By Yetunde Arebi

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it is those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world”. Desmond Tutu.

There is no doubt that Princess (Dr.) Mrs. Rosemary U. Osula Mku-Atu, JP, has demonstrated through her life and work, that we can individually make our small and big differences to make the world a better place for others.

The Founder/President of Rosula Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Dr. Osula has become the harbinger of hope for thousands, struggling with socioeconomic challenges around the world, as her social interventions particularly in the area of university education, have become the lifeline for many, and has received accolades both within and outside Nigeria, and Africa at large, particularly in local communities where life has become almost unbearable.

Born into the Osula Royal Family of the Great Benin Kingdom about six decades ago, young Rosemary had distinguished herself as a multitalented star whose ascendance to the topmost strata of the society would be unstoppable, largely for her abiding faith in God. Interestingly, those intrinsic core values acquired over time during her formative trajectory in life, and sustained till this moment, is what we are celebrating today. Princess (Dr.) Mrs. Rosemary Osula Mku-Atu is a constant reminder that we can all be good by our acts of philanthropy. This successful businesswoman’s story is replete with evidence of perseverance, courage, ingenuity, vision and achievements in her quest to realize humanity’s noblest and vital aspirations.

Thus, the birth of her educational intervention, ‘My Dream Scholarship Programme’ a branch of the Rosula Foundation, with the sponsorship of University education, thereby sparing the society of the untoward emergence of criminal elements who ordinarily could not attain such educational status due to exorbitant school fees. The scholarship scheme which took off 25 years ago, in 1998, commenced with the sponsorship of students in Federal Government institutions. However, inconsistent academic calendar cum incessant ASUU strikes prompted the foundation in the early 2000’s to seek for educational institutions that ran a stable academic calendar.

This birthed the era of partnerships with private universities in Nigeria, with the Igbinedion University Okada (I.U.O) now having over 2000 indigent graduate students. Currently, the Foundation has 21 students under her sponsorship at the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Eki; 68 students at Mkar University, Mkar-Gboko, Benue State; and Crescent University, Abeokuta, where she also has 61 Scholarship beneficiaries, 15 Candidates studying at Kolar Daisi University, Ibadan, also under the scheme the foundation has 17 and 22 students in Wellspring University and Benson Idahosa University, both in Edo State respectively and just recently Lead City University, Ibadan and Light House University, Edo State was added to the list of Partner institutions.

All in different fields of study including but not limited to: Medicine, Law, Engineering, Pharmacy, Nursing, etc. A feat that earned her the conferment of Lifetime Award by the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) in October 2023, for being the “single largest provider of scholarships to male and female students in Nigeria private universities for over 10 years. The Rosula Foundation is also currently interfacing with the Igbinedion University Okada (I.U.O) towards the establishment of the first ever Executive Business School, in the South of Nigeria – The IGBINEDION UNIVERSITY OKADA _ ROSULA EXECUTIVE BUSINESS SCHOOL (IUOREBUS) for the awards of Doctorate Degrees in Business Administration, whose curricular contents and superlative lecture deliveries will be second to none amongst Universities in Black Africa.

The Memorandum of Agreement (M.O.A) is already in place, and the building complex for the School is near completion. Other humanitarian and Philanthropic interventions of this ebulliently, elegant African Iron Lady includes but not limited to; the construction of a massive twin structure at Ogida Police Mobile Barracks; while four other existing blocks at the Barracks were rehabilitated with two Industrial Bore-holes, Perimeter Fencing, and Comprehensive Solar Lighting, idea/project finding of talented young entrepreneurs, food palliatives and small scale moni targeted at indigent women. It is for this unparalleled achievement in the area of education that the Vanguard Board of Editors unanimously agreed to make Princess (Dr) Rosemary Osula Mku-Atu a two time awardee of the prestigious Vanguard personality of the Year Award for philanthropy.