By Esther Onyegbula

In a major push to improve access to education, the lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr. Bonu Solomon, on Monday disbursed over ₦20 million in bursaries and scholarships to 350 indigent students under the Bonu Education Support Initiative (BESI).

At the Fourth Edition of the scheme, tagged “Bonu Sanwo Tinubu Bursary and Scholarship Scheme,” Dr. Bonu said the financial intervention was aimed at easing the burden of tertiary education on vulnerable families and encouraging academic excellence among students in the district.

“Today, more than 350 students across the three local government areas in Badagry will go home with ₦50,000 or ₦100,000 depending on their academic standing and field of study,” Bonu said during the well-attended ceremony in Badagry. “We started this initiative four years ago with ₦30,000 and ₦50,000 grants. It’s growing, just like our commitment to the future of our youth.”

The highest awards, ₦100,000 each, were given to students with a Grade Point Average of 4.0 and above, while others received ₦50,000. Notably, five first-class graduates were placed on a monthly stipend of ₦50,000 until they secure employment.

Dr. Bonu dedicated the programme to the memory of late Dr. Sunny Ajose, a revered Lagos APC chieftain, describing him as a firm believer in youth empowerment through education. “Even on his deathbed, he reminded me to never forget the students,” Bonu said emotionally. “That encouragement still drives me.”

The event also witnessed substantial support from traditional rulers, with Oba Adesina Raji (Oniba-Ekun of Iba) donating ₦2 million, Oba Oyekan Adekanmi (Alapa of Apa Kingdom) giving ₦1 million, and Oba Olu Kosoko (Oniworo of Iworo) contributing ₦500,000 to the initiative.

Prof. Paul Thovoetin, a lecturer at Lagos State University and Chairman of the BESI selection committee, revealed that over 600 students applied for this year’s edition. After a rigorous vetting process, 350 met the criteria.

“When we started with 150 students, we didn’t imagine the reach this initiative would eventually have,” Thovoetin said. “The academic bar has also been raised, we’re now rewarding high achievers with bigger grants.”

In his keynote address, Prof. Henry Hunjo, another academic from Lagos State University, urged beneficiaries to remain disciplined and focused, describing education as the most sustainable path to societal transformation.

Also lending his voice, Mr. Abiodun Hundeyin, a retired Deputy Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, called on prominent community leaders to rally around the initiative. “The development of Badagry is tied to the empowerment of our youth,” he said.

Representing the beneficiaries, Miss Finayon Bamgbose, a 300-level undergraduate, expressed gratitude to the lawmaker. “Since I started my university journey, this support has always come through for me. It means a lot.”

The scholarship scheme is widely seen as one of the largest privately-sponsored education support programmes in Lagos’ Badagry Division and is expected to continue annually.