The Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation, an organisation partnering the Community Sports and Development (CSED) Initiative in organising Netball and Badminton workshops to train teachers and students across various schools in Edo state, held its yearly award presentation ceremony recently in Benin City to celebrate academic excellence and youth empowerment.

This year’s event saw the presentation of scholarship prizes of ₦100,000.00 each to two exceptional law students, Favour Obaseki, a 300-level law student at Ambrose Alli University, and Itohan Osemwegie, a 400-level Law student from the University of Benin.

The ceremony was attended by members of the Foundation’s Governing Board, distinguished guests from the academic and legal communities.

Speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the Foundation, Mr. Gerard Ibhawoh, congratulated the award recipients and urged them to ‘keep the flag flying,’ just as he encouraged them to pursue excellence and integrity in their academic and future professional journeys.

He also highlighted the significant achievements of the foundation’s collaborative engagement with Community Sport and Development (CSED) Initiative in organizing Netball and Badminton workshops to train teachers and students across various schools in Edo state.

Mr. Ibhawoh also addressed the reduced number of awardees this year, attributing it to a general decline in the quality of essay submissions and the misuse of artificial intelligence by some applicants. He expressed concern over this growing trend, stating: “While technology is a valuable tool, the overreliance on AI for academic work undermines the spirit of original thinking and poses a significant danger to genuine scholarship.”

Also speaking at the event, a member of the Foundation’s Governing Board, Prof. (Mrs.) Uyilawa Edosomwan, charged the awardees to see their recognition as a steppingstone to greater accomplishments. “Let this moment be the beginning of even greater milestones in your academic and professional lives,” she said.

Since its establishment in 2015, the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation has directly supported over 321 students through scholarships and educational grants, providing access to higher education and enabling them to fulfil their academic potential. In addition, the Foundation has empowered 185 individuals through mentorship, vocational training, international exchange programs, and professional development initiatives, including sports.