ATI ANNANG CANADA PRESENTS CUSTOMISED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS

History was again made over a one week period in February when representatives of the Canada chapter of Ati Annang Foundation, the International Executive Council and other members of Ati Annang in Nigeria presented customized educational materials under Ati Annang Canada initiative, tagged Back Pack Programme, to thousands of pupils drawn from public primary schools across the eight Local Government Areas of Annang Nation.

The week long activity which began with a visit to No 1, Government Primary School Abak, Abak Local Government Area, was rounded off over the weekend with a visit to St. Andrew’s Primary School, Nto Edino in Obot Akara Local Government Area with a clarion call on children of Annang extraction to take advantage of the free and compulsory education policy of the present administration of Chief Dr. Godswill Obot Akpabio in Akwa Ibom State.

In all the schools visited, more than 12 pupils benefitted from the back pack programme. The selection was based on academic excellence, as top performing pupils were given backpacks that contained customized Ati Annang, Canada T-Shirts, monogramed water bottles, exercise books, story books and other writing materials in addition to monetary token. This was to encourage the recipients to continue to excel and motivate other pupils to aspire to better results.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the presentation, the International President of Ati Annang Foundation, Elder Imoh Emeh noted that Ati Annang Foundation is a prolific socio-cultural organization of Annang sons and daughters in Nigeria and the Diaspora charged with the responsibility of collectively defining and articulating the goals of Annang Nation.  Emeh who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Project Monitoring said that the distribution of customized educational materials was sponsored by one of the Diaspora Chapters, Ati Annang, Canada and was aimed at complementing the free and compulsory education policy of Akwa Ibom State Government and also to encourage the pupils to study harder to become useful to themselves. And thanked the leadership of Canada chapter for their magnanimity.   

Also speaking, the Canada Chapter chairman, Patrick Etokudo who was represented by Dr. Boniface Etuk noted that the idea of a backpack programme was conceived, planned and funded by Canada chapter, while the International Executive Council and Local Government Chapters provided logistical support for the execution. He said the gesture was aimed at giving back to the society as a whole. He said that the exercise will go a long way to spur the pupils up and inspire them to study even more to become useful to themselves and their communities.

Reacting to the presentation of the educational materials to schools by Ati Annang, the Head teacher of St Michael’s Catholic Primary School, Midim in Abak Local Government Area, Mr Linus Nyark noted that ever since he was employed as a teacher, he has never witnessed this show of commitment and sacrifice from any organization and thanked the leadership of Ati Annang Canada for showing love while Mr Augustine Uwak-Utin, head teacher of Government Primary School, Utu Etim Ekpo noted that they were touched by the gift items and encouraged Ati Annang to sustain the tempo.

Other speakers included Mr. Anthony Effiong, Head teacher, St. Peter’s Primary School, Urua Edet Obo, Mr. Nyiekoboudu James Ibekwe, Mrs. Agnes Uyobong among others. Some of the teachers who spoke off camera were full of appreciation to members of Ati Annang Foundation for their magnanimity while the benefitting pupils were full of joy to their benefactors and prayed God to give members of Ati Annang more grace to extend the gesture to accommodate more schools in the future. 

This programme follows on the heels of another initiative by Ati Annang Foundation, Canada chapter. The chapter had, last year, presented hospital surgical equipment worth millions of Naira to Mercy Hospital Abak, in line with the cardinal objectives and dreams of the founding fathers of Ati Annang Foundation.

The schools visited were Government Primary School No. 1, Abak; St. Michael’s Primary School, Midim, Etim Ekpo; Government Primary School, Utu Etim Ekpo, Ika; St. Patrick’s Primary School, Urua Inyang, Oruk Anam; St. Paul’s Primary School, Ekparakwa, Ukanafun; QIC Primary School Ikot Akpa Idem. Others were Essien Udim; St. Peter’s Primary School Urua Edet Obo, Methodist Primary School, Okob Akama, Ikot Ekpene; Methodist Central School, Ikot Antia, Obot Akara; St. Andrews’s Primary School Nto Edino and Methodist Primary School, Nto Ebio Ikang.       

Members of Ati Annang Foundation who watched the presentation include; Deputy International President, Barr Paulinus Idio, International Secretary General, Barr Ekaete Henry, International Welfare Officer, Hon Eseme Essien, International PRO, Ms Comfort Umanah. Others were, Hon. Victor Udofia, Chief Lambert Orok, Mrs Ekaette Idorenyin, Mr. Mfon Iwok and all chapter Chairmen and Secretaries of Ati Annang in these Local Government Areas.