…vows sustained investment in education

By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State in 2027 general elections and Senator, representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi), on Sunday awarded scholarships and bursaries to 5,312 students from tertiary institutions across Ogun State, describing education as the most potent instrument for human capital development and national progress.

Speaking at the third edition of the “Yayi Scholarship and Bursary Awards” held in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, Adeola said the initiative was designed to ensure that no brilliant student is forced to abandon education because of financial hardship.

According to him, the 2025/2026 edition marks a significant increase in the number of beneficiaries, bringing the cumulative total of students supported under the programme to more than 10,000 within three years.

Adeola said, the programme was part of the fulfilment of his electoral promises to the youths of Ogun West and complements the educational initiatives of Governor Dapo Abiodun, as well as President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The senator explained that out of the 5,312 beneficiaries, 1,735 students received scholarships valued at N200,000 each for university students and N150,000 each for students of polytechnics and colleges of education, while the remaining 3,577 beneficiaries received bursary awards of N100,000 each.

He noted that the latest edition represents a steady expansion of the programme, following the first edition in January 2024, which benefited over 1,700 students, and the second edition in April 2025, where 3,892 students received financial support.

“Today’s beneficiaries are just slightly lower than the combined figures of the first and second editions. To the glory of God, the cumulative figure of over 10,000 beneficiaries is far beyond the 1,000 students I promised during my campaign for the Ogun West Senatorial seat,” he stated.

Adeola urged the beneficiaries to deploy the funds strictly for educational purposes, including payment of school fees, accommodation and other academic needs.

“The funds provided should be spent on payment of your school fees, accommodation or similar issues in furtherance of knowledge acquisition. They are not free money to buy phones, bags or clothes. The whole idea is to assist students, parents and guardians and ensure that no brilliant student drops out of school because of financial challenges,” he said.

The senator disclosed that the scholarship and bursary scheme was being implemented in collaboration with the National Productivity Centre and aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the education sector.

He also commended the Scholarship and Bursary Board, chaired by Professor Tope Popoola, for ensuring transparency and professionalism in administering the programme.

Adeola praised the Federal Government’s Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), noting that the intervention had strengthened access to tertiary education nationwide.

“It is heartwarming that this programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Initiative on education. So far, over N206 billion has been disbursed through NELFUND to more than one million students across 270 tertiary institutions nationwide,” he said.

Highlighting his education-related interventions in the State over the past three and a half years, Adeola said he had facilitated the construction of 87 classroom blocks, providing more than 300 classrooms and 56 staff rooms across schools in Ogun West and other parts of the state.

He added that he had also facilitated 18 fully equipped ICT centres, supplied furniture to 35 schools, distributed over 200,000 textbooks and school bags to 128 schools, provided mini buses to tertiary institutions and sponsored the purchase of 10,000 JAMB forms for indigent students.

The senator reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining the annual scholarship and bursary programme while expanding educational infrastructure across the State.

“Going forward, it is my promise to continue the educational support fund for Yayi Scholars and expand educational infrastructure in Ogun State. I will also continue to support legislative initiatives that promote quality education through adequate funding and special interventions whenever necessary,” he said.

Adeola attributed his personal achievements to the transformative power of education, stressing that investment in education remains the surest path to sustainable development.

“My motivation is based on a vision that acknowledges the liberating role of good education in development. Without proper education, I doubt I would have attained the position of a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he added.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Scholarship Board, Prof. Tope Popoola, said the initiative was aimed at supporting students and reducing the financial burden of education on their parents across the state.

Popoola assured the public that the board maintained a transparent selection process, adding that applications found to contain false information were disqualified.

“Usually once such falsehood are detected, such applications are stepped down. The board diligently carried out the selection process as expected.

“The initiative will continue to grow and eventually become a comprehensive state-wide scholarship and bursary programme,”he said.