January 22, 2023.
Azonuchechi Chukwu.
An NGO, Daudu Olurotimi Foundation (DOW), has distributed school materials and paid school fees for 50 indigent students of 12 public secondary schools in Akoko area of Ondo State.
Naija247news reports that Akoko in Ondo State is made up of four local governments – Akoko North-East, Akoko North-West, Akoko South-West, and Akoko South-East LGAs.
The school materials given included textbooks, notebooks, uniforms, sandals and branded school bags, as it also paid the school fees of the 50 students who converged on Mount Carmel Girls’ Secondary School, Ikare-Akoko on Sunday.
The founder of DOW Foundation, Olurotimi Williams-Daudu, at the presentation of the materials, said all the beneficiaries were indigents and brilliant students.
He said that they were all selected from public secondary schools to assist them to achieve their visions in life.
Williams-Daudu said he decided to set up the scholarship to help poor students to achieve their dreams of becoming great in life, irrespective of their backgrounds.
“This is the second edition. What we intend to do is to look for Nigerians who are of like mind, and corporate bodies that are interested in expanding access to education that we will partner with.
“If you are interested to be of assistance to any of the several indigent students anywhere in the country, you just let us know the school of your interest. It doesn’t cost much to train a student in a year.
“As we speak, we already have people in Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina, and Ekiti who said they are interested in sponsoring indigent students in different schools,” he said.
Williams-Daudu, who is the Chief Registrar of the National Industrial Court, charged the students to be of good behaviour and study hard to make their dreams come true.
He also appealed to their parents to give them time to study and encourage them to see their education as a priority.
The wife of the founder, Dr Funmilola Williams-Daudu, who supported her husband’s initiative, charged the students to be good ambassadors of the DOW Foundation by studying hard to be their best.
She said the only way they could pay the founder back was by progressing in terms of gaining admission into higher Institutions and becoming professionals such as medical doctors, lawyers, engineers, and others in the future.
Mr James Gbogiaran, the Zonal Director of the State Teaching Service Commission, admitted that government could not fund education solely anymore.
Gbogiaran lamented the rate of infrastructure deficit in public schools, noting that most school libraries were full of obsolete and irrelevant textbooks to the current global reality.
He appreciated the sponsor for helping the children, calling on other philanthropists to emulate the gesture.
Mrs Christiana Folaranmi, whose child was among the beneficiaries, appreciated the foundation for coming to their rescue.
“We thank you for rising for our help. My child is at Ajuwa Grammar School. The scholarship came in the nick of time for me. I had nothing to pay my child’s fees.
I am a widow for the past four years,” she said.
One of the students in Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3) from Mount Carmel Girls’ Secondary School, Ikare-Akoko, Damilola Omoyajowo, thanked the founder and prayed for replenishment of his purse. (www.naija247news.com).
