Former lawmaker and community leader Shina Peller has donated ₦5 million to the Kisi Education Trust Fund, strengthening efforts to support learning and educational infrastructure in the northern Oyo State town.

The donation was announced on Saturday during the 2026 edition of Kisi Day, an annual cultural and development event held in Kisi, headquarters of Irepo Local Government Area.

Addressing residents and community stakeholders at the event, Peller said education remained central to long-term social and economic progress, noting that targeted local initiatives were often the most effective way to expand access for young people.

The Kisi Education Trust Fund was established to support scholarships for students from low-income families and address gaps in school infrastructure within the community. Organisers said the latest contribution would provide immediate funding for ongoing programmes and planned interventions.

Kisi Day, which draws indigenes from within Nigeria and the diaspora, serves as a platform for cultural celebration, community dialogue and fundraising for development projects. The 2026 celebration attracted traditional leaders, professionals and residents, with education emerging as a key focus of discussions.

Peller, who represented the Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, attended the event as an indigene with family ties to the town. His mother, Alhaja Silifatu Peller, is from Kisi.

Community leaders welcomed the donation, describing it as a timely intervention that would strengthen scholarship schemes and improve learning conditions in local schools.

The Masoud Aweda Oyekola Lawal, traditional ruler of Kisi, alongside the Kisi Progressive Union, commended the gesture, urging other indigenes to support education-focused initiatives.

As Kisi continues to expand as an agricultural and cultural centre in northern Oyo State, local stakeholders say sustained investment in education will be critical to maintaining the town’s development trajectory.