By Gabriel Dike
•L-R: Prof. Adebayo, Bilikis, Nofisat displaying cheques and Dr. Ashiru
The national body of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos (UNILAG) branch, has awarded scholarship to 12 indigent students.
Among the 12 indigent students were two virtually impaired students, Agbade Bilikis Abisola, a 200 level Educational Foundation student, and Ogundare Nofisat, 400 level Islamic Studies student. Both received scholarship worth N200,000 each presented on behalf of ASUU’s national body.
Ten other students from different departments got N100,000 each, sponsored by ASUU-UNILAG branch.
Among the students included a 300 level CRS Education, Emmanuel Jochebed, who is over 40 years old and was presented with N100,000 by ASUU-UNILAG.
Bilikis told The Education Report that she was not born blind. She said she went blind in 2021/2022 but noticed the sign in 2011.
She said: ‘’My blindness nearly made me to stop my education at secondary school level in 2012. I finished my ND in 2016 in the Department of Business Management from Kwara State Polytechnic.”
Bilikis currently with 3.47 CGPA said she would use the N200,000 to pay the remaining tuition fee, adding, “I only paid part of my fee. With this scholarship, I will pay for the remaining. I sincerely thank ASUU for the award and I expect others to emulate the union.’’
She said moving around the campus for lectures and other academic activities have not been easy and hoped to enroll for MSc after the first degree.
Nofisat, who received N200,000, showered encomiums on ASUU for the scholarship, stating, “I wasn’t born blind, my blindness started in 2008 and I was 15 then. A doctor advised me to go to blind school and I stayed at home for two years. I went Special College of Education, Oyo State, and was admitted in UNILAG through direct entry.
“I would have gradated in 2022 if not for nine months ASUU strike. When I went blind, I wanted to kill myself. My current CGPA is 3.24. I use my phone to record lectures. It is not easy for students that are visually impaired. I paid half of my fees; I will use the scholarship to settle the remaining amount, my feeding and other needs. I will go for my MSc after my first degree. We need support to continue our education.’’
Jochebed received N100,000 ASUU-UNILAG scholarship said the award was coming at the right time and to the right person, “ASUU-UNILAG has done me a great favour. I need this money badly and it came at the right time.’’
She explained that she would use the money to pay the remaining fee and purchase educational materials.
Former ASUU-UNILAG chairman, Dr. Dele Ashiru, while presenting cheques to some of the beneficiaries, said the union expects that the award would spur them to remain focused on their studies.
“The awardees were selected after a rigorous exercise. Many students applied but the union picked 10 and two others on behalf of our national body. It is our hope the scholarship will ameliorate their financial problems,’’ said Ashiru.
The chairman of ASUU-UNILAG, Prof. Kayode Adebayo, told The Education Report that the award was part of the union’s tradition to help indigent students, adding, “it is a token to support the students education.’’
Adebayo further stated: “This year, the union increased the scholarship to N200,000 and the branch decided to extend the number of beneficiaries to 10 and each received N100,000. The award will encourage indigent students with their studies.’’