By Folaranmi Ajayi
An alumnus of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, who is the current Manager, Engineering and Maintenance, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited has given scholarships to no fewer than 50 students across all levels of the institution.
Dr. Gbenga Owolabi, who graduated as one of the best students from the Department of Physics, disclosed that the scholarships, which were given to 27 students with the highest CGPA in the previous academic session and 23 indigent students, all in the institution’s School of Physical Sciences of FUTA, would ease the financial burden of the beneficiaries.
With those in the 500-level given N50,000 each in the “brilliant students” category, beneficiaries in the 200-level to 400-level also got N20,000 each in the same category, while the “indigent students” category received N20,000 each.
According to the alumnus, the gesture was aimed at assisting in the payment of school fees as well as providing a stipend for selected indigent students and helping with the projects of those in their final year.
He also revealed that the first and second editions of the support took place only for physics students in the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 academic sessions, from which eight and 17 students benefitted respectively.
Owolabi added that the third edition (2020-2021 academic session) of the programme had been extended to all the departments in the School of Physical Sciences, while the subsequent edition would expand beyond the School of Physical Sciences.
He said, “This will not be the last award; the next one, I promise, we will look at cutting across the whole school. So we will consider the sciences, engineering, and environmental sciences, and I believe that will be a kind of encouragement for students. So, don’t ever limit yourself.”
On her part, the Vice Chancellor of FUTA, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who commended the donor, urged others who graduated from the school to emulate the gesture of Owolabi, stressing that such will go a long way in giving succour to indigent students.
“I am happy that he is actually giving back, but as a teacher myself, one of the things that has even given me a different joy is the fact that he graduated as one of the best students in his set. So, we are not only celebrating philanthropy and money; we are also celebrating academic excellence. As a university, that is key to us.
“I believe many of us will be challenged. It is not only about passing through the university but about passing through it well. He (Owolabi) remembered us, and he remembered where he started from. For him to have also provided water, for me, it makes a lot of sense.
“I have tried to look at the FUTA community; in my understanding, we have fewer than indigent students on this campus, and the question is, if we have 2000 of our past students come and take up one of these indigent students each and support the student till graduation, the problem will not be this enormous. Mr. Ayodele is not taking care of just one of these students; he is providing scholarships to 50.”
In his remarks, the dean of the School of Physical Sciences, Professor Ademola Ayesanmi, said, “Many students will definitely perform better with the gesture because they will like to get this award. Last year, it was 17, while the year before it was eight, and now we have 27 on-merit and 23 indigent students making 50.
“There is the possibility of extending the award to the entire university in the next edition. My advice to our students is that they should continue to work harder to get the scholarship and good results, which I believe can take them anywhere.”
