By Austin Ogwuda
…. lashes the leadership of the group, saying they did not go to school
Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme has lambasted a pressure group known as ‘Light Up Ndokwa’ for daring to describe his scholarship scheme as a scam.
Recall that the group, which came to limelight few months ago mobilised protests against continued denial of Ndokwa nation of electricity supply despite the Okpai Independent Power Plant (IPP) at the backyard.
Secretary of the ‘Light Up Ndokwa Association’, Mr. Endurance McGregor Erhunmwunse had reportedly criticised scholarship scheme floated by the Deputy Governor.
According to him, “Sir Monday Onyeme is not a philanthropist; he is simply recycling the people’s money to buy political relevance. His so-called scholarships are a classic divide-and-rule strategy—selecting a few beneficiaries while the entire Ndokwa/Ukwuani land remains in darkness, bad roads, dilapidated schools, and collapsing healthcare systems.
“Let us be clear: scholarships cannot replace sustainable development. What will 683 scholarships achieve in a land where thousands of youths are unemployed, where communities lack basic infrastructure, and where development has been deliberately stalled? This is nothing more than political tokenism designed to keep the people clapping while real transformation is ignored.
“If Onyeme truly cares about our people”, he went on, “let him channel resources into: Electricity that powers homes and businesses. Roads that connect communities and open opportunities. Hospitals that save lives. Schools with facilities that benefit all children, not just a select few”.
But in a sharp reaction the State Deputy Governor, through his Senior Special Assistant/Chief Press Secretary, Comrade Fidelis Egugbo fired back.
In a strongly-worded rebuttal stated:
“It is unfortunate that the leadership of Light Up Ndokwa could have a meeting and resolve that, ‘Sir Monday Onyeme is not a philanthropist; he is simply recycling the people’s money to buy political relevance. His so-called scholarships are a classic divide-and-rule strategy—selecting a few beneficiaries while the entire Ndokwa/Ukwuani land remains in darkness, bad roads, dilapidated schools, and collapsing healthcare systems. Let us be clear: scholarships cannot replace sustainable development. What will 683 scholarships achieve in a land where thousands of youths are unemployed, where communities lack basic infrastructure, and where development has been deliberately stalled? This is nothing more than political tokenism designed to keep the people clapping while real transformation is ignored.’
“Obviously, members of the executive committee of Light Up Ndokwa are not well informed; while it is not ideal to join issues with them because, it is said that ‘when someone who is wearing white attire wrestles with a pig, he might end up dirtying himself,’ it is however, good to put the records straight – the 683 persons who emerged successful in the aptitude test that qualified them to benefit from the scholarship for the 2025 edition cuts across the entire Delta North Senatorial District – 308 candidates came from Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency.
“By saying that education cannot replace sustainable development, also shows that very likely, the leadership of Light Up Ndokwa did not pass through the four walls of the university and are not encouraging their children or any of their relations to acquire formal education because, the best solution to poverty is education.
“Thirdly, the scholarship scheme did not start when Sir Onyeme became the Deputy Governor; beyond his impressive academic credentials, he has lectured at multiple universities, organized private tutorials, and held significant roles in various institutions of higher learning and understands the plights of students, so, in his passion to encourage education, he floated the scholarship scheme nine years ago and it is an annual event that beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries look forward to.
“More interesting is the fact that the Secretary of Light Up Ndokwa is Mr. Endurance McGregor Erhunmwunse, a very foreign name to Ndokwa people. This will naturally make a true son of Ndokwa to wonder about those who are behind the Light Up Ndokwa group, are they Deltans? If ‘yes,’ are they failed politicians who believe that if they are not in charge, they must muddle the water? Are they attacking the Deputy Governor and by extension the Government of Delta State for political reasons ahead of 2027 elections or because they failed woefully in the 2023 elections and are not true sportsmen that cannot take their defeat in good faith?
“Certainly, the Light Up Ndokwa goofed by condemning the Monday Onyeme Scholarship scheme; this is because, the beneficiaries are in every Ward in Delta North Senatorial District and if they are on ground in Ndokwa land, nay Delta North Senatorial District, they ought to have seen some of the beneficiaries and their parents rejoicing that likely, the next tuition fee or part of the fees would be paid through the Monday Onyeme Foundation’s Scholarship Scheme.
“Again, the Light Up Ndokwa group should note that they can be sued for false accusations because respected Directors, Teachers and officials of the Delta State Ministry of Education are also involved in the process and should such persons or their relatives take their statements as false allegations, they should be able to explain what they mean by ‘recycling people’s money.’
“It is also, worthy to note that part of the money given to beneficiaries does not come from the pocket of the Deputy Governor but from individuals, corporate organisations and non-governmental organisations that have seen that they can also, contribute to the growth of education through the Monday Onyeme Foundation’s Scholarship Scheme.
“How can a sane mind believe that money for electrification projects, fixing of bad roads, dilapidated schools, and collapsing healthcare systems are being used for scholarship scheme? For clarity, the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme, FCA, does not award contracts, his roles as clearly defined by the Governor are being professionally handled to the satisfaction of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori who looked at his track-records of delivery of set goals to appoint him as his running mate ahead of the 2023 general elections; of course too, Deltans are very happy with him, including the people of Ndokwa land where he is from because, until proven otherwise, most people will not accept that Mr. Endurance McGregor Erhunmwunse of Light Up Ndokwa is an Ndokwa man and if he is not an Ndokwa man, one may wonder how many of his kinds are being used to cause dissaffection in Delta State using different political groups?”, the statement added.
