By Onyinyechi Nwankwo
History has been made at Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri, as best students from the department of Business Administration and Management, BAM, were awarded one year free tuition scholarship by an alumnus of the institution, Jamie Pajoel through his foundation, JP International.
The award ceremony took place at the school premises on Friday, where Okelie Kenneth Ihechi and Onuh Chidera Precious, best students of National Diploma (ND1&2) and Ogbonna Nzoputa Chimezie and Dara Chukwudi Sunday, best students of Higher National Diploma (HND1&2) respectively got a N100,000 naira each.
Addressing the students at the inauguration of the Jamie PaJoel International Scholarship Scheme, the President/CEO of JPI and Vintage Group Int’l, PaJoel said he is a living prove that dreams are valued as he narrated the ordeals and life challenges that faced him while growing up as a child, but that in all of the sufferings he kept his dream of becoming an International Speaker alive, been focused .
He motivated the students to learn to build up their mind capacity by standing up to their problems and trying to proffer solutions to them, adding that no youth can build a great future with a dysfunctional mind set, noting every young person is solidly responsible for his or her future hence should mind what he or she does for the future.
PaJoel, who is an indigene of Imo State, stated that in mind leadership three things are very essential: vision, value and investment, advising the students to wake up to personal development, learn skills that would be of help to them even after graduation, while enduring any discomfort presently for a better and brighter future.
Enjoining the beneficiaries to be courageous and attain more excellent heights, the global leadership coach based in Canada warned them not to allow the present award they have received be a reason for their distraction, but for them to put in more effort to excel. “When you arrive, do not forget the road that leads you home to your alma mater. Just as I came to give back to my home which is what JPI stands for, a platform for human capital development”
Speaking, Rector of the school, Engr. Dr. Michael Chidiebere Arimanwa, who was the special guest of honour, described PaJoel as a rare gem with passion and goal to influence the youth positively, saying he is the kind of personality to be associated with even as he prayed that the greatness of the special alumnus would rub off on his students and youths in general.
He noted that if Nigeria could get leaders like PaJoel that has right competence mixed with passion, the country would not be in the mess it is today, commending JPI for such a great programme and gesture to students of the institution, hoping too that other alumni would borrow a leaf from PaJoel for desired development and excellence.
Arimanwa encouraged the students to always aim at excellence, having in mind that excellence gets rewarded, charging the recipients not to allow themselves to be affected negatively by it, but be challenged by the little award to achieve higher heights and make the institution the best in Africa.
The awardees, with smiles on their faces, expressed joy and appreciation to JPI for extending such a kindness to them.
