The Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, has awarded scholarships worth N300 million to 300 indigent but brilliant students of his district.
According to the Senator, the gesture, an improvement on last year’s event when he facilitated N200 million worth of scholarships for students of the district would reduce the illiteracy level in the area and boost the competence of youths in Western education.
Saliu, who spoke at the annual scholarship event in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, assured his people that investment in educational development would continue to be sustained as one of his legacies as a lawmaker, adding that a highly educated society would never breed banditry and other social menaces threatening the peace of the nation.
He said: “This initiative by me, and to my knowledge the first of its kind in the state, aims to break the financial barriers bedevilling our society and promote smooth access to quality higher education among brilliant but less privileged children in my district and beyond.
“The annual scholarship programme we launched last year with 200 beneficiaries has now expanded its reach under my unrelenting commitment to human capital development and youth empowerment.”
The Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, Prof. Binta Sulyman, announced the prompt payment of tuition fees to the beneficiaries in compliance with the rules and regulations of the designated higher institutions.
She emphasised that the scheme is strictly merit-based, stating that every recipient who scored 250 and above in the JAMB UTME was selected from across the four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kwara Central, Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, and Asa.
According to her, the scholarship will cover the tuition fees of the recipients from first year to final year, with the caveat that such tertiary institutions must be based in Kwara State.
“The goal is to create equal opportunities. These students have shown academic excellence, and we are determined to ensure that lack of finances does not hinder their dreams,” Prof. Sulyman said.
She urged the beneficiaries to remain focused, excel academically, and justify the investment made in their future.
The Secretary of the Committee, Comrade Yakub Ishowo, disclosed that the beneficiaries are already students of institutions such as the University of Ilorin, Kwara State University, Malete, Kwara State University of Education, Ilorin, and the University of Offa.
Ishowo added that a monitoring framework has been established to track their academic performances throughout their studies.
Some of the parents of the beneficiaries at the epoch-making event praised Senator Mustapha for the gesture, describing it as a life-changing intervention that would ease their economic burden in the educational pursuits of their children.
According to Sheikh Usman AbdulRahman Yasin, who spoke on behalf of the parents, many families would not have been able to afford university tuition due to the prevailing global economic recession.
“We pray for divine guidance and blessings upon Senator Mustapha for remembering the less privileged. This scholarship has brought relief to our homes,” the Islamic scholar said.
He also commended the merit-driven selection process, noting that it rewarded hard work and renewed hope across the community.
Representing the beneficiaries, Amirah Suleiman and AbdulAzeem Muhammed expressed joy and appreciation to the Senator, promising not to disappoint him or their families while benefiting from the scholarship.
They said the opportunity would go a long way in shaping their future.
