The Traditional Ruler of Opobo Kingdom, Dandeson Jaja, has advised the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, to ensure that his administration delivers a meaningful democracy dividend equitably to all parts of the state.

MrJaja gave the advice at the Opobo International Charity Day, ganised by the Opobo Foundation, USA, in collaboration with different clubs in Opobo Kingdom.

He said that spreading the dividend of democracy around the state would benefit the people of the state and society at large and endear him more to the citizens.

He urged the governor to hold God as his greatest guide in any difficulties that might come his way.

“We wish him well as the governor of the state as he pilots the affairs of the state,” the royal father said.

He commended the organisers of the event, saying that they had touched majorly the key important issues in human life, which include health and education.

He also thanked the group for the medical outreach, scholarship award to 10 indigent students of Opobo origin and donation of food items and cash to the community.

Mr Jaja advised the beneficiaries of the scholarship to make the most of the opportunity and ensure they finished tops in their studies.

In a speech, President of OFUSA, Prof. Iyalle Peterside, said that the foundation is a non-profit organisation with an aim to build the future and restore Opobo cultural heritage.

Mr Peterside said that the group offered scholarships to students in post-secondary education based on merit.

He said that the scholarship covered tuition, boarding fees and books to ensure that the students would have no reason to drop out of school.

He urged the parents of the beneficiaries to make sure that their children stayed out of trouble in school during the four years of the scholarship.

He gave assurance that the best graduating student would receive another scholarship for a postgraduate study.

Mr Peterside, a professor of paediatrics and paediatric surgery in the University of Pennsylvania, said that the available scholarship funds would run for 12 years non-stop, if judiciously managed.

Also, the Chief Executive Officer of Tap Africa Albino Foundation, Mr Jake Epelle, appealed that persons with disabilities should be included in the OFUSA scholarship scheme.

Mr Epelle, who is a member of the Specialist Examination Committee on Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, said that the foundation would ensure that the initiative to empower the indigent and persons with disabilities with cash gifts was sustained.

He urged organisations to create more awareness about the education of visually impaired persons.

He later made cash donations to 40 indigent elderly and persons with disabilities in the area.

The Director-General of Steering Group of Opobo/Nkoro International Charity Day, Dr Sofiri-Starson Peterside, said that the initiative, which also aims at reaching out to Opobo and non-Opobo indigenes, would run through the 14 sections of the communities in the kingdom.

Mr Peterside, a medical doctor with First Care Hospital, said that the health of the people of Opobo Kingdom was paramount if there would be development.

He called on corporate bodies to use the group platform in subsequent years to dispense their social responsibility to the kingdom.

A beneficiary of the scholarship scheme, Jaja Isaiah, thanked the group on behalf of other beneficiaries for the scholarship offered to them.

Mr Isaiah advised his colleagues to take their studies seriously and lead a disciplined life that could help them to take similar opportunities that might come their way in future.

The people received medical checks, including eye, malaria, sugar tests, dispensing of drugs, cash gifts, wrappers and clothing, rice, noodles and exercise books to students, amongst others.

(NAN)