IDPs need sponsors to achieve educational dreams – Pastor Folorunsho

The management of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Uhogua, near Benin, on Thursday appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to help some IDPs achieve their educational dreams by sponsoring them.

Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, Coordinator of the camp, made the appeal in an interview with our correspondent.

Folorunsho said that the appeal became necessary following the large number of IDPs in tertiary institutions, currently sponsored by the camp management.

He explained that the IDPs were in various stages of their primary and secondary educations before insecurity forced them out of their ancestral homes and they sought refuge in the camp.

He said that in view of this, the camp could not just fold its hands and allow their educational dreams and ambition to die.

“We know the value of education, and we saw how traumatized they were when they got here.

“Several of them felt that all hope was lost, but then we realised that more than 90 per cent of them were students in various stages of primary and secondary schools.

“So to rekindle their hope, give them a sense of belonging and ensure that they are useful to themselves and the society in future, we decided they must continue with their educational dreams and pursuit even while here.

“And this is because, we know that the importance of education cannot be over-emphasised, and to the glory of God, they have been doing us very proud in the various external examinations they take,” he said.

Folorunsho disclosed that 148 IDPs in the camp sat for the recently-concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

He said that of the figure, two scored above 300, while 22 scored between 287 and 250, and 54 between 248 and 200.

He added that while others scored between 199 and 159, four, however, didn’t get their results.

According to him, “you can see why we are appealing for sponsorship for some of our IDPs. This is a large number, even though we know that not all of them will get admission to tertiary institutions.

“Already, we have 158 in various tertiary institutions, and when some of these ones are admitted, the number will further increase, yet we are resolute to ensure that they achieve their educational dreams.

“That is why we are appealing to well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organisations like MTN, Guinness Nigeria, Coca Cola, the Elumelu Foundation, the TY Danjuma Foundation, and Multinational Companies to help us give these IDPs a place of pride through education,” Folorunsho pleaded.