Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu has awarded scholarships from primary to the university level to two young orphans at the Infant Jesus Orphanage Home in Calabar, Cross River State.

The Deputy Speaker, who was in Calabar to deliver the convocation lecture of the University of Calabar, also donated N2 million and various food items to the Orphanage.

The 12 year-old orphans, Chidera Emmanuela Maduka and Chimankpa Emmanuel Maduka indicated interest in studying law when the Deputy Speaker asked the children at the home who wanted to be lawyers.

Moved by the kindness of the Deputy Speaker, some members of the House of Representatives, who accompanied him on the visit, made a donation of N1 million while his former classmates in the 1998 set of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar donated N300,000 to the home.

Kalu said: ?I?m here with my classmates from University of Calabar, and my colleagues from the National Assembly to show our love and support to you.

?We will take over the training of Chidera and her twin to University level. I?m happy and proud they want to study law. We will support them. We will pay your school fees.

We brought you some food stuff and we will send you more. We will bring you toiletries. The people you?re seeing here are your fathers and mothers. We are going to appoint a committee that will be taking care of you.

?Aside the food stuff, I?m giving a cash donation of N2 million, N200,000 from friends of Benjamin Kalu, N1 million from members of House of Representatives here with me, N300,000 from my classmates and N500, 000 from PISE-P members.

Speaking to Journalists shortly after the brief visit, Kalu added :?I came here not only to give them something that they will eat today and not have tomorrow. But to draw up a programme that will be sustainable.

?You know I came with my classmates. Some of the kids here want to be lawyers like us. I have given them scholarships up till law school. This is to inspire them and that?s projecting education. Education can take you from this position and put you on a pedestal you never imagined.

?Like in the speech I delivered at UNICAL 50th anniversary, I studied under a tree, no classroom. That?s the truth. But today through education I have built schools where I used to sit. These kids are potential leaders of tomorrow. If you see my pictures under the tree in the 70?s, you won?t believe I will be Deputy Speaker today.?

The coordinator of the orphanage, Sister Chinyere Chukwuka, expressed gratitude to Kalu and his team, praying for God?s blessings upon them. (The Nation)

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