Mbah offers full scholarship to minor physically abused by guardian in Anambra

Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu, has offered full scholarship to Happiness Nwafor, the Enugu-born minor who was physically abused by her guardian in Anambra state.

In February 2024, a children, sexual and gender-based violence court in Awka ordered the remand of Adachukwu Okafor, a lawyer, for allegedly maltreating her 11-year-old maid.

Okafor was said to have used a broken bottle, knife, and electric iron to inflict injuries on the maid for allegedly “touching” her daughter.

Speaking on Wednesday during the official handover of the rescued minor to the Enugu state scholarship and education loan board, Mbah said the scholarship would offer the minor the opportunity to fulfil her dreams.

The governor who was represented by Ngozi Enih, the commissioner for children, gender affairs and social development, said the scholarship would cover Nwafor’s studies from primary to university levels.

Mbah added that the state will ensure continuous rehabilitation of the minor to avert any trauma that may affect her in the future.

The governor noted that the state would henceforth not tolerate any acts of violence and maltreatment of children by parents and guardians, adding that such acts fall short of civilised norms and would be met with severe consequences.

“The governor is very concerned about the welfare of citizens of the state through deliberate policies and programmes targeted at improving their well-being and also ensuring that their dignity is preserved,” Enih said.

“This is why the governor ordered that the minor be rescued from the claws of her guardian, who had been maltreating her.

“With the full rehabilitation and scholarship graciously awarded by the governor, Happiness is certain of living her dreams like other children.

“It’s also for the reason that no child should suffer deprivation that the governor is building world-class smart schools and has also declared basic education in the state, free and compulsory.

“The child rights and responsibility law of Enugu state is also in place to ensure that those who abuse our children face the full wrath of the law.”

Nwanneka Anioke, the minor’s mother, thanked the governor for his “philanthropic gesture”, adding that news of the scholarship and the ongoing rehabilitation for her daughter came as huge relief to her entire family.