ASUU AWARDS N1.1M SCHOLARSHIPS TO 11 INDIGENT UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN STUDENTS

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, University of Ibadan branch, has awarded scholarships worth N1.1m to 11 indigent students of the institution in Oyo State.

The awards, presented on Thursday, comprised N200,000 each for two students sponsored by the union’s national body, N100,000 each for five beneficiaries supported by the university branch, and N50,000 each for four students sponsored by a professor at the institution, Tajudeen Akanji.

Speaking during the presentation of cheques at the union’s congress, the Vice-Chairman of UI-ASUU, Dr Tayo Ajibade, who represented the branch chairman, Dr Adefemi Afolabi, said 56 students had applied for the scholarship, but only 11 met the requirements.

He said the initiative followed a directive from the union’s national leadership urging its chapters to provide financial support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“The urge to support indigent students was the directive of the national body of the union to all chapters to support in a little way, children from indigent homes who really need financial support.

“ASUU has been championing improved funding to ensure that qualitative education is not out of the reach of the children of the masses in Nigeria. So, poverty should not disqualify a Nigerian child from accessing education,” Ajibade said.

The beneficiaries included Olawale Esther Inioluwa, a 300-level student of Archaeology and Anthropology in the Faculty of Arts, and Orji Cynthia Adaeze, a 300-level Political Science student in the Faculty of Social Sciences, who received N200,000 each.

Others who received N100,000 each were Dosunmu Mazeedah Omobonike of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Oyeniyi Oluwaseyi, a 400-level Pharmacy student, Aanuoluwa Adeshewa Mary, a 400-level Physiotherapy student, and Ameenat Eniola of the Department of Economics.

Olowode Afusat Temitayo was also listed among the beneficiaries, receiving N50,000.

The four students whose N50,000 awards were sponsored by Akanji were Ogundare Marvellous, Williams Happiness of the Department of Psychology, Oladepo Peter Olamide of the Department of Microbiology, and Gbadegesin Daniel, a 400-level Banking and Finance student.

Ajibade said the union recognised education as a vital tool for improving lives, adding that many students were struggling financially to remain in school.

“Our union has recognised that the best gift that you can give to anyone is education. We are aware of the challenges in our society because we realise that a lot of our students are struggling to survive in school, and we want to find a way to support them in our little way,” he said.

He added that the union would continue to advocate improved funding and quality education while supporting brilliant students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

One of the donors, Professor Tajudeen Akanji, said he would continue supporting indigent students for as long as he lived.

He recalled growing up as the son of a carpenter before rising to the peak of his career, saying his experience had reinforced his belief in the transformative power of education.

Speaking with journalists after receiving her award, Olawale Inioluwa expressed surprise and gratitude, urging other students to take their studies seriously and prioritise academic excellence.

“I was not even expecting it. What I will say to UI students is that they should make sure they take their academics very seriously because the number one thing we came to the university for is academics,” she said.

Also speaking, Oladepo Olamide appreciated the national leadership and the University of Ibadan branch of ASUU for introducing the scholarship initiative, describing it as an encouragement for students to work harder.

He urged his colleagues to remain committed to their studies to benefit from similar opportunities.