The family members late Benin billionaire and philanthropist, Captain Idahosa Okunbo, popularly known as Captain Hosa, on Thursday, fulfilled the promise made to honour their late father, as they gave out scholarships to 100 students drawn from public schools to mark the 64th posthumous birthday of the deceased.

The first child of the late billionaire and wife of the Olu of Warri, Olori Atuwatse III, while making the presentations in Benin urged the students to emulate the life of her late father, who she said was not born with a silver spoon but made it through hard work and determination.

She was flanked by her siblings, other family members and heads of schools, said “Captain Hosa was many things to many people. My father went to school in this city, my mother went to St Maria Goretti so I want to encourage you.

“He was one of the children in the family of eleven, his parents were teachers so he was not born with a silver spoon but through hard work dedication and determination, he rose to be a man of great impact and great value so I want you to take that as an encouragement.

“Look at him and know that this is the same Benin City that he grew up in and you are growing up in, you have all it takes to make it an impact on the society.

“We have touched one hundred lives today but I dare say we have touched a hundred thousand lives,” the Itsekiri Queen noted.

Speaking earlier, the Olori’s younger brother, first son of Captain Hosa Okunbo and Executive Director Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, Mr Osahon Okunbo, said Nigeria invested in his late father through earned scholarships and “he always referenced that to let people know that and wanted to always give back to Nigeria because of what Nigeria did for him and this is one way we can continue that and honour him”

The younger Okunbo urged the beneficiaries to immediately “begin to ensure that you are the best. Always give more than you take, try to be selfless and for every decision you take, always ask yourself how that decision will benefit your community.

“If all of us can do that, we will have a better state, we will have a better community and you will have embodied the values my father stood for.”

Captain’s younger brother, Kinsley Okunbo, in his short remark urged the beneficiaries to make proper use of the support in enhancing their educational pursuit.