10th anniversary: Bbw bf gives 877 students, undergraduates scholarships

KEHINDE AKINPELU ,ILORIN

No fewer than 877 students and undergraduates on Thursday received scholarships from the Bayo and Bunmi Babalola Foundation (BBBF).

Co-founder, BBBF, Engineer Sunday Babalola, in his address at the 10th scholarship award ceremony in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State explained that the beneficiaries included: 103 students in Junior Secondary School class 3; 140 students in Senior Secondary School class; 338 other secondary school students and 296 tertiary institutions’ undergraduates. He added that scholarships for SS3 and JSS3 covered their examination fees and normal charges, while the scholarships for undergraduates covered their tuition and other expenses.

He stated that with the current 877 and 2,504 from the first edition to the past 9th editions, no fewer than 3381 students and undergraduates had benefitted from scheme.

Babalola commended his wife, Mrs Christiana Bunmi Babalola, who is a co-founder and co-sponsor of the scheme; their children; the organizing committee, religious and traditional rulers as well as other people involved in the administration of the scheme from its inception to the 10th edition.

He said it is disheartening that Nigeria is still ranked high among countries with high out-of-school children, in spite of the humongous amount announced by successive governments, both at the federal and the state levels, on educational investment.

Noting that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), stated that Nigeria has 20.2 million out-of-school children, the philanthropist called for concerted efforts of all stakeholders to address the challenge.

He particularly called on the government to be alive to its education responsibilities, adding that no nation can grow more than its educational status.

He also decried the high unemployment and underemployment level as well as economic challenges facing Nigerians, especially the out-of-school children.

He said: “These out of school children are posing a lot of threat to Nigeria’s development and security. They pose a lot of threat to everybody. As they are out of school, definitely they will need to survive. It’s not only out of school children, Let’s face it: the children today that have even graduated have no jobs. What do they resort to? They resort to fraud. So these things will continue to happen unless we correct the system They say somebody who is carrying a load who has a k-leg your load is bent.’ He said he didn’t look at the ground. The load is not bent off, it’s bent from the ground. So the ground is very bent and so we are having the problem we are having currently. The out of school syndrome is also robbing Nigeria of a quality pool of human resources that could have helped national development. We need to get right leaders to champion national development.

Babalola, who is from Kwara State, said there is the need for government to invest more in education in the state. He called for merit in the recruitment of educational personnel to improve on the quality of education.

“We are reminded of the transformative power of education in shaping the future of individuals, communities, and nations. BBBF scholarship program is a shining example of the impact that dedicated individuals and organizations can have on the lives of young people.

“As we reflect on the state of education in Nigeria and the challenges that our young people face in accessing quality education, we need to come to their aid. Education is the bedrock of any society’s development, and it is imperative that we prioritize the education of our youth.

“In Nigeria, we are faced with numerous challenges that affect the quality of education, including inadequate infrastructure, insufficient funding, and lack of access to quality educational resources. These challenges are compounded by the issue of lack of access to education commonly called Out-of-school, unemployment and poverty, which affects millions of Nigerians, including our youth. The statistics are alarming.

“According to the UNESCO, Nigeria has 20.2 million out-of-school children, making it one of the countries with the highest number of out-of-school children globally; 98 million children and young people excluded from education in sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigeria being a significant contributor to this number and 28% out-of-school rate for primary school-age children, which has remained relatively constant since 2010.

In her remarks, the co-founder and wife of the initiator, Mrs. Christiana Bunmi Babalola, expressed gratitude to God for sustaining the programme for a decade despite economic challenges. She commended her husband, the organising committee for their unwavering commitment to youth development through education.

Also speaking at the event, the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti Akolade Agboluaje II, praised the foundation for its contributions to educational development in the state.

He said “Those who use their resources to help others are the true rich”, adding that Engineer Babalola has brightened many homes through this scholarship initiative.

Similarly, the Olusin of Isanlu-Isin, Oba Solomon Oluwagbemiga Oloyede, described the foundation’s efforts as a model for community-driven educational empowerment.

“As a school founder, I know the importance of supporting education,” he said. “This program is a long-term investment that will produce responsible future leaders.”

The National President of the Omu-Aran Development Association, Mr. Omoniyi Adeyeye, urged other wealthy indigenes to emulate the Babalolas