……..Expands scholarship scheme to 51 beneficiaries
No fewer than 130 students from Akure South, currently studying in various tertiary institutions across the country, have benefited from a bursary disbursement facilitated by the lawmaker representing Akure South Constituency I in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Honourable Oguntodu Olajide-Johnson.
The bursary disbursement of ₦20,000 to each student, held in Akure, also witnessed the expansion of the lawmaker’s scholarship scheme with the addition of a new beneficiary, bringing the total number of students currently receiving scholarship and education support to 51 across higher institutions nationwide.
Speaking at the event, Honourable Oguntodu stressed that education remains the most potent tool for reducing poverty, noting that any society that fails to invest seriously in education risks mortgaging its future.
According to him, his intervention in the education sector is driven by a personal conviction to support students with genuine passion for learning and to contribute meaningfully to human capital development within his constituency.
The lawmaker disclosed that since returning to Nigeria in 2018, he has consistently sponsored free JAMB forms for not less than 100 students annually, alongside free coaching and extra lessons for candidates requiring additional academic support.
He explained that the initiative has recorded over 60 per cent success rate, with many beneficiaries securing admission into tertiary institutions across the country.
Oguntodu revealed that during the last JAMB exercise, 150 students benefited from free registration and lessons, adding that those who scored 300 and above had their first-year school fees fully paid by him.
He noted that more than 10 students met the benchmark, with some currently studying at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) and Adekunle Ajasin University, adding that one of the scholarships cost about ₦800,000.
Speaking further, the lawmaker said the scholarship scheme currently supports 51 students, including a newly added nursing student who will receive ₦100,000 annually towards her tuition, while plans are underway to accommodate indigenous students studying professional courses such as medicine, law, pharmacy, and nursing.
Beyond education, Honourable Oguntodu highlighted several community development interventions carried out since the inauguration of the 10th Assembly, including the construction of a community market at Ilekun, intervention on electricity infrastructure along ljoka Road, the ongoing water project in Oda town, among others
He acknowledged the challenge of limited resources but assured constituents of his commitment to delivering effective representation and impactful projects across the constituency.
Advising the beneficiaries, the lawmaker urged them to take their studies seriously, describing education as a lifelong investment capable of liberating the mind and breaking the cycle of poverty.
He assured students that he has never turned down any genuine request related to education, adding that while immediate intervention may not always be possible, every case is documented and addressed as resources permit.
Commending the initiative, the National President of Akure Students, Adeyemi Temitope Festus, described the programme as a landmark intervention, noting that Honourable Oguntodu is the first lawmaker to consistently implement structured education support programmes for Akure students.
He listed several education-focused interventions credited to the lawmaker, including summer lessons for secondary school students, infrastructure projects at St. David’s Anglican Primary School, and bursary disbursement for students in tertiary institutions.
Parents, guardians, and beneficiary students at the event lauded the lawmaker for his passion for education, describing the intervention as timely and impactful, particularly in the face of rising educational costs.
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