Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Students’ Engagements, Com. Sunday Asefon, has distributed free Joint Admission and Matriculation board forms to 500 indigenes of Ekiti State.
Asefon, former President, National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS), said his generous donation would afford the indigent beneficiaries to partake in the forthcoming Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination(UTME) to secure admission to tertiary institutions of their choices.
Asefon revealed that five of the beneficiaries, who emerged best in the UTME, will be given scholarships to the last level in the tertiary institution through support from the son of the President, Mr. Seyi Tinubu, while others who performed well will be given computer laptops as a motivation.
The Presidential aide performed the programme at Fajuyi Hall, Ado Ekiti, on Saturday, alongside other All Progressives Congress chieftains and top indigenes of Ado Ekiti.
Tracing his humble beginning, Asefon, a native of Ado Ekiti and graduate of the Ekiti State University, clarified that his generosity was in alignment with President Tinubu’s unflinching commitment to youth empowerment and educational advancement.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving him the opportunity to serve and give back to the society to uplift the lives of the youth population.
Giving the breakdown of the distribution, Asefon clarified that 50 forms would be distributed to the SS3 students of Ado Grammar School, being his alma mater.
He stated that the remaining 450 will be distributed to beneficiaries drawn from Ado Local Government to bolster the chances of admission seekers in the council .
The former Students’ leader asserted that his action was part of the ways to checkmate illiteracy and ensure that no youth is inhibited from attaining tertiary education on account of poverty, which was also a vision of Tinubu’s government.
The Presidential aide, said: “After my secondary school education, my late mother had to sell some of her personal belongings to purchase a JAMB Form for me that I wrote to gain Admission to EKSU.
“If my mother could go to that extent, there is nothing wrong for me to purchase free JAMB forms for people to gain Admission. Today, we have the opportunity of Nigerian Loan Fund(NELFUND) called education loan, if many of us had the same opportunity, many couldn’t have dropped out of school the way they did. The loan is interest free.
“I know that your future will be great. Anytime God establishes your feet, please, make sure you give back to the society. In the next ten years, many of you will be employers of labour. You will be okay and you need to pay back in the interest of our society.
“Don’t bother about your backgrounds, you can be governor and President tomorrow. My late parents were not educated, but today, I am a pride to Ekiti and Nigeria. You can also be pride as well. Chart a good course for your lives and it will be greater for you, depending on your determination and focus”.
Speaking further, Asefon, urged the students to ensure they access the loan anytime the opportunity beckons to further their education.
“Out these forms, 50 have been allocated to Ado Grammar School, Ado Ekitimy alma mater, while the remaining 450 are designated for indigent students from Ado Ekiti Local Government Area in Ekiti State.
“This year is 500, next year will be in thousands. But it is you that will encourage me. If you read your books and perform well, I will do better in this programme. Please, be focused and serious with your studies
“Let me emphasize again, this initiative is aimed at supporting academically gifted but financially disadvantaged students in their pursuit of higher education and not for political reasons”.
Asefon added that education remains the most powerful tool for both personal and national development and veracious opportunity to eliminate poverty in the system.
He said the foregoing accounted for why President Tinubu initiated the establishment of the NELFUND to provide student with soft loans to finance tertiary education, saying he is not only investing in the future of these students, but also strengthening the foundation of the nation’s progress.
He reiterated that “This initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, ensuring that no deserving Nigerian youth is denied access to education due to financial constraints.
“I commend the efforts of all stakeholders who continue to support students’ welfare and educational advancement. It is our collective responsibility to create opportunities for young Nigerians to thrive academically and contribute meaningfully to society.
“This is just one of many interventions designed to ensure that our students receive the necessary support to excel. I assure Nigerian students of my unwavering commitment to championing their cause and advocating for policies that prioritize their educational needs”.
Addressing the students, the APC Chairman, Ado Ward 2, Hon Bukola Ibitoye, advised the beneficiaries to be focused and have that intuition that the future will be great for them.
Ibitoye saluted Asefon for the benevolence, which includes securing of permanent employments for many indigenes of Ado Ekiti and Ekiti at large to empower the future generation