• Foundation honours Maiden Alex-Ibru, Ogunshola
Elder statesman, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye yesterday gave the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari a pass mark, saying it is gradually winning the war against corruption and insurgency.
Durojaiye subsequently urged Nigerians to be patient and be ready to endure hardship, adding there is light at the end of the tunnel.He spoke at the 22nd annual lecture, award of honours and postgraduate scholarships of Stephen Oluwole Awokoya Foundation for Science Education held at the Agip Recital Hall, Muson Centre, Lagos.
At the event, the Chairman and Publisher of The Guardian, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru was honoured alongside the Chairman of Continental Reinsurance Plc, Chief Ajibola Ogunshola.
Durojaiye, the chairman, board of trustees of the foundation said the challenges of Boko Haram, corruption and kidnapping facing the country in the last few years have been effectively curtailed to a reasonable extent.
He also appealed to the people to be mindful of their utterances and stop wishing their leaders evil. In a veiled reference to the health status of President Buhari, he urged citizens to be positive-minded and the hope that in another two years, Nigerians will begin to feel the positive impacts of the administration.
“Already, we can see a slight increase in the purchasing power of Naira, let us be hopeful and believe that things would continue to improve and work for our country,” he said.
Chairman of the occasion, Sir Steve Omojafor said the foundation was primarily geared towards the promotion of science education in the country.Shedding more light on the activities of the foundation, a member of the Board of trustees, Dr. Folarin Awokoya, said about 96 postgraduate students drawn from science-related discipline in medicine, engineering, mathematics, pharmacology and agriculture have benefitted from the scholarship scheme.
Awokoya said out of the 120 postgraduate students from 31 universities, who applied for the scholarship scheme, which covers primarily tuition and board, only six, were successful.
Mrs. Alex-Ibru in her brief remarks after the award underscored on the importance of science, saying it is the core of human existence.On his part, Chief Ogunshola, former chairman of The Punch, relived fond memories of the late Awokoya and lauded his contribution to the development of education in the old Western Region.
