Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Solomon Bonu, on Sunday gave out N6 million as tuition fees to over 200 newly admitted Badagry indigenes in tertiary institutions in Lagos States
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that 25 other students who performed excellently also received between N30,000 and N100,000 as bursaries, depending on their academic performance.
NAN also reports that each of the newly admitted students, who received N30,000, are from Lagos State University, Lagos State Polytechnic and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto-Ijanikin.
Addressing the beneficiaries during the event, tagged “Bonu Sanwo Tinubu Education Support Initiative,” the governor’s aide said the gesture was aimed at building a solid education foundation for Badagry indigenes.
“I benefited from Kiki Whenu bursary award when he was the Chairman of Badagry Local Government then.
“I received a cash of N5,000 as bursary award then and used the money to buy many things for myself.
“Since then, I promised that if I find myself in public office, I will reward students with bursary or scholarship awards.
“In 2020, when I gave out cheques to many students, I promised that any student that performed excellently will also be rewarded.
“I am happy to tell you that today, through our monitoring, more than 20 students that performed excellently are here again to receive money for their fees,” Bonu said.
Dr Paul Thovoethin, Chairman of Committee on the initiative, said that the award cut across the three councils in Badagry.
“When 250 students of Badagry benefited in 2020, I asked the special adviser if the initiative will continue this year, but I’m happy to see that this is happening again today.
“To God be the glory, we are giving out tuition scholarship to over 200 students again this year, including those that performed extraordinarily,” he said.
Dr Henry Hunjo, a lecturer from LASU, who was the guest speaker, urged the students to shun cultism and drug abuse and get the best knowledge out of university education.
“Your success begin when you enter university and also your failure also begin when you enter,” he said.
In his remarks, Royal Father of the Day, Oba Sulaiman Raji, the Oniba Ekun of Iba, Lagos, said he was impressed with the initiative.
“This is the first time I am witnessing a single person contributing to payment of indigent students and I am so glad about it.
“Today, I am contributing a token of N1m as my own part of the initiative.
“I am using this medium to appeal to well meaning Badagry people to key into the initiative to assist parents who don’t have much to finance their children’s education.
“Many students have opted out of tertiary institutions due to lack of funds,” he said. (NAN)
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