For unflinching support to academic performance: Senator Prof Nebah Bridget wins Academic Excellence Promoter Award.

Over 18,000 among The Guardian Post millions of readers voted Senator Prof Nebah Bridget Ndosiri, for her “unflinching and remarkable efforts in encouraging outstanding academic performance among students and pupils in Mezam Division of the North West Region, through her annual award of scholarships to best performing students and pupils; thereby enhancing government’s policy for quality education”.

Because Senator Prof Nebah Bridget was unavoidably absent from the award ceremony in Ebolowa, on Tuesday February 20, she received her award at The Guardian Post head office at Efoulan Lac, Yaounde. 

She was accompanied to receive the award by a huge delegation of family members, including her husband, friends, indigenes of Bamendankwe from where she hails and other well-wishers.

Pleasant surprise for laureate 

Reacting after receiving her award, the Senator, who is also a seasoned educationist and university don, said it was a pleasant surprise for her when she learnt she had been voted by The Guardian Post readers.

“I have known of The Guardian Post for many years as one of the most esteemed English language newspapers and I have had many publications in The Guardian Post, but never knew I could one day have an award of this nature,” she said. 

“This award, to me, is a motivation to work harder. It is a big motivation because as you know, as Senator of the Republic, it is my duty to build my community through education, community development and you can name the rest. I was doing just that, not knowing that there is a watchdog behind me watching my actions,” she added.

She continued that: “…as a university don, knowing the importance of education and knowing that where I am now is thanks to the fact that I was educated, I thought it wise to go back to my Division of origin where, because of the crisis, many young girls were kept out of the classrooms. Some not because they wanted to be out but just because their parents could no longer afford their fees or other school needs because of the crisis”.

“So, I thought it wise to go back and encourage the young girls who braved the odds and who went in-between bullets to go to school to learn because education is the only key that opens all doors in the world…Education is the vector of development. I thought it wise to go back and encourage those meritorious students and pupils who did it. Despite the school boycott, they went to school and did very well in school, especially at the GCE Ordinary and Advanced Levels, Government Common Entrance Examination and First School Leaving Certificate,” she said.

The Senator added that after having given scholarships to meritorious students and pupils, she intends to follow them up closely.

“This is my own way to support them to become stable to at least become like me. As a member of the Catholic Women’s Association, CWA, I believe that whatever we do, we are serving God. We serve and not wait to be served. This award is in recognition of what we did. I am really grateful. I will not relent any effort to continue to support these young girls because they are the leaders of tomorrow,” she said. 

She added that next year, her scholarship scheme, which is now an annual event, will also include male pupils and students. 

It should be noted that her scholarship scheme also included Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs.

“We also had students who applied from all the other Divisions of the North West Region. We even had students from the South West who applied. There was a committee that was set up. The committee received about 100 applications and scrutinised them to come down to 53. This scrutiny was done based on their performance at the exams. Only the best were rewarded and the reward was cash awards to permit them to pay their fees. Those in the Ordinary Level to pay their fees in High School and those at Advanced Level to continue with their education at the university level,” she noted. 

The Senator also thanked all those who supported her in her endearvours to better the academic lives of the pupils and students.

“…I didn't do it alone. I had a lot of support. I pray God to bless them to continue to support me because I am not going to relent any effort to hold the hands of my junior ones, girls, boys to take them to another level, so that they can be able to build the community. This is not only for Mezam, but the North West and the whole of Cameroon and the world at large,” she noted. 

Senator’s love for giving hailed

Meanwhile, Prof Elizabeth Tamajong, a friend and peer of Senator Prof Nebah Bridget, who is also a university don, hailed the laureate for her rare humility and generosity and efforts to improve academic performance.

“I am very proud of my Senator. I know what it means to care for these young girls. It is touching. It is not how much you have, but the intention you have. Someone can have hundreds of millions but that person will not care whether you eat a piece of bread or not,” Prof Tamajong said. 

“She could have taken that money and kept it for her own family. But she thought it wise to look out for the less privileged in society and help them. I think it is a very important thing that she has done and a lesson to most of us. I wish to congratulate her and thank her that our Lord Almighty will continue to bless her,” she added. 

Prof Tamajong continued that: “I want to thank The Guardian Post once again because they are always there and they do objective journalism. They should continue that way and not be scared”.

Embodiment of humility & generosity

Meanwhile, during a ceremony at the Yaounde residence of Senator Prof Nebah Bridget Ndosiri, to celebrate her award, the former Government Delegate to the Bamenda City Council, Vincent Ndumu Nji, said the Senator is an embodiment of humility and generosity.

“She could have used the money she gave out as scholarship to the pupils and students to take care of her own family. But because of her concern for the community, she decided to give to the community to encourage academic excellence,” Ndumu said.

He called on others to emulate the laudable efforts of Senator Prof Nebah Bridget Ndosiri, in uplifting students and pupils as far as academic excellence in concerned.

It should be recalled that on Saturday April 15, 2023 when Senator Prof Nebah Bridget Ndosiri had received her attributes as a Senator, she dedicated her five-year mandate to working towards empowering women and girls in the North West Region.

The dynamic and level-headed Senator has been living up to this billing as her actions in the field are palpable.