Commissioner Solomon Azi donates educational materials worth millions to over 2,000 students in Ebonyi State, aiming to support literacy and ease parents’ burden.
More than 2,000 secondary-school students across eleven villages in Okoffia community, Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, have received free educational materials from philanthropist and state commissioner Solomon Azi.
The donation, valued at several million naira, included notebooks, textbooks, and other school supplies. Azi said the initiative was designed to enhance literacy and ease the financial strain on parents struggling to provide basic learning materials for their children.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Azi called on public and private stakeholders to invest in education as a foundation for a progressive society. “Education, both formal and informal, remains the most powerful tool for building a better Ebonyi State and Nigeria at large,” he said.
Azi explained that the program, which began years before his appointment as commissioner, was inspired by a young girl’s simple request for exercise books. “She told me she could attend classes and excel if only she had writing materials,” he recalled. “That encounter changed my perspective. I started providing books for a few children, and it has now grown to cover all eleven villages of my community.”
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The philanthropist reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining the yearly initiative, adding that he plans to expand it to include laptops, school bags, and sandals. He said the effort aligns with Governor Francis Nwifuru’s “charter of needs” policy in education, which emphasizes grassroots empowerment and literacy development.
Acknowledging the gesture, Livinus Ezeuwa, Secretary of the Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), commended Azi for his continued investment in rural education. “Government alone cannot meet all development needs,” Ezeuwa said. “When individuals like Azi contribute their quota, progress becomes faster and more meaningful.”
Among the jubilant beneficiaries were Awoke Pepertua, Sampson Nweke, Joshua Elom, and Immaculate Chukwu, who expressed gratitude for the donation. They pledged to study hard and make productive use of the materials provided.
The annual book distribution, now a tradition in Okoffia, stands as a model of how personal initiatives can complement government efforts to promote education and reduce inequality in Nigeria’s rural communities.