Femi Onireti, OPEC lauded as dozens of students receive financial assistance (SEE PHOTOS)
Yinka ADETUNJI
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75 students Thursday were beneficiaries of the Hon Femi Onireti sponsored Ogbomoso Progressive Elites Club (OPEC) scholarship scheme triggering an avalanche of encomiums.
The event held at the Anglican Grammar School Hall, Sabo, was attended by various education stakeholders including Prince Ezekiel Olalere Ajiboye, a retired Permanent Secretary Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM); incumbent Permanent Secretary/Tutor General TESCOM, Ogbomoso zonal office, Mrs. Gbemisola Beyioku; Inspector General of Education, Ogbomoso zone 1 and 11, Rev’d Dele Oyedokun and Mr. B.O. Adisa respectively; representatives of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) led by Comrade Dayo Ajala, Oyo state representative at the National Executive Committee of the body; and members of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), politicians led by chairman Peoples Democratic Party in Ogbomoso North local government, Alhaji Ibrahim Hamzat, and parents.
Beneficiaries fell into four categories including the 60 students who passed the qualifying examination of OPEC for 2025, they had their JAMB payment slips presented to them; 9 students from 2024 who enjoyed free JAMB form from Hon Onireti and who had gained admission into higher institutions received financial assistance of N50, 000, (fifty thousand naira) each; 3 students from 2023 now in 200 level and whose minimum grade is second class upper, they were gifted financial assistance of N50, 000, (fifty thousand naira) each; and a medical student, Helen Omobola Alabi, who is now in 200 level at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, she received payment of N697, 000 (six hundred and ninety seven thousand naira) as her tuition for the current session. Miss Alabi is enjoying the scholarship scheme for her exceptional feat in the 2023 JAMB scoring 328 to lead in the Ogbomoso zone. Recall she, like the previous three earlier mentioned, enjoyed the benefit in her first year too and because she made good grades in her first year, she enjoyed the second tranche.
Commending the initiators, Prince Ajiboye, a former PS, who chaired the occasion, described the gesture as a form of empowerment as he noted education is a kind of leveler that brings all children whether those of the poor or of the rich to the same table.
“I thank the association for the initiative, it is living up to its name as a progressive club. What we are doing today is a form of empowerment to students, who probably do not have the means of achieving their goals and objectives in life. We should also thank Hon Olufemi Onireti, who thought it fit to support this programme.
“Education is an important tool that can make the children of the poor to sit on the same table with the children of the rich so you won’t be able to know the difference and that is what is being done today, to allow these children have the opportunity of sitting together comfortably with who-is-who in the society.”
Ajiboye congratulated both the students and their parents charging the students on continuous excellent performance to enable them to further benefit from the assistance.
The educationist added that Onireti is worthy of emulation especially in advancing education, submitting, “I also heard he sponsored the inter-house sports competition of a school recently, we encourage others to emulate him.”
Builder H.F. Olaniran, president of OPEC disclosed Hon Onireti’s father is a member of the club while urging children of other club members to follow the “good example of Onireti in sponsoring the programme.”
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This is as he called on other past beneficiaries of the gesture, which started long before the partnership with Onireti, to also “come and add their own quota to sponsoring more initiatives as this,” stating OPEC is committed to the “educational funding for children in Ogbomosoland.”
Dr. Engr. Damilare Amusan who represented Onireti charged the beneficiaries to strive harder for excellence, noting “merit will persistently be the yardstick for further assistance. As long as you record good performance we will be motivated to do more. We encourage you to work tirelessly to achieve good grades and your dreams.”
The Permanent Secretary TESCOM Ogbomoso zone, Mrs. Gbemisola Beyioku, congratulated the students and their parents charging the students also on hardwork as he stressed, “We want also to laud Hon Onireti for this gesture. May God lift him up too.”
Mr. Adisa, IG Ministry of Education Ogbomoso zone II, tasked OPEC on adding career counselling to the programme emphasizing on the importance of guiding the students to apply for courses that will teach them skills because of future employment opportunities as he also lauded Onireti.
Similarly, Oyedokun, IG Ministry of Education Ogbomoso zone I, commending the benefactors asserted that the gesture was like feeding fishes to afford them the opportunity of growing to their full potential. He thus urged the students to avail themselves of the opportunity by striving for excellence.
Meanwhile, he observed that research has shown that in the last ten years female students are more excelling academically, charging parents to put greater focus on their male children.
Parents and beneficiaries in separate chats with ogbomosoinsightonline.com expressed gratitude to the facilitators of the programme describing the gesture as a lifeline to their academic pursuit praying, praying “God will continue to uplift them.”
PHOTOS
