By Mariam Alabi
The Ilobu Concerned Citizens (ICC), a socio-political group, has awarded educational grants to four indigent medical students from Ilobu, headquarters of Irepodun local Government Area of Osun State.
The intervention came as part of the activities marking the fourth edition of the Jare Adebisi-Balogun Education Grant (JABEG) award ceremony.
The grant awards were presented on Saturday, 30 May, at the Ilobu National Students’ Union (INSU) Secretariat during a ceremony attended by community leaders, students, parents and members of the ICC.
About the award
Established in memory of Mikhail Adejare Adebisi, a lawyer and former Deputy Chief of Staff to both former Governors Rauf Aregebesola and Adegboyega Oyetola.
Mr Adebisi, who died on 12 June 2020 while serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of General Administration to Mr Oyetola, was a member of the ICC.
The grant, according to the group, is therefore designed to support academically outstanding Ilobu indigenes studying Medicine and Surgery or Law in Nigerian universities.
Speaking at the event, a member of the group, Raheem Sanusi, explained that the initiative was conceived by members of the ICC as a lasting tribute to Mr Adebisi’s contributions to the development of Ilobu and its people.
Mr Sanusi, a deputy clerk at the Osun State House of Assembly, said the grant specifically targets students in their second and third years of study, a period often characterised by significant academic and financial demands.
According to him, Medicine and Surgery students were included because the illness that eventually claimed Mr Adebisi’s life required specialised medical treatment unavailable in Nigeria, while Law students were considered because of his background as a legal practitioner.
“The objective is to reduce the financial burden on parents, encourage academic excellence and inspire beneficiaries to contribute positively to society,” Mr Sanusi said.
Selection process
Presenting the report of the selection committee, Sulaimon Ajala, a professor of Sociology at the University of Ibadan, said the application process was conducted online with about 70 applicants.
Applicants were required to be indigenes of Ilobu, active members of the Ilobu National Students’ Union, students of Medicine and Surgery or Law in Nigerian universities, and possess a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.50 on a five-point scale.
Following the screening process, only eight applicants met all the eligibility requirements of the 70 applications received.
Mr Ajala explained that the committee initially selected three beneficiaries but later increased the number to five after reviewing available funds.
However, one of the selected students voluntarily withdrew after disclosing that he had benefited from the grant in a previous edition, in line with the scheme’s rule that beneficiaries can only receive the award once.
The development reduced the final number of awardees to four.
The beneficiaries are Raji Olawunni, a 300-level student of the University of Abuja; Abdulrauf Musbaudeen, a 200-level student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; Sodiq Adeshina, also a 200-level student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; and Ibrahim Alani, a 300-level student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso.
Notably, no Law student applied for the grant this year, as all qualified applicants were studying Medicine and Surgery.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Alani expressed appreciation to the ICC for the support and pledged that the award would motivate recipients to excel in their academic pursuits.
Call to embrace future skills
A keynote lecture delivered by Kazeem Durodoye, an ICT expert and University of Ibadan-trained scholar, focused on the future of education, technology and career development.
Mr Durodoye argued that rapid technological advancements are reshaping the global labour market and creating new opportunities beyond traditional professions such as Medicine, Law and Engineering.
Drawing on his international experience, he noted that labour markets around the world can no longer absorb all graduates from conventional professional disciplines.
He urged the ICC to broaden the scope of the grant to include students studying Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Mathematics, Islamic Studies, Arts and Humanities.
According to him, these fields will play increasingly significant roles in driving innovation and economic growth over the coming decades.
Addressing students, he warned against cybercrime and other forms of fraudulent activities, encouraging them instead to remain focused on their studies and acquire what he described as “skills of the future”.
He identified Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity and Mathematics as critical areas that would shape future career opportunities.
Mr Durodoye also announced that his organisation’s Cybersecurity Education and Empowerment Programme (CEEP) would provide 10 free training slots to students from Ilobu this year, in addition to discounted opportunities for others interested in technology-related training.
Commitment to education
The Chairman of the ICC, Ademola Oladosu, a former Southern General Manager of Media Trust Group, and currently Team Lead at Kamlad Associates, said the organisation was established in 1997 by former student leaders and founders of the Ilobu National Students’ Union who sought to continue contributing to community development after graduation.
He noted that the organisation is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission and remains committed to promoting education and youth development in the community.
He added that JABEG has become one of the community’s flagship educational support programmes, providing financial assistance to deserving students while promoting academic achievement and leadership among young people.
