Featured

SchoolMe lottery awards N1.3m as scholarship to Nigerians

Published

6 years ago

July 2, 2019

The SchoolMe Scholarship Lottery has awarded a cheque of N1.3 million for six Nigerians to help solve the problem of education in the country.

At the maiden scholarship draw cheque of the foundation in Abuja on Monday, the General Manager, Mr Olusegun Karrim, said education should be given to as many that desire it, hence the need for the scholarship.

Karrim noted that the project which was initiated by one Mr Jacob Momoh was instituted on October 1, 2018 as a social intervention programme to help solve the problems of inadequate education funding of people.

According to him, there is so much problem in the country where we have good brains that could not go to school.

” Through this intervention, we have rescued so many Nigerians who are on the street but needed to be in school.

” Majority of people we picked on the streets have now been put into schools to complete their education.

” The project is a social intervention to ensure we bring to the conciousness of Nigerians that education is something that must be given to as many that desire it,” he said.

Also, Mr Ekaette Nsikan, Head of Operations, SchoolMe Scholarship Lottery said the organisation was keeping with the expectations of the government through collaboration with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to provide relief for Nigerians through the education scholarship.

Nsikan said that the scholarship draw had provided opportunity for Nigerians to win project money or school fee money saying that project money was for any coursework project that the winner might be involved in.

He said for the project money, players could win the sum of N100,000 with as little as N100 while for the school fee scholarship, player could win a total of N200,000 or N700,000 with N200 or N700 only.

“We make bold to say that SchoolMe Scholarship is the first of the kind in Nigeria; an innovative approach leveraging on the potential of the lottery industry, and utilising same positively in promoting education and social economic development of the country.

” Our principal objective is to promote education especially at the tertiary level.

” We have kept faith and our world in paying out pocket money to thousands of Nigerians, including students and non students; thereby directly and I directly addressing the pecuniary and educational needs of the people.

“We provide existing students in tertiary institutions of learning as well as prospective students seeking admission through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) the opportunity to win cash which they can channel toward their educational funding.”

Nsikan however said that parents and guardians could equally participate in the draws on behalf of their children and wards as well as organisations that support the foundation missions.

He, therefore, said that since the inception of the project on October 1, 2018, the foundation had paid over 1,000 winners for its daily cash category.

Meanwhile, Mr Peter Asapokhai, a representative from the NLRC said the project had undergone the regulatory process of the commission while thorough supervision were being done to ensure transparency in the draw process.

Happiness Felix, Emmanuel Mercy and Rosemary Ezeh were awarded a cheque prize of N100,000 each while Yusuf Sanni won N200,000 and Emmanuel Earnest went home with N700,000.

Speaking to journalists, Happiness Felix said she was grateful to God for the award, saying she would use the money to support the education of her child.

Also, Mr Emmanuel Ernest who won N700,000 and a trader from Kaduna state said the money would be used for the education of his two children.

Share on Facebook

Featured

Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

Share on Facebook