Kunle Adelabu & Mariam Akinloye
-Launches ICT, Library, honour personalities
A total of 35 students in various higher institutions; that are either indigenes or residents of Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ikorodu Division, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, have been granted scholarship by the Ijede Development Foundation (IDF), a body established for the socio – economic development of Ijede, with focus on education.
Five of the beneficiaries are distinction students, while 15 were selected from the old beneficiaries that are still maintaining the approved grades.
Beneficiaries were presented with the awards at the 7th Scholarship Award, Quiz/Debate & Public Lecture and Launching of Librray & Computer Training Centre, held at the TBT Event Centre, Ijede, on Saturday, October 22, 2022.
The lecture of this year’s event, which was themed,“Between a Living Identity and An Existing Name: An Exisatential Choice In Overcoming the Problem Of Community Underdevelopment”, was delivered by Dr Fatai Oriyomi Asodun of the Department of Philosophy, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos.
In the debate final that was held at the event, where students from various schools participated and proved their high intellectual capacity in the the topics they were engaged in, Abule Eko Community Senior Grammar School, Ijede, emerged winner with 114% after a stiff competition from the two other schools in the final.
In what was another close call between the three schools in the junior category final of the debate, Alake College, ljede, emerged the winner with 98%, while Lofty Brain Nursery/Primary School, Ijede, won the primary school category with 106%.
For the quiz competition where winners had been decided before the event, Alake College, Luwasa Junior High School and Powerfield Nursery/Primary Schools, emerged winners in the senior secondary, junior secondary and primary schools categories, respectively.
Two prominent sons of Ijede – Hon. Fathiu Jimoh Salisu, former Chairman, Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Alhaji Bashiru Akinwande Saminu (CAN, FCTI), retired Assistant General Manager (AGM) (AUDIT), Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), have been honoured by the Ijede Development Foundation (IDF), were honoured at the event for their impacts on the community and achievements.
Also honoured are Late Alhaja Musbat Ajike Yekinni, former IDF Treasurer and Late Hon. Shakiru Olawale Elesho, former Special Adviser to the Ijede LCDA Chairman.
Meanwhile, in his address, Alhaji Fola Salu, the IDF Chairman, said that the IDF scholars have risen to 80 from 10 that the group started with, while commending donors for their support.
He charged beneficiaries to study and work towards being employers of labour that would create opportunities for others.
Dr Fatai Oriyomi Asodun, of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Lagos, delivering the annual lecture at the 7th Scholarship Award, Quiz/Debate & Public Lecture and Launching of Librray & Computer Training Centre, held at the TBT Event Centre, Ijede, on Saturday, October 22, 2022.
“The number of our sponsors has continued to be on the increase from ten (10) scholarship awards at the beginning in 2014 to over Eighty this year. We owe our sponsors debt of gratitudes, and like Oliver Twist, we appeal for more sponsors as we have more challenges ahead and our endeavour to provide the best and unparalleled support to our promising students”, he said
“Permit me to remark that the present students are now more fortunate than before, to benefit from a lot of scholarship opportunities now being offered. No doubt, this is another avenue to alleviate their parents and themselves of financial burdens and l hope they will take full advantages of all these privileges to the fullest. My second advice is for them to have a plan B approach along the line and be mindful of unemployment challenges after their education.
“Please, be prepared to be self-employed and eventually become an employer of labour”.
The IDF Chairman explained that out of the 23 students that applied for the scholarship, 20 met the grades set by the IDF for the award, adding that other existing 15 benefitting students with good grades made the cut, taking the total number for this year’s scholarship awards to 35.
“For this year’s Bursary awards, written tests and interviews were conducted to screen candidates on Saturday, 17th September, 2022, at Anwarul Islam Primary School, Ijede. While 23 students attended the exam, only 20 students met our requisite grades”, Alhaji Salu said.
“In line with our tradition, the remaining 15 awards for today were selected from the old awardees through verification of their current performances in their various institutions of learning.
“Today IDF shall present thirty- five (35) awards and also prizes for the quiz and debate competition in three categories: primary school, junior secondary school and senior secondary school. The preliminaries for the competition, which were held at Ijede LCDA hall on Saturday, 24th September, 2022, produced the finalists that would thrill us today.
“Let me appreciate our additional sponsors who, despite the current economic realities, were still able to encourage IDF by identifying with this laudable programme. We are indeed very grateful”.
The Chairman also acknowledged the decision of one of the previous beneficiaries of the IDF scholarship to also start sponsoring scholars in the name of his late brother.
“I am happy to report that one of the beneficiaries of this foundation, Mr Abriu Musiliu (Jnr), is making history today by being the first old awardee to be so grateful to this noble course and be a proud sponsor of one scholarship awards in memory of his late brother, Captain Babajide Abriu (PhD) who paid the supreme price for defending his beloved country in the cruel hands of Boko Haram. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.(Amen)”, he said while commending the old scholarship awardee for his initiative.
“This is, indeed, a welcome development for being on the good side of history, and a challenge to other recipients, so that together, we can keep the flag flying to higher level”.
On behalf of the IDF, the Chairman also thanked Club 63 in Ijede for the donation of a building which the foundation will be using as a the Library/ICT centre.
“Our gratitude to Club 63, Ijede, has no bounds for the precious gift of a building to IDF as our Secretariat. Hence, in the general interest of this community and the students, members of this foundation resolved to utilise the building for a mini library and free ICT centre to promote intellectual and human development”, Alhaji Salu said.
“This is the centre we shall launch today and we passionately solicit for your full support on this project for God and humanity .
The Chairman of the occasion, Dr Ganiy Agbaje, fni, who is the Director , NARSDA, Abuja, while launching the Library/ICT centre, commended the initiative of the IDF, and charged residents and corporate organisations to support the group in achieving its obajectives.
He also charged beneficiaries of the scholarship awards to appreciate the community investment on them by ensuring that they maintain academic excellence and impact positively on the community.
Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, former Commissioner for Physical Planning & Urban Development, who was a special guest of honour, also commended the community for its efforts in supporting the educational development of its students through scholarship and making a Library/ICT centre available.
Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba, while pledging the council’s support to the IDF, also called on the corporate bodies and well – meaning individuals to support the group.
She was represented by Hon. Femi Kabir Kareem, Vice Chairman of the council.
The guest speaker, Dr Fatai Asodun, in his lecture, called for renewal of the family unit in line with the Chinese doctrine of rectification of names, to bring back the collapsed value system.
“It is against this anomaly that I canvass for the renewal and re- ordering of the family unit through the Chinese Confucian doctrine of rectification of names”, the University don said.
“The doctrine of the rectification of names states that things should conform or be made to agree with the implication attached to their names. In other words, things should be made to actualise their ideal essence. When this principle is injected into the familyhood, a father shall be expected to judiciously play the roles of a father as his status demands. A mother and the children will follow suit so that the family can experience harmony and progress.
“The family unit is vital in Chinese culture and the overall development of the society. Parents are highly committed to the training of their children and when they perform below expectations in this duty, they lose their dignity, respect, and honour in society. A child is also trained in the duty of safeguarding their family name and honour. Family grooming is thus taken seriously. Can we really beat our chest in the affirmations that we have been real fathers and mothers?”, Dr Asodun asked rhetorically.
While stating that parent whose value system is grounded on Omoluwabi principles, will have little problem inculcating this value in their children and breeding morally upright family with a good name.
Prof. Asodun also added that the community is expected to benefit positively in such situation.
He also advocated for justice within the society, stating that if that exists, “Everyone will live and not merely exist, and with their names written in gold. The problem of underdevelopment will simply fizzle out. The story of Ijede LCDA is right here before us; the choice is ours to be a living participant or a mere existing entity in its drama”, he concluded.
Adetola Makanjuola Yusuf, a student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Lagos (UNILAG), who was one of the scholarship beneficiaries, said:
“It’s really wonderful and I am glad that I received this money. Actually, I am in 500level and this is my first time of receiving it. I am glad I receive this award because the cash prize is coming at the time I needed the money to do something. I appreciate the sponsors and the members of the IDF. I say a very big thank you to them”.
Another beneficiary who is a student of Medicine of Physiology, College of Medicine, Lagos State University, Adeyinka Raheemot Oremipo, also speaking after being awarded the scholarship, said:
“This scholarship is one of the best things that have ever happened to anybody. It is going to give me a lot of reasons to further my education and it’s going to be a financial support to a lot of us. Ijede Development Foundation (IDF) has given us a lot of support to further our education”, she said.
“We should just keep pushing no matter what”, she added.
Also, Abriu Adijat Adebimpe, a student of Estate Management and Evaluation, Lagos State University of Technology (LASUTECH), formerly Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), who is also an awardee, in her own remarks, said:
“I just want to thank the organizers of this programme. It is not easy when you are impacting on younger ones in the society. I just want to say thank you to the organizers of this program and I really want to encourage other students just like myself, to do more at school so that we can also be among the organisers later in future”, she said.
Okuta Christiana, a student of University of Benin, also speaking on the scholarship award given to her, said:
“I am very happy and honoured about the award giving to me. I am also very surprise too because I was not expecting it”.
Gifts presentation to a school at the event.
