The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) has disbursed N2million to 214 indigenes of the Emirate who are students of tertiary institutions spread across the country.
The exercise was this year’s edition of the association’s annual bursary award to students of tertiary institutions in the Emirate to assist them in reducing the burden of paying for their tuition fees.
About 90 beneficiaries from various universities nationwide received N10, 000 each, 23 from different polytechnics and colleges of education collected N7, 500 each, while 61 students of Senior Secondary School (SSS3) in the country received N5, 000 each.
In a statement by the Union’s western zone public relations officer, Alhaji Abdulraheem Ibrahim, the selected beneficiaries, out of several applicants were all final year students of tertiary institutions and senior secondary schools.
The national president of the union, Justice Oloru (rtd), during the presentation ceremony at the union’s annex office at Umaru Saro Road, Gari-Alimi roundabout, Ilorin, Kwara State, said that the bursary scheme is one of the several ways to cater for the less privileged indigenes of Ilorin Emirate.
He assured that the amount shared to the beneficiaries will eventually increase by next year as efforts are being made to allocate more fund to the project so as to allow more beneficiaries.
Justice Oloru who was former Chief Justice of Kwara State however appealed to those who did not benefit from the programme this year not to despair as they still have the chance of benefitting next year.
In his welcome address, the chairman of the union’s education committee, Prof. Shewu Jimoh advised the beneficiaries and students in general to face their studies seriously and always ensure that they achieve success in their examinations.
Similarly, the national secretary of the union, Alhaji Bolaji Al-Hassan, stated that quality and effective free education has been the major priority of the union, citing that majority of primary and secondary schools in the Emirate were built by the union in the 1960s and 70s.
He described the 2013 bursary scheme as an improvement on past editions as a result of the increase in the fund disbursed to the beneficiaries.