Kunle Adelabu
– Selection process very transparent – NYCN Coordinators
The Chairman of the House Committee on Public Account (State) and the representative of the Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Nurudeen Saka Solaja, has facilitated scholarship and bursary awards for the indigent students in the constituency.
About 200 students stormed the NS Car Wash, Itamaga, the venue of the screening exercise for the scheme, on Sunday (yesterday) when the exercise kicked off with applicants presenting their admission letters, LASSRA slip, letter from Oba, letter from the Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), birth certificate, WAEC/NECO results, 2 passport photographs and JAMB results.
Members of the screening committee for the bursary/scholarship comprises of the Students’ Union Presidents and their Deputies in the three LCDAs in Igbogbo/Bayeku, Ijede and Imota LCDAs of Ikorodu Constituency II and also Coordinators of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in the constituency.
Hon. Solaja said that he facilitated the schemes from the state government for students in his constituency because he felt the need to assist parents with their children and wards’ education.
“We feel that it is very necessary to assist our students, particularly their parents, with this new package. The new package in the sense that the state government intends to give the bursary and we want it to get directly to the beneficiaries and that is why we are facilitating the scheme for our constituency”, he said.
“That is why we are involved by purchasing the forms which are in two folds, there is one for bursary and the other for scholarship.
“The schemes are meant for any indigent students of Lagos origin who is in a higher institution. Such is entitled to apply and benefit once he can provide necessary requirements as proof and also meets the criteria.
“For scholarship, any student with a 3.5 GPA and above is automatically qualified. Post graduate and PHD students within Nigeria are also qualified for the scholarship.
“The rate also varies, if you are an undergraduate student with 3.5 and above, you are qualified for N200, 000 scholarship while MBA, Post Graduate and PHD students will get between N300, 000 to N400, 000 assistance from the government.
“You can see that those outside are more than 200 and they are still coming. The application is going to close tomorrow (today, Monday) or next tomorrow (Tuesday).
“For those who are still under graduates in higher institutions, they are entitled to between N30, 000 and N50, 000 bursary which is concurrent. They are going to benefit from it annually”.
He advised students and their parents to take advantage of the exercise by applying and presenting necessary documents for screening.
“My message to the students is to come for the screening. We have placed the advert for about three weeks, announcing the date the screening would commence and necessary documents that applicants are expected to present for clearance. So, I don’t want anybody to complain that they are not aware of it”, he charged.
“I want parents to encourage their children who are in higher institutions to come to our office for the screening”, he charged.
The lawmaker said that the bursary and scholarship are additions to his annual educational support for students in his constituency and other representative schemes for his people, while assuring that he is going to continue with his various people-oriented programmes.
Meanwhile, some of the beneficiaries and screening officials, while speaking with our reporter, have commended Hon. Solaja for facilitating the laudable educational support.
Adebogun Ruth Adejumoke, a resident of Imota LCDA and 200 level student of Caleb University, Imota, said that the schemes will greatly impact on students’ educational pursuits.
“This scholarship and bursary are going to help a lot of students. It will assist students in terms of their needs. It will also let their parents feel relaxed about some things that their children need in schools”, she said.
She thanked the lawmaker for facilitating the bursary and scholarship.
“I would like to thank him (Hon. Solaja) and give kudos to him because this kind of scholarship has not been happening before and he did a great job by making this opportunity available to lots of students in Ikorodu Constituency II”.
Wahab Latifat Olasunbo, a resident of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and a 100 level Health Education student in University of Lagos, said that the schemes will encourage students to work towards good grades.
“It’s an encouraging one. I think it will make most students be inspired and work more on their GP, because the difference between the bursary and the scholarship is huge. A student that gets bursary now because he or she did not have good grade would want to put in more efforts so as to also qualify for scholarship in subsequent editions”.
“So, I will urge my fellow students to work hard not necessarily for this one, but for other opportunities that are coming.
“These schemes will assist me in my academic pursuit in terms of enabling me to have the money to purchase some of materials that l need. We usually have to get many materias because I am doing volleyball, basketball and swimming and l have to get necessary equipment. This will, no doubt, enhance my academic performance”, she said.
Shoyiga Disu Latifat Taiwo, a resident of Ijede LCDA and HND 1 Accountancy student of the Lagos State Polytechnic, said that the gesture will be of immense assistance to the students.
“It is a very nice opportunity for indigenes like us. It is a very nice program that is well organized by the honourable.
“It will help us financially. In fact, 90% of it will help my academic financially and the remaining 10% will also help in a way or another.
“A very big thank you to the facilitator and every other person that are part of it”.
Yusuf Musa Adebowale, also a resident of Ijede LCDA and a 400 level Mechanical Engineering student in Lagos State University, in his own remarks, said that:
“To me, it will encourage many people in Ikorodu, especially those that have been discouraged in furthering their education. Many students really need the financial assistance to pay their school fees because, once school fees are settled, survival for students is manageable.
“I pray that the programme continues to enhance and encourage students in furthering their education”.
Abdul – Lateef Odusanya, the Co – ordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA branch, said that the process of selection is the most transparent while also commending the lawmaker for the gesture.
“From my own perspective, this is the most transparent process of getting students that are qualified for scholarship and bursary which is meant to ease academic pursuits”, he said.
“As a matter of fact, Hon. Solaja has done so well by bringing up this type of initiative. He has done very well.
“The point is that the honourable did not leave the programme in the hands of politicians, rather, he employed the services of youths and students’ leaders that know about it.
“It is a fantastic gesture as the bursary and scholarship are being given to our brothers and sisters that are doing well in their respective programmes in various higher institutions.
“It will go a long way in providing succour to the students in terms of giving a helping hand to them. With this, the students will have a sense of belonging and know that the government is actually thinking about them and their development.
“Education is the bedrock of development and students are always in anticipation of what the government will do for me in their academic pursuits. It is a welcome development which will go a long way to enhance their academic improvement”, he said.
The Coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ijede LCDA, Bello Idris, also described the process as very transparent.
“The process is very transparent and the documents that applicants were asked to produce are being verified physically and openly. Members of the screening committee also did thorough cross checking to ensure that these documents are genuine”, he said.
“The process is not in anyway biased and you will be cleared once you are able to present necessary documents that are genuine.
“This is a great opportunity for students of Ikorodu Constituency 2. It is a great opportunity that they have been yearning for so long. Though, they do receive bursary at the council level but it is not enough.
“I want to use this medium to appreciate our eyes in the constituency at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, for this opportunity that has been given to the students. Our students are happy about it”, he said.
