On Friday, Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, the founder of Home for the Needy, which provides shelter to more than 4,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Edo State, urged Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno State, to assist the IDPs in the camp.
The camp is situated in Ohogua, Ovia North-East local government area of Edo State, and it houses displaced Borno State Boko Haram conflict victims.
Speaking to reporters following the Home of the Needy IDPs Camp’s recent triumphs, Folorunsho stated that the facility had funded the graduation of five medical doctors who had just received their degrees with honours from Edo State University in Iyamho.
Since the camp depends on the kindness of Nigerians and organisations to survive, he bemoaned the lack of a favourable reaction to his numerous emails and attempts to get the Borno State government to fund the insurgency victims’ educational requirements.
One of the IDPs, Amos Ishiaku, is currently enrolled at the University of Illinois in Chicago, USA, and was awarded a fully financed PhD scholarship.
He said, “A lot of people don’t know that from the era of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as the state governor up til now, we have reintegrated and reunited about 7,000 persons. There was a time we were working with the Red Cross on this. There were others we did by ourselves. Most of them are in different families and communities. Most of those that are here are orphans and widows.
“I want to appeal to their conscience that these people are their people that we’re helping. These doctors, lawyers, nurses, engineers, etc. One of them just graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU) Zaria, here he read Communication Engineering. He was the best in his department. He got first-class. He just finished his project and is about returning to Uhogua.
“They’re coming to build your society. Why don’t you just look this way and put religion and other sentiments aside. So, we’re appealing to those governments. We need their support.”
He continued by saying that despite the difficulties, there was still more to be done in the camp and that his passion for the welfare and upbringing of the IDPs was to make sure they improved society and the world.
“Paying school fees is one of the biggest issues we are now facing. Even though some schools were a little more forgiving of us, it is difficult given the state of the nation. Some of them are starting to forbid our kids from taking tests.
Our students do not live in the dorms at one of the universities because we are unable to cover the cost of the accommodations. They are currently napping by the security gate before going to class. I informed them that it would be a part of their lovely tale.
