A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Engr. Ayodele Asalu has urged the Osun State Government to invest more into the development of the educational sector.
He made the call on Tuesday in Ejigbo while briefing journalists ahead of the orientation programme for scholarship students in Ejigbo local government area.
No fewer than 500 secondary school students have their West African School Certificate Examination fees paid, while another 350 students got free Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination forms.
While addressing the pressmen, Asalu described the education support programme as one that has endured for ten years without a break.
He said the programme commenced in 2016 and has benefited thousands of students across Ejigbo local government area and the whole of Ede Federal Constituency at large.
The APC Chieftain advised Osun State government to quickly reassess education and invest more into it.
“Without bringing political colouration into discussion, Osun State Government needs to do more in the area of education. The report are not too good. Imagine no successful recruitment in the last over two years compared to Oyo State that has successfully recruited teachers twice within this same period,” Asalu said.
Speaking on this year’s scholarships, Asalu said “This 2025 Edition is also strategic because it highlights my sustained commitment to
the welfare of our people. While not holding any political office, I have sponsored this programme for ten straight years, showing my deep commitment to human capacity building in developing societies like ours.
“My continued commitment to this course, and the positive feedback we get from beneficiaries, are proofs of what we can achieve if all of us who are privileged can be so committed to the upliftment of under-privileged people, and the empowerment of the poor.
“We have thus gathered here today to witness 10 years of unwavering commitment to the endeavor of building a bright future for our society and all in it. We have gathered to witness the continuation of an individual’s contribution to the futuristic education policy of our visionary President, Bola Tinubu.
“I must also seize the opportunity to state that this Education Support Programme is proof of what is possible, if truly committed people are placed in positions of power.
“While I have consistently funded this laudable initiative with my personal resources, we realize how many laudable things are possible, if we are able to put visionary people in government.
“When individuals do great things for society, we can easily imagine what Government, with the right policies and the right vision, can do. We thus have a challenge on our hands, to ensure that we enthrone leaders who love the people and will take the right steps to better their lives.
“As much as we need more passionate individuals like me to play vital roles in society, knowing that government cannot do it all alone, we also owe ourselves the responsibility of enthroning people who can replicate these brilliant individual efforts on a grander scale, backed by government’s almost inexhaustible capacity”, he concluded.
In an interview with some of the beneficiaries of the scholarship, they expressed their profound gratitude to the philanthropist while promising to do well in thier academics to make him and Thier community proud.
