The Ibadan Zone of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday gave 22 students scholarship under the ASUU Indigent Students Scholarship Scheme.

The cheques were presented to the students at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, by the former National Treasurer of the union, Prof. Ademola Aremu, Financial Secretary of ASUU, Prof. Ade Adejumo, and Chairpersons from the Zone.

The Ibadan Zone comprised the University of Ibadan, University of Ilorin, LAUTECH and Kwara State University.

Present at the event include Prof. Ayo Akinwole (UI), Dr. Biodun Olaniran (LAUTECH), Dr. Wasiu Raji (UNILORIN) and Shehu Salam (KWASU).

The Ibadan Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Prof. Oyebamiji Oyegoke, while announcing the scholarship, said the leadership of the union, directed that all chapters of the should institute the scholarship as a way of ensuring that indigent but brilliant students are not denied quality education.

According to him, the National Secretariat of the union is giving out scholarship worth N100, 000 per session to at least 73 students across all public universities while individual varsities also give awards to their Indigent students.

Speaking shortly after presenting the awards, Prof. Adejumo urged Nigerians including “those who have stolen from Nigeria and Nigerians to support the education of indigent students so that they can realise their full potentials and contribute to national development”, stating that the union believes that being indigent should not be a reason not to go to school.

The former National Treasurer of the Union, Prof. Ademola Aremu, in his remarks, lamented that those who benefitted from scholarships and free education during their time are now the one underfunding education.

According to him, “it is a pity that Nigeria is about the only country that pay her lecturers very poorly. Nigerian professors after spending 10 years in professorial cadre earns about $800 even Republic of Benin pays around $2,000. Nigerian leaders only want to keep the poor down by denying them quality education to pave way for their children schooling abroad to come and rule them.”