The Temple and AegeanDas Ltd, located in Lagos, Nigeria on Monday donated text books worth N1.2 Million to the Hope Waddel College Calabar, Cross Rivers.

The President of the company, Mr Mani Robson, who presented the books to the Principal of the College, Mr Samuel Ikpeme, said the donation was to help students of the College in their academic pursuit.

Robinson, who said that government alone could not provide all that were required to move the school system in Nigeria forward, stressed the need for wealthy individuals in the society to assist government develop the system.

“I have discovered that government alone cannot provide all that is required for the education system in this country.

“I believe that individuals, especially old students, can do a lot to support our schools. What we are doing here, today, is also part of our social responsibility.

“I want to say that I am very happy for this donation because this gesture is just part of a future long standing relationship between my company and this School, ‘’ he said.

Robson,  a former student of Hope Waddel college, described the institution, established in 1894 as one of the foremost colleges founded by the British colonialists in the country.

He noted that the college had trained notable leaders in Nigeria.

“This school has trained leaders in different fields of human endeavor in this country and we will not allow it to die.

“It is known for its high academic standards as well as high moral values, so we must do everything to sustain these values, ‘’ he said.

He assured the management of the college that the company would donate more books and renovate its dilapidated structures.

The chairman also announced a scholarship of N100, 000 for the student that will emerge best graduating SSS 111 student of the college in this year WAEC or NECO examinations.

Responding, Ikpeme, described the gesture as ‘’a dream comes true,’’ noting that Robson had broken the barrier by being the first old student to make such donations to the college.

“This is very spectacular. This kind of gesture has never happened in this School. There is nobody that has single handedly done what we are seeing today.

“He wrote a letter to me asking what he could do for the college and I thought it was just one of those un-kept promises, but today to my surprise, he is here.

“I thank you so much because what you have done is worth emulating by other old students of this College.

‘’We all passed through this college and we should try to help out. We appreciate you so much, ‘’ Ikpeme said.

An SSS 1 student of the college, Godswill Isor, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, expressed happiness over the donation and thanked the donor for the gesture.

The text books cover different subjects such as English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Economics, History Geography among others. (NAN)

– Jun. 25, 2018 @ 14:55 GMT |