The presitigous Kwame Nkrumah Pan-African Exemplary Leadership Award has been conferred on Senator Helen Esuene by the West African Students Union Parliament (WASUP) for her hard- work and dedication to nation building.
Presenting the Award to her in Abuja in April 2014, the Majority Leader of WASUP, Mr. Edem Begboe Ayih of the Universite du Bobojolaso, Burkina Faso said Senator Esuene was selected from among many nominees from the sub-region because of her exemplary contributions in the educational emancipation of the Niger Delta Region through her scholarship award. Ayih also cited her various enterpreneurship capacity building programmes for the youths and women in Akwa Ibom Sate and Nigeria as the reson for the award.
Mr. Ayih, from Burkina Faso, said the award is meant to encourage her and to show that the sub-regional student body appreciates her. “You are doing a good work, madam. You will soon see the reward of your good work. We pray Almighty God to give you more wisdom and knowledge to discharge your duties”, he said.
Speaking at the occasion, the Speaker, WASUP, Saint S. A. K Paul from the University of Ghana, Legon, said the organisation was impressed by the exemplary leadership of the senator in empowering youths and women and urged her to continue with her good works. The Minority Leader of the group, Alad-Assoua Chance Elias of the Universite du Sheikh anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal described her as a bridge-builder and said the association was proud to be associated with her many achievements especially in the area of youth and women empowerment.
The Leader of delegation, who is also the senior Country Co-ordinator of the group, Mr. Daniel Nwachukwu Emeka of Federal University of Technology, Minna told the Senator that the West African Students Union is the umbrella body for all students of black Descent that started in 1924 when West African Students in Great Britain led by Kwame Nkrumah agitated for equal treatment from the authorities in Europe. He said the activities of the body later snowballed into struggle for independence of West African states and beyond. He said after securing independence, the focus has now shifted to regional integration, welfare of members in their various institutions, representation of their views in matters of campus and regional importance, scrutinising and recognising office holders in public, private and religious sectors who have distinguished themselves in their various callings.
Mr. Emeka disclosed that the programmes of the body are categorised into both on campus and off campus. Speaking on its on campus activities, he said the group is vigorously involved in the campaign against prostitution on campus, thuggery, cultism, examination malpractices and other common vices. He also said the group is totally opposed to the option of protests as a means of drawing the attention of the authorities but rather it supports the process of engagement in resolving conflicts.
Responding, Senator Esuene, who thanked the group for the award said she was impressed with the posture of the group to move away from thuggery and protests as a means of resolving conflicts. She used the opportunity to condemn the recent abductions of Nigerian female students in Chibok in Borno State and called for their immediate release because, according to her, among the girls abducted could be future senators, doctors, engineers, etc.
She however advised the group to present themselves to be recognised by ECOWAS as they are doing what the regional body stands for, which is building bridges. She was also impressed that the delegation, which is drawn from Ghana, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cote D’Ivoire and Nigeria were able to come together to pursue a common goal. “Often times we sit down and lament over the ills of our society. We rarely have a group of people who rise up and try to effect a change”, she said.
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