Daniel Oikhena, the boy who was discovered in the wheel compartment of an Arik-owned aircraft which travelled from Benin to Lagos last weekend has been offered scholarship by Gov. Rauf Aregbeshola’s volunteer group popularly known as De Raufs’ Volunteer Group.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the group, Amitolu Shittu, the group stated that ambitious Oikhena must not be suffocated on the altar of political and bureaucratic enforcement. Hence, the group said it was ready to sponsor Oikhena’s education up to university level to help him actualise his dream of travelling by air in the appropriate manner.
De Raufs’ Volunteer Group stressed that “The little boy’s ambition should be nurtured through qualitative education, and our group is ready to give him all the necessary support to make his dream a reality.
“We are sincerely willing to offer him the scholarship in order to encourage thousands of teenagers who are ambitious, because the truth is; our leaders in Nigeria have failed on their part to see the potential of the little boy.
“Therefore, De Raufs’ is taking up the responsibility to safe the future of this great boy and not turning him to criminal”, he stated.
Shittu stated that the parents of the boy should contact the secretariat of our group for further briefing on the scholarship grant.
De Raufs is a group which has been extolling the leadership qualities of Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola since its inception.
Meanwhile, the Daniel’s mother, Evelyn refuted claims that the child is criminally-minded while she was being quizzed by the State Security Services (SSS). “He is always at home, I have never seen anybody come to look for him and he doesn’t have friends”, she said.