ASUU Awards ₦5.8m in Scholarships to 29 Needy OOU Students
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has provided scholarships worth ₦5.8 million to support 29 financially disadvantaged students from Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye. Each student received ₦200,000 as part of ASUU’s commitment to easing the financial burden of university education.
The OOU branch of ASUU funded scholarships for 27 students, while the national ASUU body awarded two scholarships, bringing the total to 29 beneficiaries. The grants were presented during an event held at the ASUU-OOU Secretariat following the Branch Congress.
ASUU-OOU Chairman, Olukayode Oyenuga, represented by Vice Chairman Eniola Olooto, stated that recipients were chosen based on their financial needs and academic excellence. He urged the students to utilize the funds wisely, emphasizing the importance of saving for future semesters.
Oyenuga noted that the scholarship amount had been increased by ₦100,000 this year due to economic challenges. He added, “ASUU members see themselves as local parents to students and will continue supporting indigent students within their financial limits.”
During the event, Oyenuga called on the federal government to safeguard the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which he described as essential for public universities. He warned against replacing TETFund with the proposed National Education Loans Fund (NELFund), arguing that TETFund has driven significant infrastructure development in universities.
He remarked, “TETFund is a product of ASUU’s struggles. It funds about 90% of university infrastructure. Without TETFund, we would return to an era of infrastructural decay. It is what makes the absence of government funding less noticeable in universities.”
Two beneficiaries, Zulaikha Omayoza, a final-year Pharmacy student, and Oppoola Kingdom, a 500-level Crop Production student, expressed gratitude to ASUU. Omayoza said the grant would ease her financial burden, while Kingdom shared, “The scholarship has changed my perception of ASUU. This grant has inspired me to practice generosity in the future.”
