Amuzi Ahiazu-Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria, December 20, 2021:
The Eze Cletus and Ugoeze Dorathy Oparaoji Memorial Educational Foundation (ECUDOMEF), held its annual scholarship examination to select and sponsor the best Amuzi final year secondary school students to achieve their post-secondary school academic dreams. The supervising invigilator for the 2021 examination was former Nigeria’s, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Education, Her Excellency Professor Viola Onwuliri, who is also first daughter of their Royal Highnesses, Eze Cletus and Ugoeze Dorathy Oparaoji
The assessment of the exam, which was established over twenty years ago will be based on the usual groupings of three categories: Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences. All candidates are required to select and write exams from both a required section and an optional section. The required subjects are English language and Mathematics exams (which are Nigerian national requirements for tertiary education) and Biology. The optional subjects are based on the student’s preferred category. For Arts category, additional subjects available were, Economics and Christian Religious Knowledge, for Social Sciences category: Economics and Commerce, and for Sciences: Chemistry and Physics. The disclosure of the result of the exam and presentation of the awards to the successful students will be done on December 31, accompanied by religious worship, entertainment and medical outreach program, as is the tradition of the Foundation.
The ECUDOMEF Scholarship was founded in 1990, by United States of America-based Professor Eddie Oparaoji, initially as Amuzi Scholarship Scheme, which then changed name in 1997, to ECUDOMEF, following the death of his parents, their Royal Highnesses, His Royal Highness (HRH) Eze Cletus Oparaoji and Ugoeze Dorathy Oparaoji. It has since remained a platform for educational advancement and human capital development, through award of scholarships to deserving students, providing medical outreach and poverty alleviation programs. About 500 Amuzi students have received the ECUDOMEF Scholarship since inception and most have gone on to become very valuable and productive members of Amuzi community, and the society at large. In addition, over 15,000 patients have been counseled and/or treated for various health challenges and multi-millions of naira expended to alleviate poverty among indigent orphans, widows and other underprivileged members of the community.
HRH Eze Cletus Oparaoji was the revered and highly regarded traditional ruler of Amuzi autonomous community in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area. Records show that he administered over a peaceful and forward-looking kingdom, He introduced adult education program, Cooperative Finance Bank, facilitated withdrawal of sanctions on the Community Secondary School by the West African Examination Council, thereby restoring the school’s integrity and viability, facilitated the renovation of the St Jude’s Catholic Church, introduced the village security system, among so many other accomplishments.
Other members of the ECUDOMEF staff who participated in invigilating the 2021 exams and who have been for the most part of the existence of the Foundation, were Dr Ignatius Onyeocha of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO}, the Amuzi St Jude’s Catholic Parish Catechist, Mr. Isaac Izunwanne, Mrs. Gertrude Opara of FUTO and a recent medical laboratory technology graduate Ms. Chizoba Ekeocha.
