Kunle Adelabu with Joy Fasunon & Orebajo Bolutife (SIWES Students)
The Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited (IDPIL), a divisional initiative which has been making giant stride in education, security, health and provisions of infrastructures, has disclosed that a total of 650 students have so far benefited from its educational support through scholarship and bursary in the last three years.
The body has also expended a total sum of N70million in supporting both indigenes and residents who are studying different courses across various public higher institutions in Nigeria.
While the intervention was N20million each in the first two years, the endowment was increased to N30millon this year.
Among the 263 beneficiaries this year, a total of 24 students were awarded Scholarship of N200, 000 each, while 150 students got N100, 000 in Bursary I category and 89 students received N50, 000 each in Bursary II category, at a well – attended ceremony held at the Ultra – Modern Ikorodu Town Hall, Ikorodu, on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
In its bid to make more students benefit from the annual scholarship award, IDPIL Chairman, Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya SAN, announced further increment for next year’s edition which was put at N50millon.
Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola, Chairman, IDPIL Scholarship and Bursary Award Committee, in her address, said that the IDPIL’s scholars are excelling in their academic pursuits.
“Today, we announce with deep appreciation and grateful heart – the IDPIL Annual Scholarship/Bursary Award has supported approximately 650 students over the span of 3 years since its inception in 2022. Since its commencement, we have been blessed with diverse and talented students of immeasurable intelligence, skill, brilliance, and originality.
“With the support of the Scholarship /Bursary, these students have been able to focus on their academic and excelling without concern about the resources required to make their diverse ambitions a reality.
“They have already begun to weave themselves into the very fabric of our society, and fast becoming leaders and beacons showing other students what the Nigeria youths are capable of when they set their minds to task’’, Hon. Akinsola said.
She announced that some of the students that have been benefitting from the educational intervention have been graduating in flying colours.
“To speak to their achievements, we have already started to see the result of their hand work. One of our beneficiaries, Miss Toheebat Tiletile, just graduated from the Lagos State University with a Distinction in Education Management. Isn’t this poignant and called for celebration?
“She went above and beyond to excel in Education Management, as if to emphasize the extreme importance and relevance of education to the soul of our communities , the soul of our nation.
“We are also excited to mention the achievements of Dr Abraham Alowonle , Dr Zainab Oladunni and Dr Kafayat Eyiowu. Yes, these three medical doctors have just graduated from LASU and were recipients of this scholarship/Bursary.
“It gladdens me that at this grassroots level , this event is producing even doctors at a time when we know that our country is experiencing limited medical professionals in our Health Industry . That’s just to mention a few beneficiaries who are already making their academic dreams a reality”, she said.
The Executive Secretary of the IDPIL, Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, also lauded the impacts of the scheme on Ikorodu, while emphasizing the importance of education to societal and the nation – building.
“I am proud to say that, so far, a total of 650 undergraduates have benefitted from our scholarship and different categories of bursary awards. This gesture has started yielding the expected positive returns, through outstanding performances of our undergraduates from various higher institutions of learning across the country.
“As clearly enshrined in our SHEER development agenda, education remains a fulcrum upon which the growth and development of any society rest upon. Consequently, the IDPIL bursary and scholarship award will remain a great pillar of support and strategic partner-in – progress for our brilliant and indigent students across the division”, he said.
Otunba Abiru also assured royal fathers in the division and other stakeholders, that IDPIL will also pursue the implementation of its other agendas in security, health and others.
“While consistently investing in the educational development of our students, let me assure all our royal fathers and distinguished guests that IDPIL has remained focused and committed to pursuit and fulfilment of other pillars of our SHEER development agenda covering security, health (education),environment and road rehabilitations.
He listed some of the projects that the group has executed of recent and those that are currently ongoing.
“Recently, we performed the formal ground-breaking ceremony of a multi -billion naira Adewunmi Ogunsaya Renal Centre, at the General Hospital, Ikorodu. This is in tandem with one of our development pillars, in the health sector.
“Similarly, we also recently donated one 40 KVA generator and three (3) units of spilt unit air -conditioner to the Nigerian passport office, Igbogbo, in order to enhance their effectiveness and efficient service delivery, while we have also produced street lights for one of the largest streets in Imota, and renovated one of the oldest primary schools in Oreta”, he said.
Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Fatai Ola Lasisi, commended IDPIL for sustaining the award for the students, and charged the group to sustain its intervention in education and un other areaas of th division.
While congratulating the recipients, Alhaji Lasisi added that they should use it as motivation that they needed to excel.
“My heartiest congratulations to those of you who will be receiving the scholarship and bursary awards today.
“This award is testament to all the hard work you have put in, together with the support of your family members and teachers who nurtured and guided you on your learning journey. I pray that the awards that you will bless what you are receiving today, and will brighten your pathway, ahead of you.
“I believe that it is not where you come from, but how you move forward (especially through education) that plays an important role in paving the way to success”, he said.
Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), who was a Special Guest of Honour at the event, commended the investment that the IDPIL is making in ⁶education of the youths.
He pledged NELFUND’s support towards the initiative.
In his royal remarks, HRM Oba Kabir Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, also lauded the group for its impacts in the last three years.
While charging beneficiaries of the awards on the need to focus on their studies, the royal father also charged the generality of lkorodu students in higher institutions, to take advantage of the loan initiative of President Bola Tinubu, by applying for NELFUND.
Some of the beneficiaries of the scholarship and bursary awards that spoke with THE IMPACT, expressed their excitement at the support.
Ololade Adesola, a 300 level student of University of Lagos, who was among the beneficiaries for this year, said:
“I feel so excited. It just tells me that I am not alone in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence and that, there is reward for being good.
“It is going to push me forward to still keep on maintaining a good grade and aim for First-Class in my academics. I am also going to encourage other to strive for excellence in what they do. Truly, there is reward for being good and this is one as an example”, he said.
Another beneficiary, Adeyemi Eniola Sarah, a 300 level medical student of University of Lagos, also expressed happiness at the award which she said will motivate her towards achieving her academic goals.
“I am very appreciative and happy for the scholarship, because with this, I am motivated to achieve my academic goals without having to worry about financial burden. I am very grateful to Ikorodu Division for this. I pray that God will continue to bless the organisers.
“I am in medical school in year three, so, I have four more years to go. I am really grateful because the scholarship is going to help me every year of my schooling which means it will assist me in becoming a doctor. I am very grateful for the support for me to become a doctor and I can give back to the community that gives me support.
“To IDPIL, I say a big thank you. To all the financiers and scholarship committee which just increased the money to N50 million, God bless them all”, she said.
At the award presentation were other royal fathers, eminent individuals and parents among others.
