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Beneficiaries of King Amachree XI Scholarship Scheme feted in grand style; T.J.T Princewill reiterates commitment to "A positively Designed Legacy"
Written by Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze Tuesday, 28 June 2011
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It was a celebration galore, exhibition of excellence and demonstration of
total commitment to education aspirations of future leaders as 94 Rivers
State indigenes from the 23 Local Government Areas of the State, selected
after a vigorous screening exercise and examination gathered at the ancient
city of Buguma on Saturday 25th June, 2011 as beneficiaries of the 2nd
edition of King Amachree xi Scholarship Scheme (KAXISS) under the
supervision of King Prof T.J.T. Princewill the Amachree xi, Amanyanabo of
the Kalabari Kingdom and the Chairman of the Rivers State Traditional
Council of Royal Fathers.
In her welcome address at the event, Lady Mina Omunguye, Project Coordinator
of the Scholarship Scheme, stated that through the KAXISS, the Amanyanabo of
Kalabari Kingdom, HM King (Prof.) T.J.T. Princewill, Amachree XI –also a
renowned Academician- is committed to encouraging capacity building in the
youth of the State by assisting them in the bid to actualize their dreams.
According to her, the scholarship is not tied to any bond because the
Amanyanabo considers it an initiative very close to his heart, having
witnessed what financial deprivation could do to disadvantaged students
during his academic career. It is with this burden in mind according to Lady
Omunguye, that his coronation speech contained a commitment to embark on
this initiative which finally berthed at the first edition held in 2003/2004
with 50 beneficiaries. In her speech, the Project Coordinator stated that
the hiatus between the 1st edition and the 2nd editions were as a result of
socio-political events that had plagued the polity nonetheless the 2nd
edition in her words “marked the resurgence of an initiative that the Board
of Trustees are very confident has come to stay”.
The event was chaired by HM King Prof. T. J.T. Princewill Amachree XI
Amanayanabo of Kalabari who in the company of his Council of Chiefs formally
presented the scheme for the year 2010/2011. In his remarks he expressed
delight that the scheme –he fondly referred to as a Legacy-, had been
revitalised, he further took attendees at the occasion down memory lane as
he gave a background of the birth of the initiative, its first edition and
sadly the years in between when it had to be suspended. He specially
commended his son Prince Tonye Princewill and his Company, Riverdrill Group
for stepping in to give the scheme a lifeline ensuring its continued
sustainability and which also raised the number of beneficiaries from the 50
of the first edition to 94 for this 2nd edition. He stated that with his
years in the Academia, he knows without a doubt the premium on education and
the greatest legacy one can bestow on a child is the opportunity to have
access to a sound one.
He used the occasion to also commend Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, Executive
Governor of Rivers State for declaring a state of emergency in Education on
assumption of office and taking all necessary steps to ensure that the
public school system is revitalised in the state. He concluded his speech by
charging the beneficiaries to be good Ambassadors of the scheme by ensuring
that they utilise the opportunity of the scholarship by studying hard and
having good grades in their various schools”.
Also speaking at the event the sponsors of the scholarship Scheme the Prince
Tonye Princewill owned Riverdrill Group through its Representative, Chief
Emmanuel Horsfall, reiterated Princewill’s resolve and commitment towards
ensuring the sustainability of the scheme. According to Horsfall,
Princewill’s support for the scheme is not solely because it’s a response to
a pledge his father made at his coronation, but also because he has a
passion for doing whatever little he can for the less privileged amongst us
especially in the area of education which he considers the bedrock of
socio-economic empowerment of a people. Princewill who also serves as Grand
Patron of Melody Shelters, an Adonijah Iworiwa orphanage initiative; is at
the forefront of using the Riverdrill Group as a model of Corporate Social
Responsibility. Prince Tonye Princewill regretted his absence in this
epochal event which was a result of his selection as a member of the Panel
of Judges that decided the selection of the 2011 Most Beautiful Girl in
Nigeria by the Silver Bird Group on the same date this event took place.
The Amanyanabo later presented cheques for this year’s scheme to the Project
Coordinator for distribution to the beneficiaries. Mr. Tom George and Miss.
Iboroma Tubotein Boma collected the cheque on behalf of all the
beneficiaries while letters of award was presented individually to
beneficiaries by the members of the council of chiefs. Responding on behalf
of the beneficiaries, Mr Tom George expressed delight at what he described
as “a gesture of kindness towards the less privileged in the society,
especially since he never believed that people are only “”kind to their
kind”. He commended the Riverdrill Group for spearheading the rebirth of the
scheme promising that him and the other beneficiaries would be worthy
Ambassadors of the scheme at their various institutions and would not give
anyone reason to rue their selection in what he described as a “keenly
competitive screening process”.
In the closing remarks a renowned chief of an old stool in the Kalabari
kingdom and a retiree of SPDC, Chief Anthony Jacob Horsfall, Oruadiri I,
commended the King and prayed that Sponsors of the scholarship scheme be
divinely empowered to continue. He also prayed that the students excel and
to all other attendees present to support the scholarship scheme, he asked
for God’s Mercies even as he offered Thanks to God Almighty the “Alpha and
Omega”.
This year’s cash prize is N5, 100,000.00 (five million one hundred thousand
Naira only) with postgraduates and undergraduates earning the sum of N100,
000.00 & N50, 000.00 respectively.
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