No fewer than 236 students have received various cash donations under the Bunmi Babalola Foundation in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State to boost their academic pursuit.
The beneficiaries, drawn from secondary and tertiary institutions, were selected from the 11 wards of the council.
The breakdown of the donation showed that 81 undergraduates received the sum of N30,000 each, 34 final year SS3 students got N20,000 each, while 121 other categories of junior and senior secondary students received N7,000 each.
Sunday Babalola, the financier of the foundation, in a remark during the presentation at Omu-Aran City Complex, said the donation was his own way of giving back to the society.
He described education as the bedrock of meaningful socio-economic development, adding that the challenges presently facing the sector have gone beyond government alone to shoulder.
He stressed the donation was also meant “to address hardship, poverty, unemployment and crime,” as well as enhance access to qualitative education.
The philanthropist said that the monetary benefit was increased from N2 million to N4 million and extended to cover the entire council, so as to accommodate additional 96 beneficiaries.
Babalola said: “The report by UNESCO few years back that over 10 million Nigerian children were out of school was sad and devastating.
“With the current economic recession where many jobs have been lost and businesses shut down, it is not in doubt that the figure would have increased highly by now.
“This is not a good tale in our education sector, as education is the life-wire and development stimulus of every individual and nation.
“This gesture is another contribution of mine to societal wellbeing and development of the citizen of my state.”
The Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Charles Oladele Ibitoye, in a remark, expressed the community’s gratitude to the donor for the kind gesture.
He urged the students to reciprocate the gesture by being good ambassadors of the council and strive to achieve higher grades in their examinations.
Ibitoye also urged the students to shun cultism, hooliganism and other anti-social vices.
Chief Peter Oyinloye, President Omu-Aran Development Association, described the gesture as unprecedented in the history of the council.
Oyinloye urged other philanthropists, individuals and group to emulate the kind gesture.
The association president also expressed appreciation to the President and Founder of the Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo for his immense contribution toward the educational development of the community.
Oyinloye said: “It is on good record that Oyedepo not only donated N40 million toward the development of the community schools but is presently paying salaries of 12 teachers in the schools under his foundation,”
Oyinloye charged parents to always ensure adequate support for their children for them to acquire qualitative education.
Joseph Adeboye, who spoke on behalf of the parents, described the gesture as a morale booster in view of current economic recession.
Gabriel Opatola, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Irepodun Local Government chapter also lauded the donor’s gesture.
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