Abiodun Family Awards Over ₦100m Scholarships to 831 Indigent Students

The family of Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has awarded scholarships worth over ₦100 million to 831 indigent students across various levels of education under the Gbemiga Abiodun Memorial Education Support Programme.

The initiative, established in honour of the governor’s late son, Gbemiga Abiodun, is designed to sustain his legacy of kindness and generosity by providing educational support to financially disadvantaged students.

Governor Abiodun disclosed this at the third edition of the programme, held at Christ Apostolic Grammar School, Iperu, noting that the initiative had supported a total of 1,277 students since its establishment in 2023.

According to the governor, the beneficiaries for the 2025/2026 award year were selected from approximately 3,000 applications submitted through the programme’s online portal.

The scholarship scheme covers primary school pupils, secondary school students, technical college students and undergraduates in tertiary institutions, with the aim of reducing the financial burden on families and ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent students from pursuing their educational ambitions.

Abiodun explained that 150 new beneficiaries were selected for tertiary-level scholarships, while 124 continuing beneficiaries brought the total number of students supported at that level to 274.

He also announced additional assistance for 80 Senior Secondary School students preparing for their examinations and seeking admission into tertiary institutions. The students will receive support for registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), alongside revision and practice sessions through the LEARN MORE WhatsApp platform.

The governor reaffirmed his family’s commitment to sustaining and expanding the programme, which initially focused on the Remo axis but has since extended to all nine local government areas in Ogun East Senatorial District.

He also highlighted the vocational education component introduced in 2025, under which technical college beneficiaries received ₦120,000 each to purchase essential training equipment.

According to him, some beneficiaries have already begun practising their trades, securing paid assignments and improving their livelihoods, demonstrating the role of vocational education in promoting self-reliance and economic empowerment.

As part of efforts to encourage entrepreneurship, Abiodun announced plans to provide 20 selected beneficiaries with business development training, mentorship and start-up support of up to ₦250,000 each.

He further disclosed that 30 selected tertiary institution students would participate in a digital skills development programme covering digital marketing, software development, data and analytics, cybersecurity, and user interface and user experience (UI/UX) design.

The governor called on well-meaning Nigerians, wealthy individuals and organisations to support initiatives aimed at improving access to education for vulnerable members of society. He also urged the beneficiaries to remain focused and make effective use of the opportunities provided.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, commended the Abiodun family for investing in the future of academically promising students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds.

He encouraged the beneficiaries to remain disciplined and committed to their studies to achieve their educational and career aspirations.

Similarly, Lamisa Abiodun, sister of the late Gbemiga Abiodun, congratulated the beneficiaries and urged students in technical colleges to take their training seriously and use the skills acquired to build productive and independent lives.

Representatives of educational institutions and some beneficiaries also expressed appreciation to the governor and his family, noting that the intervention would ease the financial burden on parents and guardians while enabling students to continue their education.

Earlier, the programme coordinator, Rev. Bola Oyeledun, said the initiative had grown from a family’s response to personal tragedy into a programme providing hope and relief to students whose families could not afford the cost of quality education.

He noted that the expansion of the scheme across Ogun East Senatorial District had widened its reach and created opportunities for more disadvantaged students to pursue their academic and vocational aspirations.

The Gbemiga Abiodun Memorial Education Support Programme continues to serve as an intervention aimed at promoting educational access, vocational development and youth empowerment across Ogun East, while preserving the humanitarian legacy of the governor’s late son.