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Emotion, Joy As Benin IDP Camp Rolls Out First Class Graduates, Others

Published

2 years ago

September 16, 2023

Editor

… Coordinator Pleads To Govt, Nation Of The World To Invest On The Children

… Over 3,000 Displaced Children Domiciled In The Camp

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

It was a moment of emotion mixed with joy at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, Benin, as fresh graduates of university who have passed through the camp gave testimony one after the other on how Home for the Needy Foundation, operators of the IDP camp changed their lives

The graduates, of whom many bagged First Class in different universities were sponsored by Home for the Needy Foundation, and were majorly drawn from the northern part of Nigera.

INFO DAILY reports that 18 students who passed through the camp just graduated from different universities; over 80 students have graduated so far; over 200 undergraduates in different universities while over 150 students admissions are being processed.

INFO DAILY also reports that children under Home for the Needy Foundation care at the IDP camp are majorly children who were displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in the far northern Nigeria, mainly Borno, Adamawa states, etc.

In his testimony, a First Class graduate of Chemical Engineering, Amos Ishaku, said all hope was lost until he was brought to the camp where he was given new orientation and made to overcome trauma he was passing through as a result of the killings and shootings he experienced as a young boy.

Ishaku, who said he came to the IDP camp from Borno State in 2014 through connection from his former Headmaster, said he had initially dropped out of school due to Boko Haram’s incessant attacks on his community and school, adding that he never thought of going back to school if not for the foundation.

He said: “I never thought of going back to school after dropping out of school for good two years. I was hustling on my own; going to people’s farm to assist them then they pay me 200 per day.”

He continued: “I was so traumatized that all I see and think about was the deaths, gunshots we used to hear. But when I came here they started encouraging us to go back to school.”

He added: “I promised to make the Coordinator proud with all efforts he put on me. So, from my day one, I made up my mind that I must graduate with First Class, and today I graduated with First Class.”

Rifkatu Ali, a Second Class Upper graduate of Law who was said to have lost hope when she was brought to the camp, said with the orientation she got from the camp she was determined to make a difference in her education, adding that God helped her.

“When I got here we were assured of going back to school. I was told here to forget all that had happened, and that I can still make it again. So, I started school here in SS 1.

“Here, the kind of orientation we were giving is that we should not do malpractice in school during exams. We are to read our books and pass our SSCE. Because of the orientation I got here, I was determined to read and pass my exams.”

Also, Saminu Wakili, best graduating student of law in his set said: “I came here as ashes but something good is coming out of my life. I came here with a meaningless life, but today my life is meaningful. I came to Home for the Needy Foundation seeking for solace in January 2015.

“What they give us here is actually the best. They make here like a home for us. The things they provided for us here are guardian & counselling, ‘trauma-therapist,’ etc. They took away the major challenge of trauma from us and made us to focus on education.”

Speaking, Coordinator, Home for the Needy Foundation, Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, pleaded with government at levels in Nigera and nations of the world to join in investing in the lives of the children, adding that over 3,000 imates are currently being taken care of by the foundation.

He said: “Presently, we have over 3,000 inmates in the camp all pursuing their life styles in a manner that is within the ambit of the extant laws of the country. These imates depending on Home for the Needy Foundation for their daily feeding, shelter, education,primary health care and other welfare.”

He added: “So, we are here to also plead with Federal Government, state governments and nations around the world to please come and invest in this place. We are ready to do more if the resources are available. We change lives here. We want to take children from the streets and make them useful in the society.

“We don’t do anything that is contrary to the law here, we are just adding beauty to the nation.”

The Coordinator expressed optimism that with the kind of orientation given to the children, they would go into the society and put an end to many social vices bedeviling the country.

News

UPDATED: INEC Declares Soludo Winner Of Anambra Guber Poll

Published

7 hours ago

November 9, 2025

Editor

The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has been declared the winner of the Saturday, November 8, 2025, Anambra State governorship election by the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Edoba Omoregie.

Soludo, who polled a total of 422,664 votes, defeated his closest rival, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Nicholas Ukachukwu, who scored 99,445 votes, while the candidate of the Young Progressives Party, Sir Paul Chukwuma, came third with 37,753 votes.

According to INEC, a total of 16 candidates from various political parties participated in the election.

The state had 2,788,864 registered voters, out of which 598,229 were accredited. A total of 595,298 votes were cast, while 11,244 votes were rejected across the 21 local government areas.

From the results announced, Soludo of APGA won in all 21 local government areas of the state in a landslide victory.

Announcing the results at the INEC headquarters in Awka on Sunday, Omoregie said, “The number of registered voters was 2,788,864, while accredited voters were 598,229. The total valid votes stood at 584,054, rejected votes were 11,244, and the total votes cast amounted to 595,298.”

He added, “After collating the results as tallied into Form EC8E, it is now my privilege to declare the figures each candidate scored according to their political parties.

“There were a few areas affected by incidents, leading to cancellations in some wards across Anambra West, Anaocha, Awka South, and Onitsha South LGAs, amounting to 10,481 affected votes. However, the margin of lead between the top candidates did not affect the overall outcome of the election.

“I, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, Returning Officer for the 2025 Anambra State Governorship Election, hereby declare that the election was peaceful. Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, having scored 422,664 votes — the highest number of valid votes cast and having satisfied the requirements of the law — is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”

Breakdown of results:

Total registered voters: 2,788,864

Total accredited voters: 598,229

Total valid votes: 584,054

Rejected votes: 11,244

Total votes cast: 595,298

Votes by political parties:
A – 224
AA – 1,145
AAC – 292
ADC – 8,208
APC – 99,445
APGA – 422,664
APM – 892
APP – 73
BP – 126
LP – 10,576
NNPP – 525
NRM – 36
PDP – 1,401
SDP – 241
YPP – 37,753
ZLP – 453

News

BREAKING: Soludo Sweeps Anambra Guber Election

Published

10 hours ago

November 9, 2025

Editor

The candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Anambra governorship election, Prof. Charles Soludo has been declared winner of the poll.

Returning Officer of the election, Prof. Edoba declared Soludo winner having polled
422,664 votes to defeat his closest opponent.

More details coming

News

AnambraDecides: CTA Frowns at Logistic Challenge, Ill-treatment Meted On Security Personnel

Published

11 hours ago

November 9, 2025

Editor

The Center for Transparency and Advocacy on Saturday frowned at the logistic challenges faced during the Anambra governorship election despite INEC claimed preparedness.

The organisation also chided authorities concerned over ill- treatment meted on security personnel who were deployed from different on special special duty during the election.

In an mid-election briefing in Awka, Prof Alex Asigbo, an expert observer with the CTA said the election was held in a relatively atmosphere of peace, amidst heavy deployment of security personnel.

Asigbo, who emphasized the need for INEC to carry out more voters education, disclosed that it was observed that while voting was ongoing, a church programme was being held in a part of Akwa.

He said, “The Anambra State Gubernatorial Election, one of the off-season elections in today’s Nigeria’s electoral calendar held across 21 Local Governments on the 8th November 2025.

“The election held as scheduled in a relatively peaceful atmosphere, amid heavy deployment of police and other security agencies. We had noted the general climate of peace in the build up to the elections. CTA deployed 50 trained election observers across the 21 local government areas to observe the election.

“Recall that in our pre-election assessment, we raised concerns on the preparedness of INEC, logistics, security, and the role of political actors in delivering a free, fair, credible, inclusive and conclusive elections.The following are the preliminary findings from our field observers deployed across the state: Time of arrival of INEC Officials and materials/ Commencement of voting

“Reports from our field observers indicate that INEC officials and materials arrived late in many polling units, resulting in late opening of polls in many polling units. In about 68 percent of polling units, INEC officials and material arrived between 8:25 to 9am, while in about 31 percent of the polling units, voting commenced much later – between 8:30 and 10:00am.CTA notes that INEC is yet to resolve its logistics challenge, as earlier highlighted in our pre-election press briefing.”

He said that despite assurances from the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), CTA observers reported that logistics arrangements, including vehicles deployment, were inadequate, adding that In some instances, hired vehicles for the election refused to pick up other INEC officials to polling units after making their initial drop-off, which further contributed to delays.

Continuing, he said.
“Our observers report that due to security reasons, INEC was forced to relocate voting in five communities of Azia, Orsumoghu, Mbosi, Ubuluisiuzo, Issekke and Lilu to the headquarters of Ihiala LGA . Voter Turnout/ Conduct of Voters Voter turnout was generally low. Many have been influenced by voter apathy, security concerns, and doubts about the credibility of the electoral process. Some of the citizens showed lack of interest in the election, one of such experience was at Demonstration Primary School at Agu Awka in Awka South where our observers reported a Church programme going on simultaneously with voting.

“We charged citizens to take civic duty very serious. INEC and Political parties must also take civil and voter education very serious to educate citizens. However, CTA commends the citizens for conducting themselves peacefully and in accordance with voting guidelines. “