More than 140 students have been awarded scholarships to further their studies.
The scholarships were presented to the students at the 16th Chief Wole Olanipekun Scholarship award ceremony, which took place at the Ikere, Ekiti State home of the benefactor on December 1, 2012.
Olanipekun is an indigene of Ikere and the scholarship scheme is his way of giving back to the society.
Chief Olanipekun, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State and a former Nigeria Bar Association Chairman, is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Ibadan.
The award ceremony was well attended by royal fathers, dignitaries from across the country and the entourage from the University of Ibadan, led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof.Isaac Adewole, who was also the chairman of the occasion.
Adewole, in his welcome address, expressed appreciation to Chief Olanipekun for being magnanimous with the scholarship.
He stated that education is a tool for “national integration and potent weapon that can emancipate the citizenry from the vicious circle level of poverty.”
Adewole also reiterated the commitment of the University of Ibadan to assist the students in the pursuit of their education ambition.
He said: “I with the team from UI, including our principal officers and Deans, are here today to encourage you.
“To let you know that it is possible to attain your educational dreams.
“If we can do it, then you too can do it.
“We are ready to assist you, to show and interact with you on how you can get there because it is possible.”
Adewole urged Nigerians to emulate Chief Olanipekun.
Mr. S. Omoyeni, the chairman Board of Trustees of the Chief Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme, said more than 300 students from Ikere and other parts of the country have benefitted from the scholarship scheme, which was launched in 1997 to assist the financially poor students in the community.
The scholarships, according to the chairman, are awarded to secondary school students and undergraduates.
For the 16th edition, 45 students from Junior Secondary School 3 to Senior Secondary School 3 of Ikere origin were given scholarship.
Also, at the undergraduate level,100 students benefitted from the scheme.
A total of 17 law school students have also benefitted so far.
The scheme is also sponsoring a student studying abroad.
Meanwhile, four students from other states also benefitted.
Chief Olanipekun, while admonishing the students, encouraged them to take their studies seriously.
He also urged the government to allocate 50 per cent of the budget to education.
He said: “There is no point for any Nigerian government to devote 50 per cent of its budget to defence because we are not in a war situation.
“The only war we need to fight in Nigeria today is ignorance, which gives rise to corruption and amassing of wealth by our leaders.
“Nigerians are so fond of amassing wealth and corruptly enriching themselves because they have no properly delineated education and this is caused by poor standard of education in our country.”
Chief Olanipekun stated that quality education is the bedrock for development.
He added: “Education is the only tool that can destroy poverty and ignorance.
“Government can stop insecurity and other social vices by giving quality education to the citizens.
“We are where we are today because we benefitted from the free education scheme of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
“This scheme is my way of contributing to the society.”
Prof. Olu Agbedana of the Department of Chemical Pathology of the University of Ibadan delivered the lecture at the event.
In the lecture, entitled “Secondary School Education’s Steady March to Decay or Decline: What Role for Boarding School System in Reversing the Decay?,” Agbedana said: “Boarding schooling must be restored to secondary schools as a deliberate police as only full restoration of proper boarding system in secondary schools will restore quality secondary education in the country.”