By Fidel Ozugha
With over 15 primary and eight secondary schools and one tertiary institution in Abagana, the Abagana United Brothers Association (AUBA) is firing on all cylinders to re-enact the glory of the town which has been anchored on education.
For the past ten years, the Abagana United Brothers Association (AUBA), a not-for-profit association of select Abagana indigenes resident in the United States of America, has been in the forefront clearing every financial obstacle on the way of education to any son or daughter of Abagana that wants to attain any height in tertiary education.
It is equally a non-political and equal opportunity union of like-minds. Due to their patriotic fervor, they think home and contribute to the betterment of their home land. Membership of this association is on voluntary basis after due approval by all current members and is restricted to adult males only. The uniqueness of AUBA is not just the spirit of camaraderie among members but the members are truly forthright in general, and the membership of has its privileges and objectives.
All the members are people with lucrative means of livelihood. They are well educated with rich knowledge of the life-saving benefits of education. Some of them attained their lofty education heights with untold hardships, blood chilling conditions, passing through ordeals that could discourage any person without a liver.
It is this desire to create smooth road for those behind them that they decided to avail as many Abagana students who may find it difficult to enroll or continue their higher education due to indigency the opportunity to graduate.
Academic scholarship is the niche. They stand as an assurance agency that will guaranty annual tuition to indigent but responsible, disciplined and intelligent young under graduates. Financial difficulty should not be debacle for any prospective or current student from completing his or her studies. The propelling force is not being billionaires, money bags but the burning urge to add positive and living values to the indigent ones that have the brain. Thus due to their limited resources, they are concentrate on Abagana indigenes meanwhile. This scholarship scheme may be expanded to other areas in Igbo land as soon as their resources improve. There is rich prospect to attain this lofty height sooner than later.
Charity begins at home but should not end there. The members contribute all the funds for
the operations and have held only one fund raising event in 2013 when the noble idea of this human capital development was birthed. Thanks to all the stakeholders that the supreme sacrifice. Since 2012, AUBA has awarded about 100 scholarships to young Abagana indigenes. Apart from the awards from the association, members are always enjoined to also award personal scholarships and mentorship to any deserving students of public tertiary institutions in Nigeria in any discipline.
AUBA members’ children and relatives are not qualified for consideration of the scheme. The process of choosing eligible ones is without malpractice of any sort. Candidates after filling the eligibility forms, are thoroughly screened and interviewed, subjected to pass through a process that will make a potential winner know the value what he or she asking for. The panelists are revered members of the society whose integrity and honesty are transparent. The scholarship lasts for one year after which one can reapply for continuation.
AUBA has no room for publicity stunts. All the activities are devoid of vain glorious mass publicity. As a good charity organisation, AUBA has this strong belief that helping a
brother or sister should not be an opportunity for media blitz or accolade – thus imbibing the biblical injunction that that the right hand should not know the left hand s doing when giving alms.
The recipients are always encouraged to strive to be the best in their choosing course of study and to remember to extend the sane charitable gestures to other less fortunate ones as soon as they can afford it. Reference is made before them to the book of Proverbs 19:17 which states that, “Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the Lord, and the
Lord will fully repay them.”
As a frugal organisation, functions are organized and held not in a rendezvous or five-star hotel but in any member’s house in Abagana. The scholarship recipients are always invited with their guardians or parents and friends of the AUBA are also welcome and entertained. The announcements for scholarships applications are out on every September. By every December, all applications are collated, screened, interviews conducted and scholarships awarded without funfair.
With an interview held on Saturday, 23rd December, 2023 in the country home of Okey Ukekwe, the award of the scholarship was held on Wednesday, 27th December, 2023 in the residence of Emmanuel Agwagom.
