By Yinusa Ishola
Omu-Aran (Kwara) – Mr Sunday Babalola, the Founder, Bayo and Bunmi Foundation, Omu-Aran, Kwara, says the foundation has expended N30 million on award of scholarships to indigent students in the last five years.
Babalola disclosed this during the 2019/2020 edition of the scholarship award in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara on Thursday.
According to him, no fewer than 813 indigent students comprising those in secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the council have so far benefitted from the scheme, which is in its fifth year.
He said the scholarship scheme was his own way of giving back to the society, especially toward improving the academic capacity of the students to be productive.
“This gesture is in furtherance of our objective of promoting quality education of indigent students, who apparently deserve our helping hand as a foundation.
“By this initiative, we are within our own little space fulfilling the spiritual injunction of giving and this is the only thing God tells us to test Him with.
“May the total objective of this scheme be meaningfully embraced by the beneficiaries who we believe will be a great pride not only to their parents but our communities and Nigeria in future,” he said.
Babalola decried the degeneration in the standard of education in the country and the increasing out-of-school children in the country, saying the menace deserved urgent stakeholders’ intervention.
He said the annual scholarship’s monetary value of N5million was increased to N6million for the 2019/2020 edition with 291 beneficiaries as a way of expanding the scope of the scheme.
Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, the Olomu of Omu-Aran called on other blessed and charitable individuals to follow suit and develop education in the area.
Chief Jide Adebayo, the Eesa of Omu-Aran charged the benefitting students to always strive hard to excel in order to encourage and justify the efforts of the foundation in promoting education in the communities.
The Chairman of the scholarship scheme, Mr Olu Ajiboye, thanked the leadership of Omu-Aran Development Association (ODA) for its unrelenting support at all times.
He said that the application forms for the scheme was always available in Omu-Aran, Arandun, Oro and Ajasse-Ipo between August and September every year.
Chief Bisi Adeyemi, the National President, Omu-Aran Development Association (ODA) lauded the foundation and other similar initiatives for their giant strides, steadfastness and foresight.
He charged students to use the scholarship wisely by deploying it only for their educational development so that in future they could also institute same scheme for the benefit of humanity.
Mr Michael Oyedepo, the Principal of Government Secondary School, Omu-Aran, expressed the joy of all the principals in the council, saying that the unique and laudable scheme had reduced the rate of school dropouts due to lack of funds.
Malam Rasaq Ojewoye, the Irepodun Local Government Education Secretary, prayed for the continuity of the scheme and described it as marvellous, which had been complementing government’s efforts.
NAN reports that the breakdown of the award showed that students of tertiary institutions received N30, 000 each, while SS3 students, JSS2 students and other categories in the secondary level received, N20, 000, N14, 000 and N10, 000 respectively. (NAN)
