In a bid to support the education efforts of the governments of Kwara and Osun states,Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali SAN through his foundation, Yusuf Olaolu Ali Foundation, has donated 20,000 copies of customized exercise books to indigent students in both states.
Speaking during the presentation of 10,000 exercise books to the Kwara state commissioner for Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Hajia Sa’adat Modibbo Kawu, and other officials of the state government in Ilorin at the weekend, Ali (SAN) said that the gesture was aimed at complementing efforts of the state government on education development and to ease plight of the poor.
The legal icon, who said that the foundation was committed to education development, added that the organisation is dedicated to development of humanity through improvement of quality of life of Nigerians.
He said,”The Foundation was founded by this servant of Allah, in 2009, to formalize the various intervention to indigent citizens of Nigeria, with special focus on areas of healthcare, education, enlightenment and feeding of the poor, to mention but a few.
“The Foundation has taken practical steps in its different areas of intervention to ease the plight of the poor. In the area of healthcare for instance, the foundation has built a Trauma Center, a Renal Dialysis Centre, renovated a part of a General Hospital and assists over 600 patients to settle hospital bills within and outside of Nigeria over the years.
” In education, the Foundation awards annual scholarships to a specified number of students in Ilorin, Kwara state and Ifetedo Osun state. It has also built E-Resource Centre, E-Library and hostels in several higher institutions of learning in the country.
“It also has an annual scholarship to pay the WAEC and NECO fees of 50 indigent students of Ibadan Boys’ High School in Ibadan and also supports indigent Law students to settle part of their law school fees, to mention but a few.
“Today we are handing over 10,000 exercise books to the Government of Kwara State, to be distributed among students in the State, as the
Honourable Commissioner for Education may deem fit. It is our hope that this little effort will ginger and galvanize better endowed persons to also contribute to the development of education in Nigeria”.
Also speaking, the state commissioner for Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Hajia Sa’adat Modibbo Kawu, appreciated the organization for the gesture, which she said would assist the government, indigent students and their parents.
The commissioner, who said that donations from corporate organizations and individuals had reduced in recent past, especially, after COVID-19 interventions, added that the donation by the Yusuf Olaolu Ali Foundation would complement efforts of the state government on education.
She disclosed that the exercise books would be distributed majorly to rural areas in the state, and she
She prayed to God to enable the donor to with more ideas to benefit humanity.
Hajia Modibbo however asked for more support like Oliver Twist because the government alone cannot do everything needed by the residents because of limited resources.
She said,”This donation truly mean a lot to us,not only in the ministry but as a government. We all know what the economy is saying, there have been complaints about inability to pay school fees.
” So,this kind gesture will go far in assisting the parents and guardians in the educational pursuit of their wards.We therefore thank you immensely for this kind donation. I will direct that these books be given to children in the rural areas for obvious reasons.
” Like Oliver Twist, will be asking for more because government alone cannot do all because of the limited resources, we will therefore appreciate further intervention sir.”
