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ABEOKUTA – The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has awarded scholarships and bursaries to 5,312 indigent students across the state as part of his continued investment in education and human capital development. Senator Adeola Yayi disclosed this during the third edition of the Yayi Scholarship/Bursary award programme held in Abeokuta on Sunday, July 26, 2026.
More than 17,000 students applied for the third edition of the Yayi’s scholarship/bursary award programme. Of the 5,312 student beneficiaries, 1,735 students were awarded scholarships, while 3,577 students received bursary payments.
The scholarship programme, which commenced 3 years ago, is for students in tertiary institutions from the 20 local government areas of Ogun State, and aims to ease the financial burden on families, expand access to education, and support academically promising students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the H3 Hotel and Event Centre, Abeokuta, on Sunday, Senator Adeola Yayi stated that the intervention was meant to assist students and parents, and to ensure that no indigene of Ogun State extraction drops out of school as a result of non-payment of school fees or similar financial challenges.
Senator Adeola stated that his motivation for the financial empowerment of the educational sector in Ogun State is borne out of his vision to deploy education as a tool for development. He noted that the initiative reflects his long-standing commitment to empowering young people through quality education and ensuring that financial challenges do not prevent deserving students from pursuing their academic aspirations.
“I am facilitating this scheme with the National Productivity Centre in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the educational sector. The scheme is to further bring relief to students in their course of training and acquisition of knowledge, as well as supplement the funds from those who can get loans from the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). I am doing this to give you a future without any condition attached to it,” he said.
In her remarks during the ceremony, the Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele described the scholarship/bursary as a timely intervention that would impact the future of the state, noting that she is immensely proud that Senator Adeola is carrying on a legacy that her father spearheaded many years ago as the scholarship board chairman.
“I still meet people who were 50 years old when they got scholarships to attend university. I recently met a doctor who said it was because of my father that he was able to study medicine. These are legacies that money cannot buy,” she said.
While congratulating all the beneficiaries, he urged them to make judicious use of the funds in pursuit of their educational endeavours.
Party leaders who delivered goodwill messages at the ceremony commended the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that would provide relief to many families while encouraging more young people to remain committed to their education.
One of the beneficiaries, a student of Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences, Imoleayo Fadunsin, praised Senator Adeola Yayi for his generosity and commitment to giving hope to indigent students through the award of a bursary or scholarship.
“I am really grateful for what Senator Adeola has done to provide support to make learning smooth for those of us from a poor background. With this stipend, I can cover my meals and buy some academic materials while in school. This intervention will bring great relief to my parents, who are struggling to take care of my academic needs,” Fadunsin said.
Some of the dignitaries in attendance at the presentation ceremony include the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Chief Yemi Sanusi, Former Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Tunji Egbetokun, Former Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Ishola, Deputy Governorship Candidate, APC, Ogun State, Kudirat Adegunwa-Balogun, and the wife of the APC’s gubernatorial candidate, Chief, Mrs Temitope Adeola, the Osi of Egbaland, Chief Bode Mustapha, members of the Ogun State Executive Council, leaders from the three Senatorial Districts, former members of the National Assembly, Former members of the Ogun State House of Assembly, among others.
Over the last few years, Senator Adeola Yayi has facilitated several developmental projects in the area of education some of which include 87 newly constructed blocks of 12 classrooms with furniture, staff room library and solar power across the 5 local governments of Ogun West, 18 fully equipped and functional information communication technology centres, provision of school furniture for 35 primary, and secondary schools, purchase of 10,000 JAMB forms.
