Senator Yayi Awards Scholarships, Bursaries To 5,531 Ogun Students, Says Education Is Investment in Future
Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi), on Sunday presented scholarships and bursaries to 5,531 students across Ogun State, declaring that the initiative is a long-term investment in the future of the state’s youths rather than a political tool.
Speaking during the third edition of the Yayi Scholarship and Bursary Award Programme held in Abeokuta on Sunday, Adeola said no talented student should be forced to abandon education because of financial constraints.
The senator dismissed claims that the intervention was politically motivated, insisting that his objective was to empower students through education without attaching any political conditions.
Adeola explained that the programme complements the educational initiatives of Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said has disbursed over ₦206 billion to more than one million students in 270 tertiary institutions nationwide.
The senator recalled that the maiden edition held on January 27, 2024, benefited over 1,700 students with scholarships worth ₦200,000 and bursaries of ₦100,000.
The second edition, held on April 27, 2025, expanded to 3,892 beneficiaries across the state.
According to him, the Scholarship and Bursary Board established in 2023 has maintained transparency and professionalism in administering the scheme, while beneficiaries have become widely known as “Yayi Scholars.”
Adeola disclosed that this year’s edition, implemented in collaboration with the National Productivity Centre, benefited students from universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across Nigeria after meeting the board’s eligibility requirements.
He said 1,735 students received scholarships valued at ₦200,000 each for university students and ₦150,000 each for students of polytechnics and colleges of education, while 3,796 students received bursary awards of ₦100,000 each.
The senator assured beneficiaries that all payment cheques had been prepared for immediate collection, noting that the latest exercise has raised the total number of beneficiaries under the programme to more than 10,000 since its inception.
He urged the students to spend the funds on tuition, accommodation, books and other academic needs instead of non-essential items.
“I am giving you a future; I am not taking your future. Some people may want to buy your future with ₦20,000 during elections, but I am investing in your future without asking for anything in return.
“The money should be used to pay school fees, secure accommodation and meet other educational expenses. It is meant to ease the burden on students, parents and guardians and ensure that no brilliant student drops out because of financial hardship,” Senator Yayi told the beneficiaries.
Adeola said the scholarship and bursary programme was designed to cushion the impact of rising school fees and the increasing cost of living on families.
He also highlighted other educational interventions facilitated during his three and a half years in the Senate, including the construction of 87 classroom blocks equipped with staff rooms, libraries and solar-powered boreholes, establishment of 18 ICT centres, provision of furniture to 35 educational institutions, distribution of over 200,000 textbooks and school bags to 128 schools, donation of minibuses to tertiary institutions and sponsorship of 7,000 JAMB registration forms for indigent students.
The lawmaker reaffirmed his commitment to expanding access to quality education if elected governor of Ogun State in 2027.
“I don’t make promises and fail to keep them. By the grace of God, when I become governor on May 29, 2027, we will hold the fourth edition of this programme in a stadium capable of accommodating nearly 10,000 students,” he said.
Adeola also reiterated his commitment to improving educational infrastructure and supporting policies that will strengthen the sector, citing his sponsorship of the legislation that upgraded the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, to the Federal University of Technology, Ilaro, as part of his broader vision for education development in Ogun State.
