By Nkechinyere Ewa, Abakaliki
To boost education and youth development in Ebonyi State, no fewer than 250 students from Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone have benefited from scholarship awards sponsored by the Mbam Stanley Labechi (MSL) Foundation.
The foundation also pays the 2025/2026 West African Secondary School Examination fees to students from the Ebonyi North district.
The scholarship award ceremony and payment of WAEC fees, held in Abakaliki, drew beneficiaries from Ebonyi, Izzi, Abakaliki and Ohaukwu Local Government Areas, as well as government officials, academics, community leaders and parents.
Founder of the foundation, Stanley Lebechi Mbam, said the initiative was born out of a personal commitment to give back to society by supporting determined students facing economic hardship.
According to him, the programme is sustained “out of the abundance and grace God has given to my family,” while he commended the Ebonyi State Government and other stakeholders for fostering peace and development across the state.
Mbam explained that while the 2025 edition of the scholarship was restricted to Abakaliki Local Government Area, the 2026 edition was expanded to cover the entire Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone.
“Currently, we have about 250 university students registered as beneficiaries, including medical students, engineers and others studying professional courses in different universities,” he said. “We thank God for this privilege and pray that the foundation will continue for as long as we live.”
He also revealed plans to strengthen transparency in future editions by paying tuition fees directly to educational institutions rather than disbursing funds to students.
Speaking at the event, prof Nkechinyere Echiegu, a university don, described the scholarship as timely and impactful, especially amid rising educational and economic pressures on students.
She cautioned beneficiaries against poor academic performance and misconduct, stressing that scholarships must be matched with discipline and excellence.
“It is one thing to receive a scholarship and another thing to use it well,” she said. “You must qualify in both character and learning. Character is even more important because it opens doors.”
Echiegu also urged parents to provide moral and emotional support to their children and encouraged students to acquire vocational and functional skills alongside their academic pursuits to remain relevant in a competitive global economy.
One of the beneficiaries, Nkwegu Virginia, a 100-level Law student from Abakaliki Local Government Area, described the scholarship as a lifeline following the death of her father earlier this year.
“It has been very difficult for us,” she said. “With this scholarship, I am relieved and happy that I can continue my studies in the Faculty of Law.”
Another beneficiary, Mathar Ezike, who received ₦120,000, pledged to channel the funds strictly towards his school fees, dismissing concerns about misuse of scholarship grants.
The MSL Foundation noted that beyond education, it also runs empowerment programmes, skills acquisition initiatives and financial support schemes for small businesses as part of its broader grassroots development agenda.
Also speaking, Charles Ofoke, APC state secretary, Mr Chibuike Orogwu, and other stakeholders commended the foundation’s commitment to education, describing the intervention as a strategic step towards reducing educational disadvantage and securing a brighter future for youths in Ebonyi State.