Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa on Tuesday offered yet another scholarship to a first class law graduate from the state.
The scholarship was awarded to Miss Esther Amazige, who graduated with First Class at the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor had, earlier in the year, awarded scholarship to Miss Ebizi Eradiri after she bagged First Class at the Niger Delta University and the Nigerian Law School.
Diri announced Miss Amazige’s scholarship on Tuesday while receiving the law graduate along with the mother, Mrs Joy Amazige, in Government House, Yenagoa.
The governor, who assured her of his administration’s preparedness to sponsor her education up to doctorate level in any university of her choice within and outside the country, congratulated her for achieving the feat against all odds.
Diri saluted Amazige’s courage and resilience, pointing out that she was not deterred from achieving her dreams by her father’s death.
His words: “You have a lot of offers in the United Kingdom for your Masters degree. Let me, on behalf of the government, declare that your education, in or outside the country, would be sponsored by the state government even up to Ph.D level.
“I use this opportunity to advise our young ones not to be discouraged by the circumstances they find themselves.
“Esther lost her father while in secondary school. Nothing can stop you when you are determined to achieve your dreams.
“Let Esther be your role model. With all the daunting challenges she and her mother faced, she remained focused; today, we are celebrating her success.
“I urge the youths to learn from her success story,” he said.
He charged Miss Amazige to continue to be of good conduct and be an ambassador of the state and the country.
In his introductory remarks, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Biriyai Dambo (SAN), described Miss Amazige as an intelligent and promising young girl, who bagged First Class in 2018 but narrowly missed replicating it at the Nigeria Law School.
In her remarks, Miss Amazige expressed gratitude to the governor for the opportunity to advance her education, saying her academic success was in fulfillment of her determination to make her late father proud.
The scholar said that she already had five admission offers for a Masters programme abroad and promised to fly the flag of the state and the country high at all times.
In a related development, the governor also hosted three recipients of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Presidential Honours Award, who are Indigenes of the state.
The 2018/2019 presidential awardees are Dr Anointed Riches, Engr. Abbott Temple Olotu and Bodisere Isaac.
He appreciated the awardees for positively promoting the image of Bayelsa at their places of primary assignment during their service year.
The governor noted that their feat was proof that given the opportunity and right environment, the youths of the state could compete favourably with their peers anywhere in the world.
His words: “That is why we keep preaching that the youths of Bayelsa are not lazy. The youths of Bayelsa are brilliant and can compete with anybody anywhere. You have just proven that.”
While presenting the recipients, the Commissioner for Education, Mr Gentle Emelah, stated that two of them were graduates of the state-owned Niger Delta University, while the third graduated from the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro. (NAN)
