By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
The Chief Executive Officer of POOF Foundation, Prince Oghenerukevwe Okifo, has presented educational materials to public primary and secondary schools in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The items presented to the students of the benefitting schools to cushion the burden of education on parents include branded notebooks, biros, pencils and erasers.
This was as the foundation also presented solar lights to Ughelli Area Command and Ughelli A division to light the police environment and installed street lights at Low-Cost Estate, Ughelli.
The POOF Foundation promised to continue its philanthropic gesture and ensure that the education of youths is a priority.
Schools visited during the exercise are, Osuovwa Primary School, Oghara-Agbarha, Efe Primary School Orogun, Mariere Primary School, Mukoro Mowoe Primary School Evwreni, Agbarha-Otor Primary School Agbarha and Owhowha Primary School, Otogor respectively.
Speaking to newsmen during the presentation, Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Prince Oghenerukevwe Okifo said, “We are motivated to be doing this because it is something that I was born with and to also let the younger ones know that school is never a scam as it has been speculated by some persons.
“I feel if I don’t do it, I owe the people a responsibility and that is why I would always put in every effort in anything that concerns humanity to ensure that I contribute my quota.
“The name, foundation is something you must make up your mind towards before running it, it is not enough to say I own a foundation without showing anything towards humanity and the less privileged.
“Today I am bold and glad to say am a graduate of Auchi Polytechnic and Ajayi Crowther and for anyone saying that school is a scam, such person should have a rethink.
“School is never a scam, but real and I will advise our youths out there to go for education and acquire knowledge and the knowledge acquired is not lost but very useful.
“I want to state here that, our or my intention as a foundation distributing these items is not politically motivated. My intention of distributing these items is out of politics.”
On his part, Hon Desmond Okpako Duke said, “We of the POOF foundation, believed in giving back and rendering services to society and uplifting lives.
“The POOF foundation does not wait for government funding before reaching out to the people, rather we operate from our hard-earned resources and we are cut across the 36 states of Nigeria.”
Receiving the educational materials, the Head Teachers of the schools commended the kind gesture of the foundation for remembering and giving back to their schools
They said, “Times are hard, the economy is not favourable at this moment and for a foundation to notice that and come to distribute these materials, we are grateful
Some of our wards are yet to resume school because there is no money to buy books for them by their parents and with, the children are happy just as we are.
In a related development, the foundation presented solar security lights to Ughelli Area Command and Ughelli A division to light up the police environment and installed street lights at 3rd Low Cost, Ughelli.
Presenting the donated items with cash, Prince Oghenerukevwe Okifo said, “We saw that when there is no electricity, the entire Command and Division are always in total darkness and that could be a threat of infiltration by suspected hoodlums, hence we donated and present these solar lights to the police community.
The donated items were received by the Divisional Police Officer of Ughelli ‘A’ Division, CSP Sadiq Mana while the Supol Badawusi Margaret and Supol Greg Ulifo received the solar security lights on behalf of the Ughelli Area Commander, ACP Ademola Adebayo.
The NGO during the exercise secured admission for three less privileged children between the ages of 8,10 and 12 years at Ogele Primary School Ughelli.
On the entourage during the exercise were, the CEO of POF foundation, Amb. Prince Oghenerukevwe Okifo, Mrs Amb. Mariam Okifo, General Uba Esiri Darlington, Prince Famous Amrophe, Abodo Festus, Chief Israel, Mrs Precious Okifo, Perpetual Okifo, Jane, Solomon, Bernard, Hon.Desmond Okpako Duke amongst others.
