Makeni — Fullah progressive union (FPU) in the Bombali district has awarded scholarships to twenty secondary school students in Makeni.

The ceremony was held at the union's tentative office on 4 Kojo Street where over 500 Fullah and community people gathered to witness the ceremony.

Gibril Massie Bah director centre for democracy and human rights and guest of honour spoke on the importance of education and said that he was happy that the Fullah people have now realized the importance of education.

He reminded them of the education Act 2004 and the child rights Act 2007 saying they should team up to discourage the idea of sending their children into early marriages in the name of culture; a act he said was common among the Fullahs.

"Culture is not static, but dynamic," he added.

Bah further stated that the Fullah people were the wealthiest in Sierra Leone and should use their riches to educate their children.

He promised to work with the union in the promotion of education among the Fullah people, especially the girl child.

Sulaiman Bah, FPU chairman in the district, stated that this year's awards were only limited to children whose parents were FPU members but couldn't afford to pay their school fees.

Bah vowed to extend these awards to other vulnerable and needy children of other tribes by next academic year.

Councilor Sento Conteh of the Makeni city council said she was very excited and hoped that other tribes could emulate the good example of the FPU, especially in the promotion of education in the northern region of the country.

Chernor Sheriff Bah, the Fullah tribal headman in the Bombali district, recalled that the union started way back in the early 1970s and it was formed on the basis of Fullah unity and solidarity.

He said FPU it was a tribal organization which is non-political and one that seeks to promote and protect the cultural, social welfare of the Fullah people.

Pa Bah said that the union has awarded scholarships to university students before it collapsed during the war.

He thanked the organizers for reviving the union and promoting the same ideals.

Musa Jalloh is a JSS 1 student of the St. Francis Secondary School and is one of the beneficiaries.

He said he was very grateful to the Union, but hoped that the programme would be sustained and extended to other needy children in the district.