No fewer than 10 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the IDP camp in Uhogua, near Benin, have graduated from various tertiary institutions across the country.
The coordinator of the camp, Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, disclosed this on Sunday, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Folorunsho explained that the figure represents eight of the IDPs who have completed their courses of studies and graduated earlier and two who recently graduated from the Edo University, Uzairue.
According to him, so far 10 of our IDPs have graduated from various tertiary institutions since the inception of the camp about nine years ago.
Giving a breakdown of the figure, he said two of the graduands graduated with a B.Sc in Nursing/Midwifery from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Edo University, Uzairue, respectively.
He added that one other graduated with a B.Sc in Pharmacy, from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and another with an M.Sc in Anatomy from the same institution.
“We also have one who graduated with a B.Sc in Microbiology from the University of Maiduguri, another one with a B.Sc Agricultural Science from the same institution, and yet another with a B.Sc Health Education from the same school.
“Then we have one graduate each with Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accounting from the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, HND, Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa state and B.A, History and International Studies, Edo University, Uzairue.”
He disclosed that presently there were about 158 of the IDPs in various institutions of higher learning across the country, with about 53 of them from the North East.
He however added that of the total number of IDPs in tertiary institutions, 10 were in their final year.
The Coordinator also disclosed that no fewer than 200 of the IDPs would have gained admission for the next academic session if not for the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
He added that in spite of the daunting challenge of footing the education bills of the IDPs, the management of the camp was resolute in ensuring that the dreams of the IDPs about education were not aborted.
“I can assure you that in a few years from now we will have several medical doctors, engineers, and accountants from this camp.
“We are not talking about 30 or 40, but several. That is why despite the challenges of footing their educational bills, we are trying our best.
“And we are appealing to the elite and wealthy Nigerians out there to assist us to better the lives of these ones”, Folorunsho said.
Meanwhile, some of the graduated IDPs who spoke with NAN via telephone said their motivation to pursue their educational dream was because of their love for education.
Yahaya Gulla told NAN he graduated with a second class upper division in Nursing/Midwifery from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
Gulla said he got admission to the university when the Boko Haram insurgency started, and he was displaced as his family members were killed.
“But today I’m a graduate, all thanks to the management of the IDP camp in Uhogua, Edo.
“However, I was motivated to study the course I studied, because when I was fleeing to Edo, I saw how people were injured and bleeding during the insurgency attacks.
“Many would have survived if there was medical attention, but because there was none, many died”, he said.
Similarly, Christiana James, a graduate of the University of Maiduguri from the department of Health Education, said her motivation for continuing her education despite the challenges of insecurity was her love for education.
She also said that encouragement and support from the management of the IDP camp in Uhogua, helped her achieve her dream of education.
