Itire-Ikate Council Chairman Gives Scholarship to 100 Indigent Students

The Executive Chairman Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area (LCDA),  Dr Ahmed Apatira has on Thursday, gave scholarships to 100 indigent students in Itire Ikate community in Lagos State.

Apatira, while screening the students at the council secretariat for the scholarship, said the gesture was to assist indigent students of the local government.

According to him, this will complement the state government’s declaration of a state-of-emergency on education.

“This programme was initiated as part of our commitment to support the aspirations of prospective tertiary education seekers.

“None of these young people are children of the elite and some of them are very brilliant.

“We chose to empower them to liberate their minds and make them better citizens who will resist the urge to engage in social vices.

“If we sponsor them through school, they will be matured to handle certain responsibilities which are the reasons behind this initiative,” he said.

The council chairman added he had decided to take the financial burden off their parents, adding that education would eradicate criminality and make the youths more responsible.

Mr Ajayi Taiwo, the National Coordinator of Yoruba Presidential Agenda 2023, in his remarks, said that the scholarship scheme was about improving the lives of children and ensuring that education becomes inclusive in the country.

“It is about seeing children get better at what they do.

“It is a great fulfilment and joy to see a child wake up and have access to basic education without being left out due to certain limitations.

“I believe if we can touch the lives of these children, they will grow up to pass the baton of change.

“This implies that over the years, we will have more children in schools,” he said.

Taiwo said that all the students had been successfully screened with their credentials, including obtaining five credits in one or two sittings and being admitted to accredited schools.

Mr Hammed Idris, the Council Legislative Leader, in his advice to the students said the impact and success of the initiative would be seen in how the beneficiaries turned out to be.

Idris added that with the help of the dedicated team, the beneficiaries had been given a reason to dream right and not be defined by the environment.

The leader added that the programme was uniquely designed to be a beacon of hope for the teeming youths who understand the menace of illiteracy in the society.

According to him, the ripple effect of being uneducated which has led to prostitution, teenage pregnancy and cultism can be curtailed.

Idris assured them that the present administration was committed to contributing its quota to reducing illiteracy to the barest minimum.

NAN reports that the scholarship programme is in partnership with the 2023 Yoruba Presidential Agenda Team, to enhance the growth and development of the teeming youths.

The list of higher institutions involved are Graceland Polytechnic Offa, College of Education Iseyin, Owu Tech, Owu Ogun State, SAF Polytechnic, Iseyin and Oke-Ogun School of Science and Management Studies, Iseyin.

March 03, 2022