The senator representing Kwara Central, Mallam Saliu Mustapha, has disbursed N300 million in scholarship funds to support 300 intelligent but financially disadvantaged students across the state.
At the presentation ceremony held in Ilorin, Senator Mustapha explained that the initiative aims to reduce illiteracy and strengthen the academic capacity of young people in the region. He emphasized that continued investment in human development would remain one of his lasting legacies, noting that well-educated societies are less prone to banditry and other social vices.
He described the initiative as the first of its scale in Kwara, expressing hope that it would help remove financial obstacles preventing brilliant students from accessing quality higher education. The senator added that the programme, which began last year with 200 beneficiaries, has now grown significantly as part of his commitment to human capital development and youth empowerment.
Chairperson of the Scholarship Committee, Professor Binta Sulyman, confirmed that tuition fees for the selected candidates would be paid promptly in line with the regulations of their respective institutions. She noted that the scheme is strictly merit-based, explaining that every beneficiary scored 250 or above in the JAMB UTME and was chosen from the four local government areas that make up Kwara Central: Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, and Asa.
She further stated that the scholarship covers tuition from the first year to the final year, provided the students enroll in tertiary institutions located within Kwara State. Professor Sulyman added that the goal is to ensure equal opportunities and prevent financial limitations from blocking the ambitions of deserving young people.
She encouraged the students to remain diligent and justify the confidence placed in them.
Secretary of the Committee, Comrade Yakub Ishowo, explained that the beneficiaries attend institutions such as the University of Ilorin, Kwara State University (Malete), Kwara State University of Education (Ilorin), and the University of Offa. He added that a monitoring system has been set up to track each recipient’s academic progress.
Parents at the event praised Senator Mustapha for the gesture, describing it as a life-changing effort that would ease the financial pressure associated with higher education. Speaking on behalf of the parents, Sheikh Usman AbdulRahman Yasin said many families would have struggled to pay university fees due to the current global economic hardships. He expressed gratitude and commended the transparency of the selection process, which he said renewed hope in the community.
Two of the recipients, Amirah Suleiman and AbdulAzeem Muhammed, expressed their gratitude and promised to make good use of the opportunity, describing the scholarship as a major stepping stone toward achieving their dreams.
