The Yoruba Community in Enugu has offered scholarships to 30 indigenes of the South West geo-political zone living in the South East Region of the country.
The community leader in the state, Dr. Isiaka Salmon, who made this known at the weekend after the formal presentation of his cabinet members, in Enugu, said this was one of the ways of encouraging the youth and integrating Nigerians.
Dr. Salmon, referred to as “the Oba of the Yoruba Community in Enugu State,” explained that “the scholarships were provided also out of the desire of the community to contribute to educational development of the country.”
The students, according to the community, were youths of South West origin drawn from all the states of the South East zone.
Salmon said: “I came to Enugu as a youth corps member in 2007 and I thank God for today. This scholarship scheme we instituted, by the special grace of God, is targeting more than 30 students and today we presented admission letters to some of them. They are going to polytechnics in Kwara State and Gateway College of Education in Osun State. So, others are still coming and it will be a continuous exercise.”
Speaking on how he emerged as the leader of the Yoruba Community in Enugu State, Oba Salmon said it was a divine arrangement, saying his emergence was a design which he really didn’t know how it came about.
He said: “When the selection process started, the people from different states in Yoruba land living in Enugu State made nominations. Six persons were nominated and fortunately, my name was among the youngest of the six nominees. They inaugurated a committee to do the job.
“At the end of the day, two people were recommended out of the six. Fortunately again, I was among the last two persons who were recommended. The first person is an elder from Oyo State while I was the second person recommended. He is a retired police officer and he said he was relocating to his home state and that is why I was left unopposed. My people said a leader emerges naturally.”
Oba Salmon, a registered member of the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) called for the continued peaceful co-existence between the Yoruba community and the host state, stressing that Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State was doing a marvelous job, especially in development of infrastructure, security, and education.
The leader of Hausa Community in Enugu State, Alhaji Lajanu Suleiman, who was among the dignitaries that witnessed the inauguration of the cabinet of Oba Salmon, also commended Governor Mbah for providing an enabling environment for business to thrive in the state.
He said: “The Igbo are always business-minded. An Igbo man will not come fighting because of religion, he will not come fighting because of tribe, he will only come and fight for his business. If you know them, you will like them. We are living peacefully here in Enugu.”
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