Senator Sharafadeen Alli has paid WAEC fees for 48 students and awarded scholarships to eight undergraduates across the Oyo South Senatorial District.
The presentation was held on Thursday in Ibadan during the second edition of the Awards and Presentation of Scholarship Programme, organised by the Good Governance and Development Initiative (GGDI) in collaboration with Senator Alli.
Senator Alli said he was fulfilled that the initiative now runs in 20 centres and continues to positively impact young students while gulping millions of naira in personal sponsorship.
He expressed joy that participants of the maiden edition are now undergraduates, saying the success proves the effectiveness of the intervention and encourages further expansion in scope.
“I give glory to God that we are having the second edition today. It has imparted quite a lot of people, from what I gathered from supervisors, teachers and even pupils.
“One of the good things about it is that we have some people who took part in the last one and are undergraduates today, which in effect means we are having an impact.
“We have also improved on it. On this second one, we have about 20 centres. Also, we have expanded the scope to include some other children.
“The feedback has been very impressive. We are planning to include undergraduates too, and these initiatives gulp millions of naira.,’’ he said.
Chairman of the Occasion, Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga, lauded the sponsor and organisers for grooming the future generation through education and urged beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously.
Adeaga said the programme was helping bridge gaps in the lives of indigent students, stressing that education could take anyone beyond life’s expectations with proper commitment.
“We particularly appreciate the parents and organiser. Children, this is an opportunity for you to turn things positively for yourself.
“I want to thank you for bridging the gap that exist in the lives of these children. ‘Education can take you to a place that is beyond expectation,’ he said.
Prof. Peter Olapegba, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Admin), University of Ibadan, commended Alli and GGDI, urging other Nigerians and organisations to emulate the impactful gesture, since government alone cannot fund education sustainably.
Olapegba, the guest lecturer, described education as a catalyst for national development, advising beneficiaries to remain focused, disciplined, and serious to maximise the rare lifetime opportunity.
“Other well-meaning people in the society should emulate what Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli and other organisations should also emulate CGDI. We must realise that the government alone cannot do everything.
“So organisations like this and individuals like the senator should actually come around to complement whatever government is doing. The government should prioritise education. A nation cannot develop beyond the level of its education.
“So, if you are talking of sustainable development, it means that you must provide access to functional education, not just access to school.
“My advice for the beneficiaries is that they should see this as an opportunity of a lifetime for them to make something out of their life. ‘They should embrace it; they should be serious; they should be focused so that they can become important people in life,’ he said.
Prof. Olayinka Omotosho, GGDI Coordinator, said the initiative was conceived to improve youth education and academic excellence in a society plagued by distractions and misinformation.
He said education remains the most sustainable form of empowerment and that the initiative continues to grow under the unwavering support of Senator Sharafadeen Alli.
Omotosho noted that the group’s mission of improving education, health and youth welfare in Oyo State has recorded tangible results through continuous, strategic intervention and partnerships.
“This initiative was born out of the need to improve youth education quality, regardless of societal pressures.
“Through our free holiday coaching programme, we aim to rebuild academic excellence and inspire responsible youths amid rising social distractions and misinformation.
The best and lasting empowerment is through education. No amount of other donations can compare to the life-changing impact educational empowerment brings to individuals and their communities,’’ he said.
Stakeholders and parents at the event commended the initiative, saying it had reignited hope and built a new path for academic achievement among underprivileged children across the district.
The eight undergraduates, who participated in the first edition, received N100,000 each in scholarships to support their ongoing tertiary education.
Beneficiaries include Sekinat Adewole of FCE Osiele, Ireoluwa Sogunle of KWASU, Moyinoluwa Onaolapo of FUTA and Abiodun Kolapo of UNIOSUN, all from Ibadan coaching centres.
From the Ibarapa zone, scholarship recipients include Rofiat Adeleke of LASU, Abiodun Okunlola of UNIOSUN, Ayomide Oyeyemi and Silas Adejumo, all from the University of Ibadan.
