By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

As part of activities marking the 20th coronation anniversary of the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, the Shina Luwoye Foundation has awarded bursary awards to 50 students across tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

The beneficiaries, drawn from federal and state universities, schools of nursing, and colleges of education, received the support at a ceremony held at the Alake’s Palace in Abeokuta. The initiative was implemented in partnership with the ECOGAS LPG plant.

Presenting the awards, Oba Gbadebo lamented the high number of brilliant students who drop out of school due to financial constraints. He urged well-meaning Nigerians to support indigent students, noting that such interventions contribute significantly to national development.

“Many brilliant students have had to leave school because their parents could not afford their fees. Some who could have become great achievers end up taking menial jobs,” the monarch said. “If you see someone in need, deny yourself a little comfort and extend a helping hand. That is how advanced societies grow.”

Speaking with journalists, the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the foundation, Chief Shina Luwoye, said the bursary award aims to promote academic excellence while strengthening mentorship and corporate social responsibility among entrepreneurs.

He disclosed that, in addition to financial grants, the 50 awardees would benefit from structured mentorship programmes. The foundation, he added, plans to scale up the scheme to reach 300 students within the next five years.

“For this year, we are giving awards to 50 outstanding students from across Nigerian tertiary institutions,” Luwoye explained. “Sixty per cent of our operations are in Abeokuta, which is why the city remains a focal point of our community initiatives.”

Sharing his personal experience, Luwoye recalled being raised by a single mother, an experience he said shaped his commitment to supporting disadvantaged youths. He called on entrepreneurs, regardless of business size, to give back to their communities through infrastructure development, educational support and empowerment programmes.

“An entrepreneur must think about the needs of society,” he said. “Giving back starts with paying taxes, but it doesn’t end there. We must also uplift the less privileged, especially in the communities where we operate.”

Addressing concerns about falling educational standards, Luwoye stressed the need for the private sector to play a stronger role by offering mentorship, internships and post-graduation support to young people.

One of the beneficiaries, Odumeso Mervelous, a 300-level Microbiology student at Olabisi Onabanjo University, expressed gratitude to the foundation on behalf of others, describing the gesture as a major boost to their academic pursuits.