No fewer than 2,044 students have benefited from the free Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) forms purchased for them by a federal lawmaker, Raheem Olawuyi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gesture was part of the five-point agenda of Olawuyi, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ekiti/Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The agenda tagged, Educational and Youth Life Development Project (EYELID) has other components such as Career Counselling, Admission Support, Tertiary Education Financial Support as well as Life Coaching and Career Mentorship.
Each of the beneficiaries across four local councils in Kwara State was presented with their free registration package at the party’s office in Omu-Aran.
Olawuyi, in his remarks at the occasion, said education remained the bedrock of any meaningful development and must be given its desired priority and recognition.
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He said the gesture was borne out of a vision to promote a society where altruism, service and sustenance of the core essences of human dignity were at the centre stage of discourse.
“The mandate freely given to me is not just to provide remedies to our challenges but more fundamentally to provide such leadership that will reinforce human capital development.
“In clear terms, our people spoke and gave me an assignment through the November 17 by-election to champion the development and enrichment of the lives of our children and youths.
“In the quest to fulfill this unique mandate of sustainable youth development and trans-generational leadership, I have committed myself to a holistic Educational and Youth Life Development Project [EYELID],” he said.
Olawuyi noted that the state had remained underdeveloped in spite of the Federal Government’s commitment toward revamping the economy and several aspects of national life across the states.
“Unfortunately, while so much is being done at the Federal Level, governance in Kwara State has remained primitive and crude.
“The larger percentage of Kwara State people remain in indescribable penury, hoping year to year for better deal from the custodian of the state treasury,” he said.
Olayemi Risikat and Ampitan Stephen, both beneficiaries, thanked Olawuyi for his generosity and promised to reciprocate the gesture by excelling in their examination. (NAN)