Providing succour to North-East children

Concerned by the plight of children in the North-East, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in 2016, gestated the North-East Children’s Trust (NECT) Learning Centre in Maiduguri, the Borno capital.

NECT, which became operational in 2018, was established with a view to providing educational and extensive-care support to no fewer than 10,000 children, orphaned or displaced by the Boko HaramInsurgency: Troops kill 6 Boko Haram, recover arms in Adamawa insurgency in the North-East.

By most accounts, the charity centre is creditably acquitting itself; thanks to the unwavering commitment of the initiator, students, teachers and board of the institution.

Osinbajo and his wife, Dolapo, recently graced the fifth anniversary celebration of the NECT in Abuja.

The vice president, just before cutting the anniversary cake, went down the memory lane and paid tributes to former governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima, for the role he played in setting up NECT.

“I want to start by saying that when in 2016, I visited Borno, it was in 2016 not 2018; 2018 was when the school was opened.

“It took about a year to build, but our first encounter was in 2016; and we started raising the funds in 2016 and March 2017, and spent almost a year getting the school built. 2018 was when the first children were taken into the school.

“But, I want to say that the then governor of Borno, Shettima and I visited a number of IDP camps when I visited Borno, and, both of us came to a conclusion that something has to be done.

“Of course, the Borno Government was already doing a lot of work; trying to accommodate the students; trying to build schools and all that.’’

Osinbajo said that the choice land where the school was built was allocated by Shettima.

According to him, Borno has been possibly one of the luckiest states in this country; just going by the leadership that the state has been having.

“Immediately after Shettima, comes Zulum; no state can be better after Zulum taking over from a dynamic predecessor, Shettima.

“I have been told that about 173 of the children are now in secondary school;  even the school, the buildings of the school, I was in Borno about three weeks ago or so and we went round and saw the school; we met these young men and women who are now in secondary school.

“I think ultimately, service to the people is what our being in government is about; if we are not able to serve the people with everything we have; with all our hearts, then, our role is really quite irrelevant; perhaps, unjustified.

“So, I want to really commend Zulum and of course, his predecessor for the great work they have done,’’ he said.

Osinbajo hailed the board and teachers of the centre for the excellent work they were doing in running the institution; directing policy; directing the plans and purposeful teaching.

“These teachers are a special bunch of people, very special, and I explained to them what we are trying to achieve.

“This is not an ordinary school; we are trying to achieve and develop a school that would be a world-class learning centre.

“I said to them, that what we want from you (teachers) is a generous spirit; we want you to love and care for these children; and the teachers have been incredible and absolutely wonderful; they have done such a great job with everything you see today.

“These ladies and gentlemen are the real heroes of the story of the learning centre; and in the past five years, they have contributed in every way by just being there night and day, ensuring that they love and care for the children.

“We now have a situation where the learning centre has become a model, a centre where young boys and girls, who have been traumatised in one way or the other, are now accommodated in a loving and caring environment.

“They are given the very best facilities in terms of education and care; and of course, vocational education and digital literacy,” he said.

Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Abubakar, who spoke, applauded Osinbajo for his commitment to education of the vulnerable children in the North-East.

Abubakar, who described NECT as an excellent initiative, lauded the vice president and every other person involved in the scheme.

“I will like to thank you, the vice president for your commitment and concern; pursuing such projects not only to start, but being maintained and even marking the fifth anniversary having taken off in April, 2018.

“I will like to thank the governor of Borno for your total commitment and selfless service to humanity.

“In the last three years, we have been seeing what you are doing; definitely, with your support, this project, NECT is gaining strength and strength; because it is very important for us as religious leaders, you know the importance of taking care of the orphans and the less privileged.

“We want to thank the initiators of this project; and all those who have had a hand, one way or the other to see this fifth anniversary of NECT becomes a success.

“It is an excellent initiative,’’ he said.

Sharing similar sentiments with the traditional ruler,  Zulum commended the vision of the vice president in establishing NECT in Borno.

According to him, Borno has about 39, 311 orphans; and a total of about 50, 000 widows.

“These are official figures; the unofficial figures are more than this; and therefore, establishing this learning centre, particularly in Maiduguri, will go a long way in reducing the number of out-of-school children in Borno.

“One very important aspect of this learning centre is that it is critical to development.

“In addition to providing intensive literacy and numeracy to the children, this school also offers strong technical and vocational education to the pupils; it offers strong digital literacy to the students.

“And I think, this is the type of education that we are looking for; because it will make the students to become self-reliant,’’ he said.

More so, Jim Ovia, the NECT Board Chairman, also commended the vice president for the initiative, saying that he felt honoured to join in ensuring that the project was successful.

Deserving no less attention, Dr Mariam Masha, the Executive Secretary of NECT, said that the commitment to deliver on the mandate remained very strong.

The event attracted the presence of governors, members of the Federal Executive Council, traditional rulers, members of the National Assembly, members of the diplomatic corps, among others.

It also featured cultural dance and showcase of talents in robotics, coding, computer programming, word puzzle, among others by students of the centre.

The vice president and his wife also joined the students on stage to solve word puzzle among others.

Perceptive observers say this laudable gesture is not only succeeding in assuaging the anguish of orphaned and displaced children in the North-East but in irradiating their future.