Anonymous donor gives N250mn to Kings College, Edo College

Two schools-Kings College, Lagos and Edo College, Benin- received N250 million from an unknown donor.

An anonymous donor has given one million pounds sterling (about N250 million) to Kings College, Lagos, and Edo College, Benin, the British-Nigeria Education Trust, BNET, has said.

The chairman of the Trust, David Reeves, said on Wednesday in London that the donation was for the upgrade of the two schools.

Mr. Reeves, who was speaking at a reception organised by the Nigerian High Commission for BNET, a charity, said that the donor specifically requested for the money to be spent on those schools.

“We have been most encouraged by a recent anonymous donation of one million pounds sterling; the donor has charged us with negotiating the use of this very generous amount of money with two of the major schools in Nigeria.

“The schools are Kings College in Lagos and Edo College in Benin,” he said.

“We are already in discussion with them and hope to identify a major project in each of them,” Mr. Reeves said.

He said that part of the money would be set aside for scholarship schemes for the less privileged students.

The BNET chairman also listed some of its projects to include the annual 7, 000 pounds sterling fund for training of teachers and a 10, 000 pounds sterling grant for a fellowship at the University of Ibadan.

“We are in partnership with the Catholic Diocese of Warri and have agreed to fund the construction and refurbishment of a new science block at a cost of 40,000 pounds sterling which will be completed within three years,” Reeves said.

In his remarks, the Nigerian High Commissioner to the U.K., Dalhatu Tafida, commended BNET for its contribution to Nigeria’s educational system.

“I also heard you have other projects in Nigeria not by assistance of the British government but solely from BNET, I recall how you trained hundreds of teachers in Kaduna, through the National Teachers’ Institute.

“We thank you for your contribution. Without your help, we will not have been where we are today,” the High Commissioner said.

Mr. Tafida also commended the trust for helping to promote trade and investment between Britain and Nigeria.

BNET is a membership charity that promotes friendship and understanding between Britain and Nigeria through financial support for the education sector in Nigeria.

The organisation is dependent on voluntary contributions and donations from individuals, institutions and companies who share its charitable aims.

It is funded by regular income derived from the annual subscription of its members.