Immortalising a dead son through scholarship awards is surely not a common occurrence in this part of the world. The death of a child is such a painful experience that parents wish never happens to them. And if it indeed happens, as it sometimes does given that humans have little control over death, it’s an experience that is better consigned to the dustbin of history.

And when such a calamity occurs, it takes a dispassionate mind to dig deep and fashion out how to reduce the impact on the body and soul. And one of the best ways to do that is to make others happy since happiness is infectious.

This realisation must have prompted the family of the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to decide on immortalising the memory of their departed son, Gbemiga Abiodun, who answered the final call six years ago at a very young age. Saturday, 7 October could be described as a day of sadness and joy. On that day, the Gbemiga Abiodun Education Programme was launched at Iperu, Ikenne Local Council of the State.

The sadness was the remembrance of the departed son by the parents, their family and friends. But the joy was reflected in the radiant faces of the beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme (pupils, students and their parents) launched in memory of the man popularly called DJ Olu, a popular Disc Jockey.

The scholarship, with 550 beneficiaries, including pupils in primary schools and students in secondary schools and tertiary and vocational institutions, is spread across the Remo Federal Constituency. It is strictly for indigent students in the coverage area as well as Special Needs Learners.

The scholarship scheme is life-saving for most students and their parents. As the saying goes, education is the bedrock of any society and providing educational opportunities to underprivileged students can have a significant impact on their lives and the community at large. This is more so when Nigerians are going through a lot of financial difficulties as a result of the downturn in the fortunes of the country as well as the impact of the removal of subsidy on fuel.

Speaking at the event, Governor Abiodun dwelt on the unwavering passion the late Gbemiga had for sound education, which he pursued passionately till God called him to be with him on that fateful day of 7th October 2017. According to the governor, he was on the verge of going to the UK for his Master’s programme before his demise.

The programme, he said, was conceived to celebrate the impactful and eventful life of Gbemiga and all that he stood for while alive, noting that the deceased lived a life of selflessness, consistency and scholarship.

Prince Abiodun said that the award would be in two phases. The first phase, a Scholarship Award, is designed for indigent and brilliant students while the second phase will be a Bursary Award for in-need but not necessarily brilliant indigent students whose chances of upward socio-economic mobility are probable with bursary support.

Consequently, 200 learners from public primary schools would receive N50,000, 200 students from public secondary schools would get N100,000, while 100 students in tertiary institutions would be paid N250,000 each from the N55 million earmarked for the scheme to take care of their educational needs.

The award is designed for a period of three (3) years and for people within the age bracket of 6-25. The number of beneficiaries will increase to 1000 in the next 12 months, which will be the minimum at any given time.

The Governor said the scheme would ensure that brilliant students and those whose parents could not afford school fees had access to quality education. Abiodun said: “Today, we gave out support to indigent students in the first instance, and we will grow to 1000 students in 12 months, a number that must be kept as a minimum, meaning that as some graduates, others are admitted. The scheme will give out N50,000 yearly to primary school children; N100,000 yearly for secondary and N250,000 yearly for tertiary school students, so long as they remain in school until the completion of their education.”

In his usual characteristic manner of spreading goodies across the state, Governor Abiodun promised that the Federal constituencies in the state would soon benefit from the scheme.

The wife of the governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, noted the difficulties being faced by many parents. She said the scheme would impact the lives of the beneficiaries and their parents, especially at these trying times, even as she expressed the hope that it would achieve its purpose of bringing succour to the benefiting families.

Special Adviser to the governor on Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, said dedicated accounts would be opened for beneficiaries in primary and secondary schools, and would be disbursed by their head teachers and principals, while those in tertiary institutions would receive theirs personally.

The beneficiaries were full of praises for the governor and his family. Paramole Kehinde of the Olabisi Onabanjo University spoke on behalf of beneficiaries from tertiary institutions. She said: “We appreciate the Governor on the launch of the Gbemiga Abiodun Education Programme. May God bless you sir and bless your family.”

Miss Tolulope Johnson of Christ Apostolic College, Iperu-Remo, who spoke on behalf of beneficiaries of the secondary school category, said: “I am a proud and grateful student who is here to appreciate the Governor for this wonderful programme that he established and for the beneficiaries and all the students present here. Sir, I will like to say thank you very much for this wonderful program and we pray that God will continue to bless you and be with you in Jesus name.”

Master Oyetola Abiodun spoke on behalf of the primary school beneficiaries. He said: “We appreciate His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for his support and love for indigent students in the state. We say thank you, sir, may God bless you more sir.”

Education is indeed a crucial foundation for personal growth and societal development. Providing educational opportunities to students who may not have the financial means can make a significant impact on their lives and the community as a whole. It’s even more commendable that the Abiodun family took it upon themselves to allocate funds specifically to cater to the needs of different educational levels – primary, secondary, and tertiary. This shows a commitment to ensuring that students at various stages of their educational journey have the resources they need to succeed.

The scholarship will not only help alleviate the financial burden on students and their families but will also serve as an incentive for students to work hard and excel academically, thus empowering individuals to reach their full potential and escape from the pangs of poverty.

It is also encouraging to see this kind of support being extended to special needs learners as well, as they may require additional resources and assistance to thrive academically. Overall, the scholarship scheme is a significant step towards promoting equal access to education and creating a more inclusive and educated society.

Supporting underprivileged students and investing in their future, as done by the Dapo Abiodun family to keep the memory of their son alive, is indeed very commendable.
Adeniran is Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun