Two Law School students win scholarship

The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Monday presented scholarships to two Nigerian Law School students.
Saraki, while giving out cheques to the beneficiaries, said the gesture was in fulfillment of his electioneering promise to channel his pensions as former Governor of Kwara State into a scholarship fund for the benefit of brilliant but indigent students in the country.
Mohammed Abdullahi Tosin and Adamu Mohammed Ndakuku from Irepodun and Edu Local Government Areas of Kwara State respectively are the first set of beneficiaries from the scheme after graduating with First Class honours degree in Law from the University of Ilorin.
Saraki said the scholarship fund is meant as a social security to complement the existing state scholarship scheme.
He said the plan was also in furtherance of his belief that government alone cannot effectively cater for the needs of the people.
Saraki said: “It is also my belief that the best resource Nigeria has to propel her development is her human resource. The best brains in the world are in this country. Those who can change the course of Nigeria’s development and make it faster and in compliance with world standard are already here.
“Let me put it on record that since the commencement of payment of the pension, I have not drawn a single kobo from it. I have been waiting eagerly to decide on what programme to channel it into. Thank God, the idea of the scholarship programme came up during the last campaigns and here we are today.
“Today, the two people to whom we are presenting the scholarship awards made first class in Law, particularly in a world-rated University like our own University of Ilorin.
“This is the caliber of people for which this scholarship scheme is meant. We have deliberately ensured that the selection process is thorough and the standards to be met by beneficiaries are very high.
“Today’s occasion also symbolize a call on those who God has blessed with resources to help the less privileged ones in our society. We also need to eliminate the situation where lack of financial capability kill the dreams of many brilliant, creative and well-focused Nigerians.
“Or how do we explain a situation where students struggled to make first class in the law faculty of the university and lack of sponsorship will prevent them from becoming professional lawyers because they could not sponsor their training at the Nigeria Law School.”
While saying that the process to select other beneficiaries is ongoing, the Senate president urged Tosin and Ndakuku to work hard at the Nigerian Law School and come out with first class grades.
“They should make Kwara State in particular, and Nigeria, in general, proud by coming out with excellent results. They should remain focused, dedicated, hard working and forward looking,” he stated.
The beneficiaries thanked Saraki for coming to their aid as they said the scholarship will help them realise their lifelong dream of a qualitative legal education at the Nigerian Law School.