Two Medical students under the sponsorship of The Mercy Igbe-Arase (nee Ifidon) Foundation have been inducted into the prestigious medical profession in Edo State – the news coincided with the 18th year celebration of the foundation, it was learnt.
Formed to immortalize the late mother of former Inspector General of Police (Rtd), Dr. Solomon Arase, the foundation is excited that two of its medical students under its scholarship graduated as medical professionals and have been inducted, thereby advancing the legacies of late Mercy Igbe-Arase.
In envisioning the foundation, it was learnt that the founder’s priority was the spreading his late mother’s message of touching the lives of the less endowed to attain their educational dreams and this has remained the most potent and impactful vehicle to immortalising his mother.
Being a seasoned old fashioned teacher, who had insisted that knowledge is the only enduring asset anyone can acquire in life and the only wealth worth pursuing, late Mercy Igbe-Arase believes that the bedrock for the attainment of self-esteem and excellence is education.
According to Dr. Solomon Arase, “my late mother told me that it is only education that can always defied the law of diminishing return in one’s life and that if one is to aspire for total excellence and stand on high moral grounds, such a person must acquire education and so, those of us at the foundation are quite excited on the impact we are making – it’s dream-fulfilled”.
He said, “the foundation was targeted at advancing my late mother’s legacy of service, knowledge, and empathy by empowering our Owan youths who are intellectually gifted and academically inclined, but financially handicapped as they struggle to achieve greatness.
“Being motivated by my mother’s vision and passion for community, I set out to build up a base of professionals who will act as catalyst to the development of Owan Land and Edo State, engender healthy intellectual competition among our youths, and redirect the energy of our young ones from non-profitable ventures to a meaningful future.
“Today, we are not only celebrating 10 years, we are glad that the seed of the legacy planted modestly and humbly is germinating and producing ripen fruits by the induction of two of our students into the prestigious medical profession.
“Today, I am grateful to God that I have achieved this vision with the support of my family, friends and well wishers. May God bless us all”, Arase said.