Yayi awards 1,600 Scholarships, Bursaries to Students in Ogun West
By SODIQ Adeyemi
The federal lawmaker Sen. Adeola Yayi awarded scholarships, and bursaries to 1,600 students across the Ogun West senatorial district.
The event tagged “1st Yayi Scholarship/Bursary Award Programme” took place in the state’s Yewa South Local Government Area in Ilaro.
A board chaired by Professor Tope Popoola had selected the recipients from across the five LGAs of Ogun West.
The lawmaker, who is the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said he is determined to increase the number of beneficiaries annually, which would continue throughout his term as a senator representing the district.
Yayi also pledged to provide Yewa with the greatest representation ever.
Adeola said: “We will give you the best representation ever in the history of the Senatorial District.” I never had such an opportunity while I was in school and that is one of the factors that that necessitated this programme.
” This bursary award will run for the next four years. It is not a one-off thing. If, by chance, you missed the first batch, please do not hesitate to try again. The number of beneficiaries will increase on a yearly basis.”
He further explained that the programme, which was basically a form of assistance to brilliant students facing some financial challenges in the course of their studies, was facilitated in conjunction with the Teacher’s Registration Council of Nigeria and the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria.
The senator added that the scheme was equally in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the state mantra of ‘Building Our Future Together” of Governor Dapo Abiodun.
“Today, a total of 532 students spread across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education in different parts of the nation are to be awarded scholarships to the tune of N200,000 for university scholars, N175,000 for polytechnics, and N150,000 for colleges of education upon successful verification of their academic records in line with the set-out criteria and guidelines.
” I have also included a bursary award of N100,000 for 1,000 students of the senatorial district, distributed to all five local governments at 200 per local government,” Senator Adeola stated.
He, however, urged the beneficiaries not to spend the funds provided on frivolities but on the payment of their school fees and not on free money to buy phones, bags, and clothes.
“The whole idea was to assist your parents and to ensure that no brilliant student of Ogun West extraction drops out of school as a result of non-payment of school fees. I believe strongly that with this token, there will be some succour in alleviating the problems that could arise as a result of a recent increase in school fees across the nation.
“My motivation for this financial empowerment for the education sector is based on a vision that acknowledges the liberating role of good education in any kind of development,” he said.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Professor Abayomi Arigbagbu, lauded the initiative of the lawmaker for assisting students with financial challenges in furthering their education with ease.
Arigbagbu, represented by the Zonal Education Officer, Ilaro, Mrs. R.O. Adigun, equally advised the beneficiaries to take the scholarship and bursary awards to remain the best among their equals.
