The Association of Esan Professionals (AEP) has given N150, 000 each as grant to eight students of Esan extraction studying in tertiary institutions in Lagos.
The beneficiaries were drawn from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Lagos State University (LASU) and Yaba College of Technology (Yaba Tech).
The president of AEP, Dr. Henry Egbiki said in a statement that the gesture was part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) to Esanland of Edo State.
He stated that a total of 50 Esan students drawn from different schools would benefit from the scheme.
A breakdown of the number showed that 10 students were selected from each of the five local government areas that make up Esan.
They are Esan Central, Esan South-East, Esan North-East, Esan West, and Igueben.
The programme, he said, will be a yearly affair, stressing that it was instituted as a way of giving something back to Esanland.
On how the group was able select the deserving students, Egbiki said the AEP constituted a screening committee made up of eminent and competent personalities to work it out.
However, he said the team encountered challenges in the course of carrying out its duties but surmounted them.
Also speaking, the chairman of scholarship screening committee, Mr. Judge Okoyo agreed with Egbiki that what the association has done was part of its contribution to Esanland in the area of education.
He stated that though there were challenges during the selection and screening processes, the committee was able to overcome them.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, a third-year student of Architecture, UNILAG, Mr Oziegbe St. Joseph, thanked AEP for extending the grants to the undergraduates from the various schools.
Another third-year student for the institution, Miss Paulina Godfrey, expressed gratitude to AEP for its support, saying she never expected to be among the beneficiaries.
