Alumnus Gives Bursary Awards To Ibadan Grammar School Ex- students In Tertiary Institutions

…As Alma Mater Celebrates 110 Years Founders Day Anniversary

By Bode Akinbode, Ibadan

As part of efforts towards encouraging and developing learning skills among students ,no fewer than 20 students of the renowned Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan have benefited from the #100,000 Bursary awards initiative of one of the 1965/1969 alumnus of the school, Mr Jide Ogungbadero in conjunction with
Urban Books Technology, based in United States of America

The award , the third in the series , which took place at the Dr Mike Adenuga Junior Information Communication Technology Center of the school coincides with the 110 years Founders Day anniversary of the school

The company’s representative , Alhaji Hakeem Soara, also an alumnus, while speaking at this year’s bursary award presentation to four beneficiaries who recently got admitted into various tertiary institutions for the 2021/2022 academic session explained that the gesture was meant to support brilliant but indigent students whose parents find it difficult to send their children to higher institutions of learning.

According to him, the company’s vision is to develop learning skills of students and was ready to collaborate with secondary schools across the state to improve reading culture of the students

“The vision of Urban Books Technology is to arouse and develop the learning skills of students, we are doing it here today because we are fortunate to be old students of Ibadan Grammar School and the say charity begins at home but it is not limited to Ibadan Grammar School

“That is why we are also appealing to stakeholders in the Ministry of Education that we are ready to collaborate with you to see how we can help these students, how do we curtal thuggery and hooliganism in schools, an idle hand is the devil’s workshop

“Let’s develop this culture of reading, once they keep on reading, they will occupy their mind with something positive and at the end of the day , they will be involved in nation building,the slogan of Urban Books Technology is pick up a book instead of a gun” and the campaign is currently running in the united state of America, he stressed

Soara however noted that the company was not involved in the selection of beneficiaries of the bursary award adding that it had in the last three years, organised coaching classes for students paid for JAMB and WAEC fees and had successfully organised Spelling Bee Competition among other activities for the students

Earlier in his address at the occasion, the Principal (Senior School) Mr Oladejo Johnson who expressed his gratitude to the initiator of the Bursary award, Mr Jide Ogungbadero , hinted that the beneficiaries were the first batch as more letters of admission are still being expected from students who passed out from the school.

He said “, this school, Ibadan Grammar School is blessed with eminent men and women of great passion for their alma mater, they are investing heavily in terms of infrastructure and future of younger ones ,just last Saturday, the newly renovated administrative block which cost millions of naira was commissioned as well as a world standard Lawn Tennis Court.

“Apart from the bursary award presentation, our benefactor of today also introduced and have been sponsoring Spelling Bee Competition in the school with the winners made a “One Day Principal”, among prizes, payment of WAEC fees of students, purchase of JAMB forms, organising seminar for the students tagged “Pick Up A Book Instead Of A Gun” and feasting of the entire staff of the school.

He admonished the beneficiaries to shun any form to f anti-social vices such as secret cults and substance abuse just as he also charged to see the bursary award as as a challenge to study hard to perform excellently in their courses so as to justify the award

Similarly, the school’s Principal ( Junior School) Pastor Akinpelu Akinkunmi urged parents and the beneficiaries to see the award as a challenge to also give back to the society

“Whatever you can do to better the lot of others , do it ,sow good seeds into the lives of other people and students should have it in mind that in the nearest future,you are going to pay back for the good seed someone like Mr Jide Ogungbadero has sown ” he said

The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Olusanya Aribatise while commending the Book Reading Culture initiative ,charged the students to be worthy ambassadors of the school and to leave a lasting legacy for others.

Other alumnus who admonished the students to refrain from anti-social behaviors and take their studies seriously include; Dr Oluyinka Ogundele, Oloye Gbola Raji former Chairman of the school’s Old Students Association as well as the Local Inspector of Education (LIE) Zone 1, Ibadan South East,Mrs Awowoyin Risikat and the Tuitor General/Permanent Secretary Zone 1 , I Mr Onifade Babatunde .

The award recepients are , Layiwola Ebenezer , Oluyide Goodness both students of Bio-Chemistry and Computer Science of the University of Ibadan, Aremu Taiwo and Balo Ahmad both studying Civil Engineering , Survey and Geo-Informatics respectively at the Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomosho.