Two UDUS Students Awarded N100,000 Scholarships by Ilorin Emirate Professors’ Association

As part of activities marking its 7th Annual General Meeting, the Ilorin Emirate Professors’ Association (IEPA) has awarded N100,000 scholarships to outstanding students hailing from Ilorin.

Held on December 27, 2025, at the Millennium Hotel, Kwara State, the meeting brought together eminent scholars, academics, and policy stakeholders for an engaging intellectual discourse on governance and national development.

The keynote lecture of the event, themed “Roles and Responsibilities of the Academia in Good Governance,” was delivered by Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, the former Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria.

During the event, Gambari stressed the need for academics to transcend classroom instructions and actively contribute to nation-building through research-informed policy engagement, ethical leadership, and sustained public enlightenment.

The event had in attendance the Pro-Chancellor of Kwara State University, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, and the Association’s President, Prof. Abdul Kabir Hussain Solihu.

A major highlight of the event was the presentation of cheques and certificates to beneficiaries of the scholarship. Of particular significance to the UDUS community was the selection of two of its students: Yahaya Ridwanullah Ayinla from the Department of Islamic Studies, and Abdullahi Baidou of Business Administration.

The awardees, while expressing their appreciation for the recognition in an interview with VANGUARD PRESS, described the scholarship as both motivating and inspiring.

When asked about the significance, Yahaya Ridwanullah Ayinla described the event as a defining moment in his academic journey.

For Ridwanullah, his resolve to achieve academic excellence has reached new heights.

Ridwanullah recalled his interaction with Prof. Abdulrasaq Abdulrasheed Alaro, who encouraged him to pursue postgraduate studies beyond his undergraduate programme.

“Prof. Alaro advised me to continue with my studies after my first degree and to remain focused on building a strong academic foundation,” said Ridwanullah.

Similarly, Abdullahi Baidou added that learning about the presence of over 200 professors within the Ilorin metropolis alone ignited a renewed sense of determination.

By Yusuf Abdulqudus