LAGOS, AUGUST 22, 2018 – Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange Mr Oscar Onyema has launched Oscar N Onyema (ONO) Foundation to provide funding and other programmes for the education of indigent students and less privileged persons.
The first tranche of beneficiaries of the Foundation’s scholarship is expected to be announced before the end of this year.
Onyema said ONO Foundation would help to provide access to formal education for less privileged youths.
According to him, ONO Foundation will focus primarily on providing safety nets for the less privileged children and youths, by ameliorating the issues of lack of guidance and providing educational materials and funding towards achieving greater social impact in the education sector in Nigeria.
“Today’s launch is the culmination of a passionate idea long held by me to contribute my time and funds towards enhancing access to qualitative education for orphans and vulnerable children in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across the country. I encourage every patriotic Nigerian to continue to give their support towards uplifting indigent youths especially those who seek knowledge,” Onyema said.
He noted that Nigeria’s quest to play an active role in the 4th industrial revolution must have the youth at its centre due to their population, energy and potential impact.
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Mr. Tunde Folawiyo, said the Foundation was borne out of an understanding that a good society cannot materialise if the children and the youth are not properly trained, inspired and equipped to be the catalyst and springboard of change and growth.
“This Foundation is unique because its programmes are focused not just on education but also on treating the emotional and mental challenges and ails faced by our children and youth, their families and our less privileged communities,” Folawiyo said.
The ONO Foundation is a not-for-profit and non-political organisation set up to transform the lives of less privileged children and youth in Nigeria. The primary goal of the Foundation is to support the continued effort to expand access to formal education in Nigeria, especially amongst indigent children and youth, raise the bar in academic achievements and encourage positivity and hope to the less privileged families and communities.
The Foundation plans to achieve this by investing in four priority areas including mentorship programme, scholarship management programme, workforce programme and home visitation.
In addition, the Foundation will identify and partner with any private, public or civil society organisation or institution or indeed individual with similar objectives for the promotion of philanthropic activities.
ONO will also organise lectures, seminars, workshops for public enlightenment in such areas of interest as the Foundation’s management may from time to time determine.
It will also pair less privileged children and youth with respectable and credible members of society and organisations, in order to groom them into becoming responsible citizens and effective nation builders.
Besides, ONO will identify areas of critical need in the education and development of underprivileged persons with a view to providing them such assistance appropriately.
Meanwhile, the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has inducted Onyema as a Fellow of the institute. The investiture was subsequent to Onyema’s induction as an Associate Member of CIS in 2017, after he voluntarily enrolled and passed the institute’s examination. He is he first Chief Executive Officer of the Exchange to be inducted as an Associate Member.
CIS is statutorily empowered to train and certify professionals in the Nigerian capital market. It is the only professional body in Nigeria authorised to carry out qualifying examinations into the stockbroking profession. The institute controls the activities of its members and matters associated with it.
