From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
The Zinatulahi Oyetoro Alari Adewuyi Foundation (ZOAAF) has given scholarship awards to 21 indigent university students of Lanlate, Ibarapa, Oyo State. The facilitator, Prince Gbaye Adewuyi, started the scheme 11 years ago to raise intelligent people from Lanlate, especially sons and daughter of the less privileged.
According to him: “In the last 11 years, ZOAAF scholarship scheme has produced not fewer than 73 graduates from various disciplines. The selection of awardees is based on merit and not organized for any political interest.
“To the beneficiaries, you should know between seed and bread, meaning that you should learn how to invest in others whenever you are privileged as I am doing for you today.
“You are selected because you have done well. I want to note that ZOAAF is not a political organization or for chieftaincy purpose. It was organized 11 years ago to ensure the children from this town come out best among their contemporaries.”
He urged other rich indigenes of the town to come home and join hands with him to contribute their quota to the development of the town: “There are other Lanlate indigenes richer than me. They should help in this charity intervention.”
He added that his next focus would be providing employment for these graduates: “It will be meaningless to produce about 74 graduates without jobs.” He thanked the selection committee members for their efforts over 11 years ago without payments and not influencing the selection of the beneficiaries.
Board chairman of ZOAAF Scholarship Scheme, Dr. Johnson Adewuyi, praised Adewuyi for his laudable effort, despite the recession. He said the benefactor believed in education as the foundation for success of the less privileged.
A member of the House of Representatives for Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North Federal Constituency, Gbenga Ojoawo and a Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ibarapa, Chief Timothy Alarape, appreciated the philanthropic gesture of the donor. The duo said if other well-meaning individuals should imbibe the spirit of giving, the society would be better for it.
One of the beneficiaries who graduated six years ago and employed by Globacom, Abiodun Mutiu Abidemi, said his position today was made possible by the foundation. He expressed his profound gratitude to the facilitator.
The graduate of Mathematics/Statistics from the University of Lagos enjoined the present beneficiaries to emulate the gesture of the philanthropist by giving back to the community whenever they are privileged.
The beneficiaries were selected from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State. Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, University of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State and University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State.