Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has revealed that he is the only governor in Nigeria whose children all school within the country.
Speaking during an engagement with stakeholders, Nwifuru disclosed that three of his children are enrolled in schools in Ebonyi State while the other two are studying in Enugu, with the highest tuition fee being ₦35,000 per term.
According to the governor, his colleagues in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum were shocked when he shared the information, noting that many government officials spend millions of naira on their children’s education in elite schools both at home and abroad.
“Some commissioners in my government pay over ₦2 million per term for their children’s school fees, but I can’t imagine myself doing that. Where will I get the money to sustain such bills after my temporary tenure as governor?” he asked.
Nwifuru stressed that investing heavily in foreign or elitist education for children only puts unnecessary financial pressure on leaders after office. He added that his choice was not just about frugality but also a deliberate step to encourage confidence in Nigeria’s educational system.
He further vowed to reposition education in Ebonyi State to reduce the factors that push many wealthy Nigerians to send their children abroad.
“We must join hands together to fix our educational system so that parents will no longer see the need to take their children abroad. For me, this transformation must begin here in Ebonyi,” Nwifuru stated.
