PHOTOS/STORY: Akpodiete Foundation Grants Scholarship to 18 Law Students
Brenda and Prof Alex Akpodiete present scholarship award to one of the beneficiaries
Eighteen students studying Law at the University of Benin, Benin-City, Edo State and Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State were granted scholarship worth N100, 000 each by Akpodiete Foundation.
The recipients were award the scholarship during the launch of the Foundation held at the Ruth Iwe Hall, Ughelli, Sunday, April 14. 2013.
In his welcome address, Mr Odafe Akpodiete, the eldest son of late Chief Barr. (Dr) Ekuogbe Akpodiete, described his late father as a man who led a fulfilled life. “He did wonderfully wonderful” he said and expressed thanks to all that contributed to the success of the event.
Akpodiete's children by the grave side of their father
“The evil that men do live after them the good is often interred with the bone” Chief Peter Wanogh, and Ughelli base private legal practitioner who was the guest of honour of the occasion recalled the Shakespearan quote as he paid glowing tributes to the late Chief Barr Ekuogbe Akpodiete in a key note address.
“The evil that men do live after them the good is often interred with the bone” Chief Peter Wanogho, an Ughelli based private legal practitioner who was the guest of honour of the occasion recalled the Shakespearan quote as he paid glowing tributes to the late Chief Barr Ekuogbe Akpodiete..
He recalled that celebrated Chief Akpodiete was called to the Nigerian Bar in January 1966 and remained in active private legal practice till his demise on April 9, 1995.
“In his practice of the noblest of all noble professions, the legal profession, Chief Ekuogbe Akpodiete radiated, exhumed, manifested, relished in and cherished the principle of justice, equity, fairness, rule of law and democratic culture.
Chief Akpodiete's family cutting the Foundation launch and remembrance cake
“In his doctorate degree thesis, Chief Akpodiete opined: ‘The law is a guardian of our collective and individual rights and privileges. In a democratic society, it is only the strict adherence to the norms and ethics of the legal profession by the lawyers and Judges themselves , that those in whose care we have consigned the protection of our liberties, will always be in a position to protect society from the schemes, caprices and nefarious contrivance of the criminal and the authoritarian personality.”
Late Chief (Dr) Ekuogbe Akpodiete
A line up of the children, grand children and great grand children of late Chief Akpodiete are Odafe Ekuo Akpodiete (who reared the rank as the eldest and lit the first candle in commemoration of 18 years of the demise of their father), Charles Orotemu Akpodiete, Anna Etasamidheri Omotekoro, Emuobonuvie Jacqline Akpodiete, Eni Akpodiete, Onoyoseme Akpodiete, Omeakpo Brenda Ada Akpodiete, Elohor Helen Akpodiete, Atavwa Alexander Osundu Akpodiete, Efe Akpodiete and Patience Akpodiete.
Others were: Agboka Akpodiete, Osia Ejiro Akpodiete, Abudu Akpodiete, Mudo Akpodiete, Ohworode Akpodiete, Eseoghene Akpodiete, Owhoesiri Akpodiete, Oghenevwogaga Akpodiete, Aduviekeya Akpodiete, Christmas Akpodiete, Omotuvie Akpodiete, Ayerode Akpodiete, Erufuare Akpodiete, August Ekuogbe Akpodiete and Ewuewu Akpodiete.
Sadly, the following names were announced as deceased: Igho Akpodiete, Idolor Julie Akpodiete, Odiete Akpodiete, Diejemre Akpodiete, Adetaye Akpodiete and Owese Violet Akpodiete.
Late Chief (Dr) Akodiete's daughter, Brenda, Judith and Jennifer celebrating
In separate interviews a sampled number of the children were asked to comment on how they would be grateful to their late father and on how they hoped to make the late Chief Barr Ekuo Akpodiete proud.
Professor Atavwa Alexander Osundu Akpodiete who teaches Law in the United States said he wished to follow the legacy laid down by his late father and to try to go beyond what his late father did. As the fourth child of the late Chief Barr Ekuo Akpodiete, he said he will continue to make his late father proud by excelling as a Professor of Law and make the name of the family proud as he is the only member of the family in the Unites State who teaches law.
Umudo Akpodiete, an Economist based in Lagos missed his late father saying, “if Papa were alive this gathering would have been different. But I am so happy because this event brought so many of us (siblings) together after many years of separation. I am so full of exasperation, I am so happy.”
In attempting to answer the question on how to make their late father proud, he said that was the reason why the children have come up with the idea of the Ekuo Akpodiete Foundation to help the needy and the less privilege. “My father used to help the needy and to make him proud we will join the charity work that is what he would have done if he were alive”.
Mrs Efe Akpodiete-Minabowan, an Educational Administrator with the Federal Government College, Benin City said her late father never relented on telling his children the importance of education as the only inheritance from him. “So, I am grateful to him because he encouraged me to be educated and made me to be what I am today. He used to tell us to be morally upright and never to drag his name to the mud. So, I will make him proud by trying to keep the legacies he left behind. He once told us to always struggle to be what we want to be”.
For Odafe Akpodiete, his late father taught him to be disciplined in life, to be self reliant and “in 1957 I started using a Parker Pen and when I lost it I was disciplined. I cannot be grateful enough for him. Right now, my daughter is already six years old in the Bar”. In pouring further encomiums on the late Chief Barr Ekuo Akpodiete he said, “my father was a very nice man, very generous.”
Revd Dr Owhorode Akpodiete, an Agbarho based cleric said he remained so grateful to his father for the discipline he instilled in him. “I remember for his understanding, his help to the needy, the poor and every body. He never marginalized; and he took the education of his children very serious. The few times I stayed with him I thought he was a wicked man I never knew he was building me up. Today we thank God for him after 18 years of his death. To the glory of God whenever I preach or counsel, I always refer to my father as the source of my success in life.”
The major financier of the Foundation and the red carpet event, Omeakpo Brenda An Akpodiete, a Washington D.C. based Staff Nurse told this reporter that she was prompted to initiate the Foundation by the Holy Spirit. She is a member of the Elohim Ministries, Washington D.C.
She plans to sustain the Foundation by soliciting grants from local and international Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as friends and well wishers to enable the Foundation render help to the needy and poor.
For now, the scope of beneficiaries of the Foundation will be limited to Ughelli home town of the late Chief Barr Ekuo Akpodiete, but hopes to make it global in due course “because the Bible says charity begins at home” she said.
Highlight of the occasion was a raffle draw during which two kids won a set of sitting room chairs and table and their parents were called to collect the items along with several gifts that marveled those who attended the occasion.
A roll call of the awardees showed: Elohor Deborah Atete, Ebakivie Stanley, Aghogho Efebomo, Igbighogho Ese Ernest, Favour Efeoghenemaro Emonefe, Kennedy Mudiaga Ovuakporae, Kenneth Obawhare Enkpoya, Oghenekevwe Osiwo Obufukoro and Godwin Oruese.
Others are: Eddie Odiri Endurance, Lucky Erhieyovwen Asnuvwie, Odima Oghenekevwe Akpobome, Oghenefejiro Umukoro, Etatuvie Emmanuel. Ekutu Joshua Kesiena, Petr Ogagaoghene Ekavwo and Akpevweoghene Jane Agah.
