UNILORIN-ASUU gives cash grants to 4 indigent students

The University of Ilorin Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has assisted four indigent students of the University with a cash donation totalling N700,000.00.

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Presenting the donation last Thursday (December 7, 2023) at the Union’s Secretariat to the successful students, the Chairman of the Union, Comrade Dr Alex Akanmu, said that the donation, which is a scholarship for the indigent but exceptional undergraduate students studying different courses at the University.

According to him, out of the four students, two of the beneficiaries, Tijani Rukayat and Timothy Moses Tiya were awarded cash scholarships of N200,000.00 each while the remaining two, Ofiku Mathew of the Optometric Department and Babatunde Salawudeen Babatunde of the Department of Computer Science got N150, 000.00 each.

The  ASUU Chairman, while appreciating the national body’s approval to institute such to the students of the University, urged the Federal Government to make grants rather than loans available to students so that more indigent students can have access to education.

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“I  think the Federal Government should think of grants to make education affordable rather than making it a soft loan. If it is a loan that we have given them today how are they going to pay it back”, he said

Dr Akanmu recalled a case of one of the beneficiaries who was contacted to come forward for the scholarship award and was struggling to get transport fare down to the institution.

He said the programme, which started in 2018, would be a continuous one as part of the contribution of UNILORIN ASUU to the promotion of scholarship by ensuring that indigent students who are exceptional in their academic programmes are supported to realise their dreams.