Ibori's Otemu foundation takes scholarships to all nine Niger Delta states
- The Otemu Educational Foundation will now offer scholarships in all nine Niger Delta states, up from Delta alone.
- Forty-two new scholars in Cohort Beta were inducted at Western Delta University, Oghara, on Friday.
- Founder James Ibori said talent is everywhere but opportunity is not.
A scholarship scheme set up by former Delta State governor James Ibori is expanding from Delta State to all nine states of the Niger Delta, the Otemu Educational Foundation (OEF) announced on Friday.
The foundation said students from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers will now be able to benefit. It made the announcement at its second Beneficiary Induction Programme, held at the auditorium of Western Delta University in Oghara, Delta State.
At the event, 42 newly selected students under what the foundation calls Cohort Beta were formally inducted. According to the foundation, they were picked through a merit-driven process and have started their studies at Western Delta University under a full undergraduate scholarship.
Why it matters
University fees and living costs are a heavy burden for many families in the Niger Delta, and a full scholarship can decide whether a bright student finishes school or drops out. The foundation says the scheme also includes mentorship, leadership development and youth empowerment programmes.
Ibori, the foundation's founder and chairman, said the aim is to make sure money does not stop talented young people from getting a quality education.
"Talent is everywhere. Potential is everywhere. Ambition is everywhere. But opportunity is not," he said.
He said what began as support for students within Delta State was growing into "a platform for regional transformation", adding that talent has no geographical boundaries.
The ceremony also celebrated Cohort Alpha, the foundation's first set of scholars, many of whom have completed their first academic year with encouraging results. A commemorative artwork, The OEF Tree of Impact, was presented to Ibori; its 55 leaves represent the total number of scholars across both cohorts.
OEF Programme Coordinator Isioghene Eyikimi described the induction as a celebration of possibility and purpose.
"When potential is identified, nurtured, and supported, excellence becomes inevitable," she said.
The event was attended by management of Western Delta University, parents, foundation supporters, members of Friends of OEF and scholars from both cohorts.
What happens next
The foundation has not said when applications for the expanded scheme will open, how many students each state will get, or how much the programme will cost. For now, the 42 new scholars are already in class, and the foundation says it wants to build a wider pipeline of leaders for the region.
