty, and building of a wealthy society.

She recalled the effort of her parents and lauded them – Chief Lord U.D. Etuk and her late mother, Mrs. U.D. Etuk – for encouraging education by not only training her and her siblings but also paying school fees for many students.

“My father believed in education and its importance, and always opined that his trained children in education would be his insurance in his old age. My late mother was also my first teacher.”

On the reason for the empowerment of women and students, Dr. Judith Ogbara said she intends to emulate her father in paying school fees for people and also contribute to the development of small-scale businesses in the area.

“My father has educated many people in the community. I thought to myself that as he becomes older, someone needs to take up that mantle and make sure that it remains engraved in history.”

“The essence of today’s event is to identify with my people in my community of Ikot Ukodom, Okon Eket, and Eket Federal Constituency, having not resided in the state and married to a non-indigene of Akwa Ibom State.”

“A few months ago, Isaac Godwin, an NYSC member from Okon-Eket, approached me and beckoned on me to buy JAMB forms for indigene of the area. I inquired from him how they would be able to go to school if they could not buy JAMB forms. I sponsored the purchase of the forms and thereafter asked to know the number of successful candidates.”

“Ten of those I bought the forms for passed the examination. I will be taking up the responsibility of paying their fees from year one to year four because education brings progress to society,” she said.

She urged beneficiaries of the grants to ensure that the funds doled out are used judiciously, as doing so would make them financially independent.

The father of the donor, Chief Lord U.D. Etuk, commended his daughter, Judith, for the initiative and urged her not to relent in her efforts to help the less privileged in society, noting that education is very essential in one’s life.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Miss Blessing Emmanuel, who scored 311 in JAMB, commended Dr. Mrs. Judith Mayen Ogbara for her kind gesture and promised to reciprocate by pursuing their academic and entrepreneurial works with commitment and dedication.

Messages of goodwill were received from Akwa Ibom Representative on the Governing Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Apostle Abasiandikan Nkono, represented by his Personal Assistant on Political Affairs, Lady Comfort Ebongho, Eket LGA Vice Chairman, Hon. Deaconess Inyang Akpawan, Pastor Victor Edon, Barr. Ephraim Enembong, Peter Alex Edohoeket, Hon. Daniel Essien, Bishop Ette E. Ette, among other notable personalities that graced the occasion.

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