Johnchuks Onuanyim, Abuja
The Senator representing Imo North Senatorial zone and former governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has challenged the African Union (AU) and Africans on the education of the African child.
Okorocha, who paid host to two Ambassadors of African countries, Jacques Obindza (Republic of Congo) and Paul Molong Akaro (South Sudan) respectively in his office in Abuja, said the education of the African child is a sine qua non for Africa’s Development.
According to him, the AU and other Africans should look and queue into what Rochas Foundation is doing in terms of educating the African child.
He argued that the true unity of the African continent rests on the students across African schooling at Rochas Foundation, appealing to African countries to prioritise the education of orphans and those from poorest families who cannot afford formal education, noting that children from poor homes have a lot to contribute to the political and economic development of Africa if trained.
Okorocha, who has been partnering with the Republic of Congo, South Sudan, other African countries and well-meaning individuals to provide free and quality education for underprivileged children in Africa, emphasised that training of responsible children from poor homes would impact positively on Africa.
Addressing the Ambassador of Congo Republic, he said: “The major problem of Africa is illiteracy and poverty. So we are coming in to change the story. We have over 14 million out of school children who have been left unattended to as a result of poverty. We are advising African nations to adopt Okorocha’s Foundation to enable the helpless children fulfil their dreams.
“The AU should come and see what we are doing and see how they can support this venture. We have over 25, 000 children in our Foundation across Nigeria and Africa. So, the Foundation is a uniting factor for Africa. The children here talk Africa and think Africa. So we want to strengthen this relationship.”
Speaking while hosting the South Sudan Ambassador, Okorocha said: “My brother and friend, he has been a partner in this whole thing. They are one of the few countries that responded at the earlier stage, who believe in this and three years running, going to the fourth year, you can see the benefits that children who came from nook and crannies, villages and orphanages from these African countries are now those that we are looking forward up to become something in this world.”
Speaking earlier, the two Ambassadors in their separate remarks, said the two countries would sustain ties with the Okorocha Foundation for the socio-politlcal and economic development of the African continent.
