August 13, 2026

RESPONSE SPEECH ON BEHALF OF THE AWARDEES OF THE 2025/2026 JEMITIM FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS – THIRD EDITION

The Vice-Chancellor, Akwa Ibom State University;
Principal Officers of the University;
Members of the University Management Team;
Deans and Directors;
Heads of Departments;
Distinguished Academics and Members of Staff;
Members of the Press;
Fellow Students;
Honoured Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good afternoon.

My name is Victoria Emmanuel Bassey, a student of the Department of Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Akwa Ibom State University.

It is with great joy, humility, and a deep sense of gratitude that I stand before you today on behalf of my fellow awardees to express our sincere appreciation on the occasion of the presentation of the 2025/2026 JEMITIM Foundation Scholarship Awards, the Third Edition of this remarkable initiative.

Today is indeed a special day for each of us. It reminds us that hard work, determination, and excellence can be recognized and rewarded. More importantly, it reminds us that there are individuals and organizations who genuinely believe in the dreams and potential of young people and are willing to invest in their future.

First and foremost, we give all glory and thanks to Almighty God, whose grace, mercy, and favour have made it possible for us to be gathered here today.

On behalf of all the ten awardees, I wish to express our profound and heartfelt appreciation to the JEMITIM Foundation for finding us worthy of this scholarship.

We are particularly grateful to the Founder of the Foundation, Professor Mrs. Jemimah Timothy Ekanem, for her vision, generosity, and unwavering commitment to supporting education and empowering young women. Through this initiative, you are not merely providing financial assistance; you are investing in dreams, nurturing potential, encouraging excellence, and giving hope to young women who are determined to build meaningful futures.

The fact that this scholarship is being presented for the third consecutive year speaks volumes about the consistency, commitment, and sincerity of the JEMITIM Foundation. In a world where many dreams are limited by financial challenges, this initiative has continued to provide encouragement and support to deserving female students.

For us, this scholarship represents much more than financial support. It is a vote of confidence in our abilities. It is an encouragement to work harder, remain focused, and continue striving for excellence.

We therefore receive this honour with hearts full of gratitude, humility, and a strong sense of responsibility. We recognise that being selected among many other deserving students is both a privilege and a challenge—a challenge to justify the confidence reposed in us through academic excellence, good character, and meaningful contributions to our University, communities, and society.

To our parents and families, we sincerely appreciate you for your love, sacrifices, prayers, and unwavering support. Your encouragement and belief in us have contributed immensely to bringing us to this point.

To our lecturers, teachers, mentors, and everyone who has contributed to our academic journey, we say thank you for your guidance, patience, encouragement, and for believing in us.

To our fellow students and young people, we encourage you never to give up on your dreams. Let us remain committed to learning, self-development, discipline, and the pursuit of excellence. Opportunities may come in different forms, but we must prepare ourselves to recognise them and make the best use of them when they come.

As beneficiaries of this scholarship, we make a commitment today that we will not take this opportunity for granted. We will continue to work hard, pursue excellence, and strive to become women whose achievements and contributions will positively impact others. We also hope that, in the future, we too will be in a position to support and inspire others, just as the JEMITIM Foundation has inspired us today.

Once again, on behalf of all the awardees, we say a very big and heartfelt thank you to the JEMITIM Foundation. Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for investing in our education. Thank you for reminding us that our dreams are valid and that excellence is worth pursuing.

To everyone who has taken time to be here today to celebrate and support this noble cause, we sincerely appreciate your presence.

May God bless the JEMITIM Foundation, bless Akwa Ibom State University, and bless every individual who has contributed to making this scholarship initiative a reality.

Thank you very much, and God bless you all.