By Adekola Afolabi
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A non-governmental organization, Akure Divisional Renewal Group (ADRG), has awarded scholarship to six indigent students drawn from six government secondary schools in Ondo State.
The President of the group and Olujigba of Ijigba community, Rev. Luyi Rotimi, explained that the gesture was to support and assist the present administration led by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in moving education forward in the state, saying that everything should not be left to government alone to do.
At the event in Akure, Rev. Rotimi who particularly congratulated the beneficiaries and their parents, equally called on relevant organisations to emulate the kind gesture so that more indigent students can enjoy education in spite of their financial limitations.
The beneficiaries were selected from the three Akure speaking local government areas including Akure North, Akure South and Ifedore. The six scholarship awardees are, Daramola Tobiloba from Ijapo High School; Oluwamodupe Mercy, Omooluorogbo Grammar School; Adeniyi Opeyemi, Ijo Mimo Oluwa High School; Oluwagbemiga Christiana, C.A.C Grammar School, Akure; Omoboyede Erica, Ejioba High School, Oba Ile, and Fasina Temitope from Anglican Grammar School, Ijare.
The President further explained that the scholarship award was to give back to the society what the society has given to the group, adding that he was once an indigent student who was given scholarship which freed him from encumbrances of financial embarrassment.
According to him, the programme was instituted last year to assist indigent students and encourage them to move forward in their educational pursuits, just as he charged the beneficiaries to see the gesture as an opportunity to up their game academically.
“As a point of uniting the citizens, schools were selected from the three Local Governments for this programme, while the standard used was the second term result for JSS3″. This is our own way of assisting the state government to move education forward in the state, as we are not expected to leave everything to the Government. The finances to fund the state programmes are hard to come by these days”, he stressed.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Lola Amuda, appreciated the rationale behind the laudable gesture, saying that the group had sown a seed that would be of immense benefit to not only the beneficiaries and their parents but the selected council areas and the state at large.
“You are being offered a big opportunity that will help you to accomplish your goals. This is not the time to relax but rather see this scholarship award as a challenge to excel against all odds and hoping that one day you will also be privileged to give back to the society”,, she added.
A University Don, Prof. Olu Aderounmu, encouraged parents to prioritize the education of their wards, while he urged them to stay away from the “education is a scam” syndrome in the society.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Daramola Tobiloba, who specially thanked the group for its humanitarian gesture, also said the sheer magnanimity would go a long way to ease their parents’ financial burdens, even as he promised not to misuse the rare opportunity extended to them.
