Kunle Adelabu
It was a deafening atmosphere in appreciation of the Chairman, Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited and the Odofin of Ikorodu Kingdom, Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya, SAN, as he announced the increase in the IDPIL educational support funds for students in higher institutions from Ikorodu Division.
He made the announcement at the presentation of cheques to 263 beneficiaries of the IDPIL Scholarship and Bursary awards at the Ikorodu Town Hall on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
IDPIL started the educational support with N20million three years ago, and increased it to N30million this year only for the group to announce further increment at today’s event.
“We grant educational support every year in form of scholarship and bursary, and this is for the benefit of the youths that we want to assist”, Odofin Ogunsanya said.
“The idea has been very tremendous and interesting, and we are going to increase the endowment fund so that more youths can benefit.
“We are going to increase the fund from N30million to N50million”, he said.
Also speaking on the construction of a vocational centre by the IDPIL, Odofin Ogunsanya, said that the centre would admit 850 youths at a time and call for ideas on how to run the place from the public.
While appreciating institutions and individuals that have pledged their support, Odofin Ogunanya also stated that the skill centre would help in removing youths in Ikorodu, from the street.
“I have discussed something that we are doing with Tunde (Mr Tunde Sawyer, MD/CEO NELFUND) which is the building of a vocational educational centre with capacity to accommodate 850 trainees at a time.
“We have moved very far on it and we are not stopping.
“We are thankful to the University of Lagos for advising and supporting us on the project. We are also open to ideas.
“We actually wanted to use it for a secondary school, but due to the issue of insecurity, we decided to create a vocational centre to engage our youths in Ikorodu, and create jobs for them.
“Through this, we can remove them from the road to acquire skills in tailoring, IT and aluminum and other skills”, he said.
He said that the vocational centre would offered 32 skill courses.
“We have about 32 vocational courses that would be offered when it starts operation.
“Tunde has promised that he will give us any assistance when we are set to commence its operation”, he said.
The Chairman, MultiChoice Nigeria, also announced that support have been received for the equipment of the renal centre which he is building at the General Hospital, Ikorodu, through the IDPIL.
“On the renal centre that we are building at the General Hospital, Approxim and the Islamic Bank in England have got in touch that they will donate equipment and other support”, he said.
He commended the IDPIL and its security operatives for their efforts in safeguarding lives and properties.
“People are now sleeping with two eyes closed since there is no more insecurity. We now have night clubs and night lives.
“All our people are going to Lagos, are now here. There is no need to go outside again”, he said.
Again, Odofin Ogunsanya corrected that he is not the sole financier of the IDPIL, and commended other members and chieftains for their tireless efforts and commitment.
“I want to use this opportunity to correct a lot of misgivings. I am not the financier of the IDPIL. I have said these times without number. We are a group of committed people.
“Everybody in the IDPIL is a financier. We are all working towards the same goal and they are committed to this course. They all deserve our applause.
“They are not only involved in educational development, but other many areas and we have so many committees”, he said.
He also stated that he has not named the ongoing renal centre that the IDPIL is constructing at the General Hospital, Ikorodu, after himself, adding that if the centre is going to be named after anybody at all, it should be Olori Kudirat Shotobi who, according to him, made him to be committed to the project.
